Summer Reading List

Because I have a ton of free time in the summer, I'm putting together a reading list of books that I'm plowing through. I know, I need a baby or something.



Here is what I've read so far:

Twilight, Stephenie Meyer

New Moon, Stephenie Meyer

Eclipse , Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer



My review: Eh. Okay, I get it. I get the big phenomenon. Meyer actually made me remember the drama of does-he-like-me, doesn't-he-like me from back in high school. I liked the first book. Did I learn anything about myself? Did it change me in any way? Negative. And I like books that change me. The movie was an over-acted crapfest. For reals. I feel obligated to watch the rest of the movies, but I can tell you that I'll borrow my sister-in-law's DVD, I won't spend a dime.



The Red Tent, Anita Diamant



My review: Every woman needs to read this book. It's loosely based on a story in Genesis about Dinah (pronounced DEE-nah, who knew? I guess Meg knew.) It's definitely a book that makes you proud to be a woman, and it's informative about what life was like for Old Testament. In a side note, it makes me wish that there was more cooperation, and less competition, between modern women. Changed? You betcha.



The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver



My review: I should have read this book forever ago, when all my friends were reading it. It's a book about a family that is transplanted to the Congo to support the father's missionary efforts. The girls are from Georgia, so Africa represents quite a shift in lifestyle. It's a great summer read, because each chapter is relatively short. If I get a second, I can read another chapter on the fly. Each chapter is written in the voice of one of the women in the family: the mother and each of the four girls. The book is beautifully written, with statements that I mark to read to Mikeburns when he gets home. It's that good. Changed? Permanently.



Future Reading:

Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer

My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kingsolver

Preserved, Nick Sandler



Any suggestions? Lay 'em on me. I have nothing but time.

Just an observation...

So, Neosporin is marketing this item:

It's a PORTABLE neosporin, you know, in case you need it on the fly. Sure, sure. But I have to ask, what was un-portable about the old neosporin??

This can't fit in a purse? Is it even bigger than the "portable" one?

There are only two explanations for such marketing: (1) Marketers are insane. (2) People will buy anything based on a "clever" marketing campaign.

10 Pounds Lighter!

One would think that given my success over the past 6 weeks that I would continue down the carb-less path to skinny. Well I'm over it. O-V-E-R I-T.

I made it six weeks, which is sure longer than I thought I would make it. My new strategy for weight loss/fitness is to eat better and exercise. I did this before, yes, but I miss carbs. So there.

My clothes are fitting better. I'm not down a size or anything, because to be down a size, I would have had to purchase clothes at my larger size. Instead, I opted for the tug-this-here and stretch-this-before-wearing options with my old wardrobe. I am smaller, though, and that's the whole point, isn't it? My jeans, and their formerly tested seams, are grateful.

I'm back to training my knees in anticipation of the Colorado trip this summer. We're heading back out west with college friends, this time to Rocky Mountain National Park. When we went to Grand Teton National Park, I did not know my knees were as terrible as they proved to be. After 4 days, I was done, done, DONE. Poor Mike. You would have thought that I ruined his life the way he pouted around. I couldn't hike to the bath house, and he wanted me to "try to make it 4 miles"... Ah, marriage. To prevent future catastrophe, we're training my knees. How, you might ask? By packing a book bag full of text books and marching about Greenville, SC. The goal is 3-4 miles per day with 25lbs-ish of weight on my knees. I look as silly as it sounds. Actually, it looks like Mike is forcing me to carry a very heavy bag while he walks around with Annie. You know, to the outsider, it's a pretty accurate picture.

Fancy-Pants Picture

Mike and I went hiking and we saw this guy. Anyone who knows the species name, feel free to let me know. My google search of "orange salamander" produced some kind of role-playing game as the top result. This scares me.

At any rate, I got this picture with my point-and-click Canon E1. I love this camera. It does everything that I want in a camera, with really great photos from less than desirable conditions.

I've been toying with the idea of getting an SLR, but I'm not sure I want to spend the money. Costs are high, and I feel that I would be using the automatic settings most of the time, effectively paying a lot of money for a point and shoot. If you have any thoughts on the topic, feel free to chime in.

Oh, and if you're from National Geographic, give me a call.