December 31, 2017 SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

THE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION. It's that time of year again. If I make a resolution--it has to be DOABLE. No sense in making hollow promises right? I don't take these things lightly and have only made a handful of resolutions over the years. Just finished the 1000 mile challenge and although I might run 1000 miles next year--it's time to think of something else. A few years back I made a resolution to say HELLO to EVERYONE I  saw while out running. That was interesting--some people thought I was NUTS--just trying to spread a little kindness in the world though. After thinking long and hard I've decided on a resolution for 2018. Don't laugh--but I'm going to try to be kinder to my family.  It's funny how we take our family for granted sometimes. We tend take it out on them when we're feeling stressed or annoyed by life--right?? Admit it! This year I'm going to do my best to take a deep breath first--REPEAT MY NEW MANTRA--BE KINDER--and say the right thing. I know I can do better IN THIS DEPARTMENT and being mindful IS THE FIRST STEP. Happy New Year to all. Have a healthy 2018 and BE GOOD TO YOUR FAMILY.

If the residents of Beartown had adopted my resolution, things might have turned out differently. Beartown written by Fredrik Backman is the story of a town riddled with unemployment whose residents live and breathe hockey. It's their religion. The hockey club has been rebuilding for 10 years and it's finally their chance to draw National attention--funding--new talent. All they have to do is win the Amateur Championship. And they've got the talent to do it, with Kevin who's already being scouted by the NHL, Benji, Amat, Bobo and a host of other players. They are on their way to victory until a scandal threatens to rip the town apart. Accusations fly, and loyalties are tested. In a town where hockey is life-betrayal will change the residents of Beartown forever. Find out more when you read this great book by the author of A Man Called Ove and my favorite My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry. It's an easy read of about 400 pages--or a 4 mile run--about living with the choices we make.

December 28, 2017 A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N

Anticipation. It's one of the things I love most about  Christmas. After decorating the house from top to bottom and making loads of Christmas cookies--WE WAIT. NO instant gratification. Kids ACTUALLY have to--WAIT--WONDER--WORRY--if they've been naughty or nice. And they DON'T find out UNTIL THE BIG DAY.  What fun. The next thing I love about the holidays is spending time with family and friends. In this  hustle & bustle world-- sometimes we lose touch--so it's a great opportunity to  catch up while making merry. For many of us THOUGH this MAKING MERRY lasts several days--SIX for my family. SO--the FINAL thing I love about Christmas--WHEN IT'S OVER. Boy am I exhausted--late nights--too many DESSERTS--too much making MERRY-- ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END. Now that I've shared my favorite things about Christmas--I'd like to share some of my FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2017--IN ORDER. So without further adieu (drum roll please):

1) A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by Amor Towles--reviewed 9/17 blog title--Afternoon Delight
2)  LILLIAN BOXFISH TAKES A WALK by Kathleen Rooney--reviewed 9/2 blog title--Walk On By 
3) ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE by Elizabeth Strout--reviewed 10/2 blog title--Shake Your Booty
4) LINCOLN IN THE BARDO by George Saunders--reviewed 8/23 blog title--Freebird
5) MY GRANDMOTHER ASKED ME TO TELL YOU SHE'S SORRY by Fredrik Backman--reviewed 8/31 blog title--Shake Your Groove Thing
PLEASE--do yourself a favor and check these books out for yourself. They are all WELL worth the time and effort. I DON'T JOKE ABOUT BOOKS! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S IN STORE IN 2018.

December 23, 2017 FINISH WHAT YA STARTED

YIPPIE. Finally completed the 1000 CHALLENGE. It was touch and go for a while with the injury and all. Not sure I'll do it again next year but it was a good resolution and DEFINITELY held me more accountable. I always seem to rise to a challenge AND it was good to have a long term goal. Even though I'm on the mend, I'm only at 70%. I'm feeling SO out of shape too. I was running 25-30 miles a week and now I can BARELY run 15-- I'M HURTING--AND SOOOO SLOW. Been trying not too run too much though--trying to mix it up with the gym.  Hoping that this is just a passing phase. Hoping too that with the New Year I'll start feeling EVEN better and REALLY enjoy my runs again. That's really ALL I want for Christmas--wish I had remembered to send Santa a letter with my list!! Pretty sure the residents of Salem, Massachusetts, didn't write letters to Santa in the seventeenth century because they were too busy writing a list of the suspected witches in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible. 

Miller wrote this play in 1953 in the wake of the McCarthy hearings. Miller, himself, was a suspected communist who went in front of the Committee for Un-American Activities. He later spent time in jail for contempt because he refused to name names. He was one of several celebrities ostracized for his communist activities. Interestingly enough, after accusing over 200 people of communist activities--McCarthy fell out of favor and was actually censured by Congress in 1954.  He died of alcoholism in 1957. In this allegory of McCarthyism, Miller takes us back to Salem, Massachusetts, to the witch trials. Miller spent time in Salem researching the events, residents and history of the trials so his play is factually based and includes the actual people involved.  After young Elizabeth Proctor is accused of witchery, she confesses and the town falls into mass hysteria as Elizabeth starts accusing her neighbors of witchcraft.  Neighbors are pitted against each other in this rigid Puritanical society where religion is the law. In the end, 200 people were accused of witchery--and 20 were actually put to death by hanging or torture in the name of God. This is a story of paranoia, adultery, and so much more. The play itself is only about 140 pages--a 3 mile run--that will have you reevaluating history and the mob mentality. 

December 21, 2017 BLUE CHRISTMAS

SADNESS. It has a funny way of creeping up on you--ESPECIALLY--this time of year. The holidays are a tough time for many people. They tend to be reminders of the past--Sometimes of things we'd rather forget. They also remind us of loss. Many people struggle to get through the holidays because they have lost those MOST DEAR to their hearts. They are the unsung HEROES-- The Survivors. TALK ABOUT STRUGGLES.  Getting up each day and going about life when their hearts are broken. BLESS YOU. I wish I could make it all better--BUT I can't. NO ONE CAN. That's the SAD reality. I feel your pain and want you all to know that I'm thinking of you.  Try to remember the good times and know they are watching over you. I hope you find comfort and gain a sense of peace with family and friends this holiday season. That's my wish for you.

If you're looking for an escape--at least for a little while--from the holidays-- I have just the book for you. I just finished reading the psychological thriller In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware.  The main character is a young writer living in London named Leonora. She's kind of a recluse with a past she'd rather forget. One day she gets an email inviting her to a hen weekend (bachelorette weekend)  for an old friend Clare. She is reluctant to go as she hasn't heard from Clare in 10 years but is persuaded by another old friend named Nina. The two take the train into the English countryside and then drive deep into the woods to a glass cabin for the party. Strange place--no cell phone service and secluded. HMMM. What should be a fun weekend turns tragic as Leonora wakes up in the hospital with limited memory of what happened and someone else is dead. Find out what happened to Leonora, Nina, Clare and the other party attendees when you read this exciting page turner yourself. It's about 350 pages--a 3.5 run that will have you rethinking spending the weekend with your friends.

December 15, 2017 BABY IT'S COLD OUT THERE

Winter running. Although it can be a challenge--I love it--MOST OF THE TIME. You just have to DRESS for the weather and force yourself to get out there--IT'S REALLY NOT SO BAD--HONESTLY. Yes--it's REALLY COLD --but the crisp air is REALLY  refreshing. It was a balmy 25 this morning with a west wind of 8. Thankfully the SUN was ablaze --SO it was great--except for the BLACK ICE. That's the scary thing. One minute--all is well--and the next--you're on your butt--wondering if anything is broken. HA! Seriously--just take it slow--keep your eyes on the road and you'll be FINE. What better way to see the winter wonderland this morning. It snowed last night--and with all the houses decorated for Christmas--It's LOVELY--and really gets you in the spirit of things. I really love the holiday season--the whole SHEBANG--and the SNOW is the icing on the cake. Too bad it hardly ever snows in Shanghai or perhaps the main character of When We Were Orphans may have had better memories of his childhood.

 In this novel of 2000, Nobel Prize winner Ishiguro explores the idea of memory--how much of our present is determined by our past--or the way we remember the past. Christopher Banks, the narrator of the story, is an English boy who spends the first 9 years of his life living in Shanghai with his parents. After his parents disappear under suspicious circumstances, he is sent to live with an aunt in England. Twenty years later, Christopher becomes a famous detective and decides to return to Shanghai, during the Sino-Japanese war, in order to solve the mystery of his parents disappearance. Christopher must sift through his memories of the past--good--bad--real-- invented--to put all the pieces of the puzzle together to find out what really happened to his parents. Find out for yourself when you read this thought provoking book.  It's about 310 pages or a 4.5 mile run that will have you rethinking your own past.

December 11, 2017 LYING EYES

Euphemisms. They make everything sound so much better--ESPECIALLY IN POLITICS.  Take the simple word LIE. It's only a 3 letter word right?? Back in the day when someone lied we all yelled--LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE--and that was the end of it. Today,  in this world of Political Correctness--we can NO LONGER USE OUR OLD CHANT. So, If you're thinking of confronting a liar--I urge you to read this list and employ one of these phrases--Alternative Facts--Misspoke--Economical with the Truth--Factual Shortcuts--Factually Shaky--Twist the Truth--False Claims--Stretched Some Truths--Outright Distortion--Falsehoods--Misstatement--Telling Untruths--Misrepresentation--Fact Checkers--Malarkey--Balderdash--Undocumented Facts--Inconsistencies and Contradictions--Equivocating with the Truth--Straining Plausibility--Trifling with the Facts. Okay-- this is just a partial list but it's enough to get you started. CRAZY how ONE TINY word has evolved into such Jargon. That's probably why Trump still has supporters--THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL HE'S TALKING ABOUT!!

Since Christmas is right around the corner, I thought I'd review an interesting book I read a few years ago because I just realized it's been made into a movie and is playing in theaters right now.
Les Standiford wrote The Man Who Invented Christmas back in 2008.  It's partly a biography of Charles Dickens, focusing on  the events surrounding the publication of A Christmas Carol in 1843. It's also about the history of Christmas, how traditions have evolved and changed into the Christmas we all know today. In 1843, Dickens was in debt and needed to keep his family and creditors afloat. So, he wrote this slender novel to make a quick buck. After his publishers refused to publish it, Dickens published it himself. It caused quite a sensation reviving Dickens' career as well as the Christmas spirit in the wake of the Industrial Revolution. A Christmas Carol has been around for a 174 years and is still being published today. WOW. I'm a huge Dickens' fan and you will be one too if you pick up a copy of this book yourself and find out how Dickens saved Christmas. It's only about 200 pages or a 3 mile run that will get you into the holiday spirit.

December 9, 2017 LET IT SNOW

SNOW. As soon as METEOROLOGISTS SAY "THE WORD"--people go CRAZY.  It's like Pavlov's dog. The grocery store becomes a WAR ZONE--and ALL COMMON SENSE--goes out the window. BETTER STOCK UP ON--CANNED GOODS--WATER--BATTERIES--BREAD--MILK--BEER --like we live in TIMBUKTU.  HELLO--we live 5 MINUTES from AT LEAST ONE MAJOR GROCERY STORE. There's also a  convenience store AND PACKAGE STORE on EVERY CORNER. Back in the day we walked 10 miles through--SNOW--WIND--ICE to get to school didn't we??? AND DID YOU SEE THE CANCELLATIONS--Every activity in Connecticut was NIXXED  due to the IMPENDING SNOW STORM. Why is everyone SO AFRAID of a LITTLE SNOW THESE DAYS??   WE LIVE IN NEW ENGLAND--IT'S SUPPOSED TO SNOW--ISN'T IT??  The main character of Cynthia Swanson's debut novel The Bookseller is definitely used to the snow as she's spent her life in Denver--where it really snows!

Set in 1962, Kitty Miller leads an unorthodox life. She's a thirty-eight year old unmarried woman who owns a bookstore with her best friend Frieda. She's had her chances with men,  but they just didn't work out. She's accepted her fate and enjoys her carefree life.  Until the dreams start. In her dream world, Kitty is married to her soulmate, Lars. They live in a beautiful home with their triplets. In this world, Kitty has given up the bookstore to be a wife and mother. At first Kitty enjoys these dreams, but as time goes on she realizes that her dreams start to feel  more real than her actual life. Lines become blurred and Kitty is eventually unable to tell what is real and what is imagined. Does Kitty really own a bookstore with Frieda? Why isn't Frieda a part of Kitty's dream world? Is she really married to Lars or is he dead? And why hasn't Kitty heard from her parents at all? These questions and many more will become clear when you read this psychological thriller. I really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down. It's about 350 pages or a 3.5 mile run that will leave you saying WOW!

December 5, 2017 THE WAITING

SO THRILLED. My butt is finally feeling better--NOT COMPLETELY HEALED--but I was able to run over the weekend. AAHHH. It was wonderful. Sometimes you don't miss or appreciate something til it's gone. I really had to work hard--exercising and strengthening--to get better. I'm NOT flexible EITHER so I've been working on turning my body into a pretzel too.  Another thing that helped was switching from heat to Ice--and USING A FOAM ROLLER. Did I mention I also had to TAKE A LITTLE TIME OFF--which nearly drove me MAD. I've never been one for patience and waiting but that's exactly what I needed to do. Running is such an outlet for me. It keeps my anxiety in check and helps me stayed balanced--so the past month has been difficult. It was not until I really COMMITTED though--to the WHOLE REGIMEN--that I started feeling better. Still not 100%--taking it easy--running SLOWLY--and NOT AS OFTEN--but at least I'm out there. YIPPEE. Had a little extra time last week so I  thought I'd give Dennis Lehane's new novel Since We Fell a whirl.

Every so often I enjoy a good psychological thriller and Lehane is a master. He's written 14 novels including two that have been made into movies--Mystic River and Shutter Island. In Since We Fell, Rachel Childs is a television journalist who loses her confidence and job after having a panic attack on National television. She's a thirty-something recluse living in Boston who barely lives her apartment unless she is with her husband Brian. Because Brian travels for business, Rachel is occasionally forced to venture the streets of Boston. One day on the way to the store, Rachel stumbles upon a scene that shatters everything she believes and her carefully structured world falls apart. Find out what Rachel sees on the street that day that turns her world upside down when you read this suspense filled book yourself. It's filled with twists and turns and is almost impossible to put it down. The only thing that bothered me was that the book almost felt  like a movie ---and upon checking I found out that it is being adapted into a movie. Nevertheless, the book was fun to read and the movie will probably be great too. If you get a chance--check out this 400 pager--or 4 mile run--it's a real page turner. Guaranteed.

December 2, 2017 LIFE AIN'T FAIR

I'm troubled. LIFE IS  JUST SO UNFAIR.  So much of who we are and where we end up is determined BEFORE we are even born. It's the LUCK of the draw. If you're UNLUCKY enough to be born into poverty, to a drug addicted mother or just a mother who doesn't give a damn--OH WELL--Them's the breaks. It's crazy.  Imagine  growing up in a world WHERE YOU CAN'T EVEN trust your mother to have your back--and your BIGGEST worry is when you will eat again. This is  the reality that  thousands of children face everyday.  I wish I had a magic wand. I'd wave my wand over the world and EVERY child would feel safe, secure and loved. Children would never be hungry and their biggest worry would be reciting their multiplication facts. BACK TO REALITY--As a society, we need to recognize that if we don't find a way to mend the family unit, all is lost. Education is important but without the support, guidance and love of family-- the cycle generally continues--unless you are  Patricia Williams.

I just finished reading her autobiography entitled Rabbit, where amazingly enough, she beat the odds after surviving in a world most of us could never imagine. I picked this book up at the library last week on a whim. The name of the book intrigued me and I loved the picture of Ms. Pat on the cover. I had NO idea who Ms. Pat was but have come to learn that she is actually a famous stand-up comedian, actress and writer who grew up in the "hood" in Atlanta, Georgia,  during the crack epidemic. Rabbit is a brutally honest account of her life.  She grew up in filth, surrounded by alcoholics and drug addicts. Ms. Pat's mother was an alcoholic who often beat her and her four siblings. Ms. Pat couldn't trust her mother at all as she often involved her kids in money making schemes and criminal activity to support her habits.  Pat and her siblings never knew where their next meal was coming from or where they would sleep each night. Ms. Pat was pregnant at thirteen and had two children by the time she was fifteen years old. She even became a crack dealer in order  to pay her rent and  keep her children fed and clothed. She seemed destined to repeat the cycle.  Her story is remarkable because she got out--changed her life and even went on to raise her sister's four children because she was a crack addict. Find out how Ms. Pat changed her life when you read this tragic, often funny story yourself. It's only about 240 pages or a 3 mile unforgettable run that everyone should read.

November 27, 2017 QUEEN OF HEARTS

A whirlwind. The QUEEN was home for the holidays--AND when she's around--IT'S ALL ABOUT HER. Breakfast--lunch--dinner--THE WORKS. There's not a second to spare for READING OR WRITING MY BLOG. SERIOUSLY!! She is a lot of fun to be around--BUT I WAS LITERALLY PUSHING HER OUT THE DOOR ON SATURDAY. It's not that I REALLY wanted her to go--I NEEDED HER TO GO-because I COULDN'T get anything accomplished.  The laundry quadrupled-- food bill doubled--And Chef Lactose Free had to spend HOURS cooking all the family favs without dairy!! Mind boggling. Pretty sure she put me in a trance at the store too because she left with new boots, a sweater and a bunch of bags from Target. NOT sure how THIS happened EITHER but I've  inherited another pet. Now I'm taking care of 2 dogs, 2 frogs, crickets AND a betta fish named ALLEN.  Did I forget to mention that FRED--the elf on the shelf--is back too!! Have NO fear though--life is ALL good for the queen. Before she left, her footman topped off the gas and checked the oil so that her journey back to Neverland would be flawless.  Wouldn't want  the QUEEN to open her wallet--or get her hands dirty.  HUMMM. Can't wait til she comes back for round TWO in December--ONLY THREE WEEKS TO REST UP!!

If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift, for that special someone, this holiday season--then look NO further. I have the perfect gift. In my world, the perfect gift is always a book, right? So, in that spirit, I am recommending Celebrating the Holiday in classic New England Style A Connecticut Christmas by Caryn B. Davis. Davis has been a professional photographer since 2000 but her career in visual arts has spanned thirty years  and includes as a cameraperson, editor and producer of documentaries. Her book, A Connecticut Christmas, is a photographic journey through New England capturing Christmas traditions, festivals, decorated churches, bridges, town greens, and Christmas trees all over Connecticut. Talk about getting into the Christmas spirit!! Every photograph captures the magic of the Christmas season and is a real treasure.  I enjoyed the entire book and  the narratives that accompany the photographs; especially, the chapters "Nautical Noel", "Christmas Cheer", "Bells, Garlands & Mistletoe" and "Eat, Drink & Be Merry". If you're looking for a gift that keeps on giving, year after year, then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this wonderful book.  Pretty sure it's available at your local bookstore or contact Caryn Davis at www.carynbdavis.com to get your signed copy. Fun Fact--her book just made the Sunday New York Times Travel section.  ONLY 28 DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS.

November 21, 2017 THINKING OUT LOUD

ODDBALL THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

Vodka, cranberry and lime--enough said                                                  $  25.00
Moisturizers, lotions--that keep me smooth as a baby's bottom          $100.00
Foundation--minimize fine lines                                                                $ 42.00
Hair dye--that enables me to "still" look "45" MAYBE                           $100.00
Eyebrow pencils--for making them look real                                           $  12.00
Mascara--for highlighting my eyes and lashes                                         $  22.00
Floss--that prevents gum disease                                                                $    4.00
Underwear--that don't ride up                                                                     $  15.00
Spanks--for sucking it all in when necessary                                            $  40.00
Cozy socks-- that keep the tootsies warm                                                 $    8.00
Sweatpants--elastic waist                                                                              $  30.00
Scarves--for making me look 10 years younger when                             $  30.00
strategically placed                                                                                ______________

 TOTAL                                                                                                                 $428.00

A SENSE OF HUMOR                                                                         PRICELESS   

Yaa Gyasi's debut novel Homegoing; however, is no laughing matter. This book is a wonderful piece of historical fiction set in the Gold Coast that follows the life of an Asante woman named Maame and her two daughters. As the story opens, Maame has set fire to a Fante village in order to escape bondage leaving her daughter Effia behind. After returning to her village, Maame marries a chief and has another daughter, Esi. Later,  Effia is married off to a British Governor named James Collins, who is in charge of Cape Coast Castle. Her sister Esi is kidnapped from her village, sold into slavery and eventually sent to America. The book follows the lives of both Esi and Effia as well as  their descendants in the Gold Coast (Ghana)  and America in alternating chapters.   Gyasi, although born in Ghana, came to the United States as an infant. In 2009, she returned to Ghana on a research grant from Stanford University. She visited Cape Coast Castle and was  inspired to learn more about the time period including the Anglo-Asante Wars, Slavery and  life in the Gold Coast. For her efforts, Gyasi has earned at least three book awards including the Hemingway Foundation/Pen Award.  This important piece of literature is a must read. It is only 320 pages or a 4 mile run that is both captivating and devastating.                                                         

November 16, 2017 IT TORTURES ME

 I've lost the battle against PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME.  It's time to CROSS TRAIN--NO RUNNING for TWO WHOLE WEEKS. That translates into time at the DREADED GYM. Dragged my sorry BUTT--literally and metaphorically--to the gym last night. 20 minutes on the elliptical-- 20 minutes on the bike --15 minutes on this stepper thing. Besides the fact that the gym is SMELLY AND HOT--I don't really like using the machines because they are TOO EASY TO ABANDON. Follow my logic-- IF I GO OUT FOR A RUN--I HAVE TO COMMIT TO IT BECAUSE I HAVE TO GET BACK HOME. On a machine though--I can think of 100 reasons to get off.  I ACTUALLY have to  bring an extra shirt to cover the CLOCK because it drives me CRAZY. What do you mean I've only been on this torture chamber for 5 minutes!!  I'd rather run through sleet--snow--north winds--ANYTHING--to avoid THOSE  machines. SERIOUSLY. This is my favorite season to run and I'm gonna spend it WHERE???  THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT.

Sheri Fink, an American journalist, gave many people the opportunity to  speak in her multi-award winning non-fiction book of 2013 Five Days at Memorial:  Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital. Fink's book details the events that took place at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After the hurricane, the hospital was left without power and thousands were trapped inside before being evacuated on day five. During the evacuation process, Doctors de-prioritized the critically ill patients--and actually euthanized several--thinking they should get the healthier patients out first to save as many as they could. Fink not only told the events from the perspective of several of the people involved, she also examined the legal and ethical issues that resulted from this tragic situation. A doctor and two nurses were charged with second degree murder; however, the charges were eventually dropped. Fink's book was also a critique of the healthcare system and the government for failing during this disaster. This informative, often frightening book is about 550 pages--or a good 7 mile run--that will have you shaking your head and asking yourself how this could have happened!

NOVEMBER 12, 2017 TELL IT LIKE IT IS

I PLEAD GUILTY. As an educator, I have met ALL kinds of kids. It's my business. I know when a kid is on the spectrum or suffers from mental health issues. I've seen it enough.  I've done the dance--tried to mention the "QUIRKY" behavior or "ISSUES"  to the parents YADA YADA-- AND URGE them to discuss IT with their pediatrician. DON'T THINK ONE PERSON HAS  EVER TAKEN MY ADVICE.  I get it--NO ONE wants to hear that their kid is different--BUT the reality is that THESE KIDS ARE NOT GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY DESPERATELY NEED. They grow up ISOLATED--LONELY--ANGRY-- unable to understand social cues. MANY become FRUSTRATED--DESPERATE ADULTS. If we want to see a change IT MUST start in schools WHEN THE KIDS ARE STILL YOUNG. Educators and other professionals need to SPEAK UP-- use their expertise. A DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM OR MENTAL ILLNESS SHOULD BE on par with a diagnosis of DIABETES. If a kid had Diabetes--NO ONE WOULD IGNORE IT RIGHT??  THIS HAS TO BE MANDATORY--SO  CHILDREN CAN GET THE SERVICES THEY NEED.  THE SYSTEM MUST CHANGE. WE ALL NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB--PARENTS, EDUCATORS, GOVERNMENT. LET'S BE HONEST--HELP GUIDE--NOT HIDE.  THE PROBLEM IS REAL. We can't afford to sweep it under the rug anymore.

 Edith Wharton tried to expose problems in society in the early 1900's in her wonderful novel The House of Mirth. Wharton was truly a Renaissance woman.  She was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in Literature, and designed several homes including one in Newport Rhode Island, and her primary residence, The Mount, which is still open to visitors today in Lenox, Massachusetts.  She's an interesting woman because she rejected the social norms of the day and considered them superficial and oppressive. In The House of Mirth, Wharton not only criticized the social pressure  women felt to conform through her main character, Lily Bart, but she also attacked the corruption of the upperclass as she portrayed them as  heartless, cruel and materialistic. In the novel, Lily Bart is a stunning beauty, well-bred and educated--with one flaw. Her family lost all of their money so she must depend on her beauty and the kindness and favor of others.  Her vocation-- find a wealthy husband with the right social status to secure her place in New York City society. Lily is torn though.  She yearns to be free of social conventions to live her life the way she sees fit.  As a single woman, she has no rights, no property, no money and is forced to rely on men. She's twenty-nine and her prospects for marriage are waning. Will Lily break free from the mold and live life on her own terms or will she be forced to marry because she is penniless?? After all, that's what she's been bred to do. Find out when you read this portrait of what life was like for  women at that time period. It's a beautifully written classic of about 340 pages or a 5 mile run that will make you happy it's 2017.

November 8, 2017 STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE

STOP THE VIOLENCE. When reading about Devin Kelley earlier this week, I couldn't help but notice similarities between him and Adam Lanza.  BOTH had SERIOUS known psychiatric problems that went untreated. BOTH had families that "accommodated" their mental conditions.  BOTH threatened others with violence AND STILL  had access to guns. BOTH were TICKING TIME BOMBS.  BOTH left a trail of bread crumbs a mile long. Kelley actually broke into an Air Force base with a gun to carry out death threats in 2012.  Lanza ACTUALLY belonged to a cyber-community of MASS murder enthusiasts where he frequently commented on his obsession with Columbine and even stated, "Serial killers are lame....mass school shootings are where it's at." I wonder how many of his CYBER friends knew he planned a mass shooting?? THIS IS INSANITY.  I  know it's a slippery slope but--MAYBE--JUST--MAYBE--individuals with mental health issues and violent tendencies should be identified by the Federal government.  I know I'm opening a can of worms.  I know that can turn into a witch hunt but we have to end the SENSELESS violence that is becoming second nature in our society.

Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec,  also wants to save lives in Louise Penny's newest novel Glass Houses. If you've read my blog before, then you know that I'm a huge fan of the Gamache series. Couldn't wait to read lucky thirteeen!  In this installment, it's fall in Three Pines, the community has just celebrated Halloween but  one of the guests refuses to leave the party. He appears the next morning on the village green  dressed in black. He stands statue-like for several days refusing to move. He seems to be haunting someone. To the relief of everyone, he finally disappears one morning but not before someone is murdered. Gamache and his crew are called on to investigate. Who was the figure in black??  Did he murder the victim before he left Three Pines?? Was it a set up?? Who was the victim?? What does the murder in Three Pines have to do with the largest drug dealer in Canada?? Find out the answer to these and other questions when you read this great mystery for yourself. It's about 390 pages--or a 5 mile--that is impossible to put down. 

November 5, 2017 CHAPEL OF LOVE

Engagements. Different strokes for different folks. The romanticists find the perfect place--get down on one knee--and pop the question. Everyone is happy--as long as she says YES. Creative fellows hide the ring in sandwiches-- milkshakes--bags of chips--which is totally cool--I guess--unless it gets swallowed by the PROPOSEE--which has actually happened--SERIOUS MOOD KILLER.  The realists-propose while doing mundane things--washing dishes--raking the yard--or even using the bathroom. Hey--can you get me a roll of toilet paper--by the way--wanta get hitched?? HHUUMM.  There are also the efficient proposers --no sense wasting time--the clock's a ticking.  I actually read about a  gynecologist who proposed to his girlfriend during her exam. He pretended to pull the ring out of her vagina. A dream come true for EVERY woman--CLUELESS. He probably thought it would be a great story to tell at cocktail parties too??  What about the BLOCKHEADS who tattoo their proposals??? Now that's intelligent??  What if she says NO?  Last but certainly not least--the PATHETIC LOSERS. Believe it or not some are proposing VIA text--must have to send some cute emojis to soften that blow right?? Feel sorry for the women who actually accept that proposal.

Newlyweds,  Lilian and Leonard Barber, seem like just the sort of lodgers Mrs. Wray and her daughter need in Sarah Water's The Paying Guests. Set in 1922 in Southern London, Mrs. Wray, once well-to-do, has come upon hard times. The Great War is over, debts have piled up and she is  forced to convert part of her villa into an apartment to make ends meet. Her daughter, Francis, is practically a spinster at age 26. She feels it's her duty to live with mother and take care of the house.  Lilian and Len move in and immediately change the atmosphere. They listen to music, dance, and smoke--all the things Francis longs to do. As Len spends his days working for an insurance company,  Lilian stays behind to keep house. Soon after, Francis and Lilian's friendship turns into a love affair and Lilian a finds out she's pregnant.  What will happen between Lilian and Len?? Lilian and Francis? Will Len find out about her affair? Does Lilian even want the baby? Who will be murdered?  Find out the answer to these and many other questions when you read this book for yourself. It's about 550 pages--or a 6 mile run--that will blow your mind.

November 3, 2017 IT'S A HEARTACHE

REJECTION. It's a fact of life.  Having a BROKEN heart is ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING. Believe me--I KNOW.  I remember it well. First love-- Senior in high school--madly in love with BLAH BLAH-- broke up with me to DATE other girls. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT NONSENSE???  My heart hurt for at least a year. I smiled on the outside but felt like I was dying on the inside. I WAS CRUSHED. Life did go on and I  DID get over it. I actually saw him a few years back---believe me--IT'S ALL GOOD. I've also broken a few hearts along the way too--SO SORRY--Even wrote a Dear John letter once. Still feel guilty about that one--wish I could apologize--young and dumb.   As of late--I seem to be RELIVING MY EVERY BATTLE WITH CUPID--while trying to help my own kids navigate the affairs of the heart. Seriously, when my daughter was heartbroken a few years back--I could REALLY feel her pain. I wanted to help--put a band-aid on her BOO BOO to make it all okay--but I couldn't.  THE ONLY CURE--TIME AND DISTANCE. Unfortunately, growing up is hard and the lessons ALL come with a  price.

When I think of books about heartache, one really stands out. It was written in 1977 and to date has sold over 33 million copies. It's also number one on the list of best romance novels ever written. Can you guess?? The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. Even though I read it over thirty years ago, I remember it as if I read it yesterday. TALK ABOUT HEARTACHE. This wonderful saga focuses on three generations of the Cleary family and spans 1915-1969 . Paddy and Fee Cleary have just relocated to New Zealand where Paddy has been offered a job working for his rich sister, Mary, at her sheep station called Drogheda. Here, the family, which includes several older sons and a four year old daughter named Meggie, meet a young, ambitious priest named Ralph de Bicassart. Ralph has befriended Mary in hopes  that she will  bequest him money to further his career. Over the years, Meggie and Ralph develop a special relationship that Mary is determined to stop. On her deathbed, it seems as though Mary has two wills. One that guarantees Ralph all the money he would need  to rise to the top of the Catholic Church, or a second will that would leave the money to her family and businesses. She makes Ralph decide between Meggie and the Church. Will Ralph choose Meggie or the Church? Will power and ambition be more important to Ralph than his desire for Meggie? Will Ralph and Meggie ever consummate their passion? Find out the answers to these questions when you read this book turned mini-series for yourself. It is a bit of a commitment--690 pages--or a 6 mile run--that you will never, ever forget.

October 30, 2017 HAVEN'T GOT TIME FOR THE PAIN

BWAK BWAK. Spending so much time on the heating pad--I've had to check to make sure I  haven't laid an egg. SERIOUSLY! This piriformis muscle is SLOWLY getting better. A good friend  recommended a foam roller so I've added that to the regimen.  A lot of stretching too--trying to work the hamstrings--strengthen them so this doesn't happen again. When the piriformis muscle is inflamed it hits the sciatica--hence--PAIN IN THE LOWER BACK--BUTT--LEG. A DULL THROBBING PAIN--much like the beat of heart when enveloped in cotton. Sorry couldn't resist the Poe line. Trying to curtail the running as much as possible. For me that means 2-3 runs a week-- shorter--and much slower. The whole affair--although VERY frustrating-- is just a HICCUP in the big scheme of things. Since tomorrow is Halloween--it seems fitting that I recommend the Master of Macabre himself--Edgar Allen Poe.

Poe was an American writer, critic and poet. He had a sad life that ended too early under suspicious circumstances--which only adds to his allure. He's the Father of Gothic literature and is credited with writing the first detective story way back in 1841--The Murders In the Rue Morgue. I love his short stories and poetry and highly recommend them; especially, this time of year. His writing is powerful, descriptive and frightening. It disturbs the senses and messes with the mind. A few of my favorites include--The Tell-Tale Hearts, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Masque of the Red Death, The Purloined Letter, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Premature Burial and The Descent into the Maelstrom. His poetry is also wonderful and fun to read--The Raven and Annabel Lee are two that stick out in my mind.  They are not a huge commitment either as Poe believed a short story should be read in one sitting. So, if you haven't read Poe since high school--do yourself a favor and pick up an anthology or read one of his short stories online. They are great fun. BOO!

October 27, 2017 THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY

 THIS WEEK DRAGGED ON AND ON--at a snail's pace.  Couldn't wait to get home and relax in a comfy pair of sweats. NO PLANS--what a RELIEF. Friday night plans are getting harder and harder. I just want to SCHLEP around the house because I've got NOTHING left. Can't make anymore idle chit chat--DON'T WANT TO think--manage or pretend to care. I NEED A BREAK. By Friday afternoon -- I'M TALKED OUT--THUNK OUT-- and can barely MANAGE to find my way home. The CARING thing is another can of worms though. I really DO care--even though I pretend otherwise. HAVE TO KEEP THEM GUESSING. I tease my students relentlessly. I also listen and laugh at their jokes--AND-- let them poke fun at me from time to time. I let them know how proud I am when they're working hard--Conversely--I make no bones about letting them know when they're slacking off. I tell them when they're being idiots and reward them when they change their tune. Once in a while, I even call their parents--BECAUSE I CARE. Helene Hanoff was an author who treasured books and the friendships she forged searching for them.

 If you've ever had a pen pal, this is the book for you. 84, Charing Cross Road is a collection of letters between Helen Hanff and Frank Doel, the chief buyer for Marks & Co., antiquarian booksellers in London, England. Hanff originally contacted the book company in search of an esoteric novel she couldn't locate in Manhattan. Over the next twenty years, their correspondence turned into a long distance friendship that extended to other staff members as well as Doel's wife. The friends exchanged  birthday presents,  Christmas gifts and even food during World War II. Over the years, the letters became about so much more than books as Hanff even planned several trips to visit her friends. Did Hanff ever get to London? Did she  get to see her friends in person? Did she get to browse the shelves at Marks & Co.? Find out for yourself when you read this heartwarming little book. It's only 112 pages --or a 2 mile run--the left me wondering about the lost art of letter writing.

October 25, 2017 TEACH YOUR CHILDREN WELL

Ignorance and fear. Both  BREED--hatred-- division--paranoia. And rob children of their innocence. Case in point--my son plays soccer against other towns. A few days ago, in the middle of the game-- one of the kids from the other team--called one of our players a racial slur. SEVERAL TIMES. The poor kid didn't even know what it meant as he had never heard it before. Innocence lost. THIS WAS AN 11 YEAR OLD SPEWING RACIAL SLURS--WHO WERE HIS PARENTS??  This kid had PROBABLY been fed this kind of BULL his whole life-- will grow up and tell his kids-- the CYCLE WILL GO ON AND ON AND ON. SO SAD. This kind of talk only succeeds in dividing people--Isn't there enough hatred in the world already? PARENTS--WAKE UP. We need to teach tolerance, respect and kindness. TRUTH BE KNOWN--THE ONLY REASON PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT SKIN TONES IS SOLEY BASED ON THEIR ANCESTORS  PROXIMITY TO THE SUN.  Parents are the FIRST teachers of their children--Are you teaching your children well? Although Katey Kontent, the main character in Amor Towles book Rules of Civility lost her parents at a young age, the lessons they taught her lasted a lifetime.

As this wonderful novel unfolds, it's 1966 and Katey and her husband, Val, are visiting the Museum of Modern Art's newest exhibit, Walker Evans' photographs from the 1930's. As the couple stroll through the exhibit, Katey recognizes her old flame, Tinker Grey, in one of the photos. This is the springboard the brings Katey back in time to New York City circa 1937.  Katey, twenty-five years old, lives in a boardinghouse and works in a secretarial pool at a local law firm. After befriending Eve Ross, the two take to the town--spending their free  time in local bars listening to jazz, where they meet Tinker Grey one New Year's Eve. Tinker, a well to do eligible bachelor, befriends the girls and they become inseparable--until an accident changes everything. Towles' prose offers the reader a glimpse into New York City--the clubs--movies--musical styles--skyscraper--cars--of the era. You will feel like you have gone back in time with Katey. And the cast of characters--Katey's circle of friends--Dickey, Wallace, Helen, Anne, to name a few, are unforgettable. Find out about the accident and what happens between Katey, Tinker and Eve that changes everything. This is a book about the choices we make and the mistakes we have to live with. It's about 310 pages or a 4 mile run that I will stay with me for a long time.

October 23, 2017 WITHOUT A WORD OF COMPLAINT

DON'T COMPLAIN. That's my mantra. Not that I whine a lot--I really don't--because NOBODY likes a whiner. And if you think about it--it really doesn't get you anywhere. It only stirs the pot AND WINDS THE WHINER UP MORE--it's a NO win situation.  So I've tried to let it go. Over the years I've come to the conclusion that--PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT--they're just trying to make it through the day--and stay POSITIVE.  GRUMBLING  brings down morale--IT'S NEGATIVE ENERGY--that I can't let-- BRING ME DOWN.  If you think about it--most of the things complained ABOUT are ridiculous.  PEOPLE HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD. So its foolish to ramble on about--BLAH BLAH BLAH. Need to keep it all in perspective. While at the grocery store the other day--I was reminded again of my mantra. The check out clerk said that I didn't look happy about being there. I smiled and said--IT'S JUST ONE OF MY JOBS--then stopped myself. SOME PEOPLE WOULD GIVE ANYTHING TO BE AT THE GROCERY STORE TODAY and I'm on my way to visit one of them right now. IT'S ALL GOOD.  If only Mr. Stevens, the narrator of Kazuo Ishiguro's Man Booker Prize winner The Remains of the Day had complained or at least spoken from heart,  his life might have turned out differently.

 Set in England and spanning many decades, Stevens is a butler employed at Darlington Hall who  dedicates his life to the service of Lord Darlington. Just before World War II, Miss Kenton is employed at Darlington Hall as the housekeeper. Over time, the pair develop feelings for each other but Stevens denies them out of loyalty to his master. Miss Kenton eventually finds employment elsewhere and marries a Mr. Bern.  Twenty-two years later, Stevens receives a letter from Mrs Bern. The letter catapults Stevens back to the days before the war, where he reevaluates the of the decisions that shaped his life. Find out what happens when Mr. Stevens and Mrs. Bern finally meet again? What will they decide to do with--The Remains of the Day? This wonderful novel was  made into a movie in 1993 and nominated for 8 Academy Awards. FYI--Ishiguro just won the Nobel Prize for outstanding contributions to literature so you really must take some time to read one of his novels. This one is my favorite. And it's not a huge commitment either. It's only about 240 pages or a 3.5 mile run that will stay with you forever.

OCTOBER 19, 2017 THIS ONE'S FOR THE GIRLS

WHAT happened to my eyebrows?? They've always been one of my BETTER features--the framers of the face and all. I use them all the time--MY EXPRESSION IS LITERALLY WRITTEN ALL OVER MY FACE. I NEED THEM.  THE SAD NEWS--they've STOPPED growing--and the ones I have are turning a PASTY GRAY. Never in a million years did I think I would HAVE TO pencil my brows--BUT I DO!!  SERIOUSLY--the maintenance routine is getting me down. AND if I don't color my hair every SIX weeks--I start looking like my GRANDMOTHER. I hear there's this new spray you can buy to fill in the gray between colors--Just ANOTHER thing to ADD to the maintenance regimen. I've often thought of letting my hair go gray BUT I can't pull it off. Some women look great when they go gray--I'd look like a washed up/out OLD HAG. Then there's the other problem I often think about. TRYING TOO HARD.  There's a fine line between looking GOOD and looking like a FOOL.  Hope someone is kind enough to tell me when the balance slants towards FOOL. I realize this rant is a bit kooky but I can't really help myself sometimes.

Marilyn, the main character in Celeste NG's novel Everything I Never Told You obviously has much bigger issues to deal with when her daughter, Lydia, goes missing. James and Marilyn are parents whose daughter is found drown in a lake in their hometown in Ohio in 1977. Her death forces them to reflect on their lives together and the choices they have made. After an accidental pregnancy, James and Marilyn marry.  Marilyn gives up her dream of becoming a doctor--but later forces her dream on her daughter. This is a story about assumptions, misunderstandings, and lack of communication. These parents mean well, but seem to have it all wrong. They don't really know their children at all. Lydia is actually a loner with marginal grades who pretends she is someone else to keep her parents happy. Her brother is actually the brains of the family, but is  ignored in an effort to make Lydia doctor material.  Unbeknownst to her parents, Lydia is also involved with her neighbor James. What actually happened to Lydia that night on the dock? How could her parents have been so blind? Did James have anything to do with Lydia's death? Find out the answer to these questions and many more when you read this winner of several awards including the Amazon Book of the Year in 2014. It's a pretty easy read of about 300 pages or a 3.5 mile run that made me think more about the people I live with and the assumptions and misunderstandings common in all families.

October 16, 2017 DON'T YOU WANT ME

 It's not their fault--it's MAN-I-FEST-DESTINY. Let me get this straight. People are actually shocked about Harvey Weinstein?? Don't you get it???? It's their GOD GIVEN RIGHT. IT'S SIMPLE-- JUST  do the math.   MONEY+ POWER + SUPER DUPER GIANT EGO  = I CAN HAVE WHATEVER I WANT. Women have been dealing with this since the beginning of time. Right?? What did Bob Dylan say?? THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN'. We're living in a new world--AND--it's time to pay the PIPER. NO more sweeping this BUSINESS under rug. NO ONE IS IMMUNE ANYMORE.  Woody Allen, Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby, Bill O'Reilly and even the President of our own United States-- Donald J. Trump. BEWARE--NO TELLING WHERE THE CHIPS ARE GONNA FALL. Remind me-- HOW in the HELL is he still the president???  Didn't we all hear him bragging to Billy Busch last year about groping women?? I'm sure there are a slew of OTHER women with dirt on him just waiting to come out of the woodwork. HE SHOULD BE VERY NERVOUS. Men really abuse their power in Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel from 1986 The Handmaid's Tale too.

In this world gone array, A fanatical Christian movement has overthrown the United States government.  They reorganize society and severely limit women's right. This is a world where the Old Testament is taken literally.  Women are not allowed to read or write or engage in conversation with women from other castes as each caste is required to follow rules and procedures in accordance with their caste and color.  Offred, the main character and narrator of this tale, has been trained to be a handmaid. She's a woman kept for reproductive purposes--signified by the color red. Offred is sent to live with a commander and his wife because his wife is unable to reproduce. Through Offred's eyes, the reader learns about her life as a handmaid and the life she lived before the world changed when she was a wife and mother.  This is a chilling account of what can in any society if taken over by a fanatical group. Find out what ultimately happens to Offred. Will she reproduce as per her caste? Will she ever be reunited with her husband and daughter? Will this new world survive or will the United States win back their land? Find out when you read this winner of several awards including the Booker Award in 1986. This novel has been released as a movie, opera and of late a mini-series because it's that good. It's only about 300 pages --a 4 mile run--that will make you thankful you don't live in Gilead.

October 14, 2017 PAINT IT, BLACK

The struggle. It's real. The aches and pains of getting older. These days I feel like I'm falling apart. If it's not one thing it's another--BUTT--BACK--LEG--CLOGGED EARS. What next?? Literally feel like I'm one step away from the CURB. Spending all my time with my new best friends--ICE PACK and HEATING PAD.  Trying to stay positive THOUGH.   At least I'm still moving albeit a little SLOWER these days. Woke up to a light rain this morning. ROLL OVER or get my SORRY BUTT OUT OF BED--that was the question. After considering my options for a whole 5 seconds--I  dragged  my weary body out of bed and ran.  It was actually a decent run--ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.  My gait is definitely off--but I muddled through AND I'M SO GLAD I DID. Running is my saving grace REALLY and I'd be lost without it. Today was the Hartford Marathon. Nice course with music and fun people.  I've run the 1/2 twice. GOOD TIMES. Good luck to all the runners---don't forget to have one for me in the beer garden. Maybe next year. We all need an outlet to alleviate stress and even depression and no one felt this more than Esther Greenwood in Sylvia Plath's classic The Bell Jar. 

Sadly, this novel was semi-autobiographical and mirrored  Plath's own experience with clinical depression. Esther Greenwood, the main character,  struggled with many of the issues that plagued Plath and other women of her generation. In this case, society's ideal of the white middle-class woman. Esther could not accept this fate as she felt like a prisoner--bound by unwritten rules. She felt stifled  and  eventually fell into a deep depression that she described as feeling as though she was trapped under a bell jar. As the depression worsened, Esther endured shock therapy by an unsympathetic male doctor.  After a failed suicide attempt, she finally got the help she needed after being committed to a mental institution.  There, under the care of a woman doctor,  Esther learned to live again on her own terms. This beautifully written book was Platt's only novel as she was actually a Pulitzer Prize winning poet. This classic is still being read in high schools everywhere for good reason. Pick up a copy. It's only  250 pages --or  a 4 mile run that has stood the test of time.

October 12, 2017 SPLIT DECISION

We make decisions every day. Most are innocuous--others life changing.  How do we know the difference?? Sometimes we don't. I often think back to when I was young and REALLY DUMB. I made some  BAD BAD decisions and THANKFULLY SURVIVED THEM. Life is sometimes like that old television show Let's Make a Deal. How do we know which door to choose? SCARY. One of the best decisions--PURE happenstance--I ever made was at the tender age of fourteen.  Life wasn't easy living with my mother--and on a WHIM--I called my father and moved in with him. Don't get me wrong--it wasn't easy living with my father and his family either BUT the alternative was worse. It scares me to think about where I'd be today had I not made THAT--door number 1, 2, or 3--decision. It was the BEST decision for ME at the time because I was one step away from out of control. The move was positive in many ways but  not without its own set of consequences.  Decisions are tough to make but what can be even harder sometimes is living with the repercussions.  This is exactly what happens to Richard Middlestein in Jamie Attenberg's The Middlesteins.

After more than thirty years of marriage, Richard, a pharmacist  living in Chicago, decides he wants a  divorce. Richard and his wife Edie have been miserable for many years. It seems that Edie's true love is Food. She is a food addict--tipping the scale at about 350 pounds. In addition to her weight problem, Edie is a diabetic facing several surgeries because of her obsession. Doctor's have warned her to change her eating habits or die. Richard's had enough. He's given up on her. He wants his life back before he's too old to enjoy it.  After Richard leaves his wife, his children are devastated. His daughter Robin will barely speak to him and his son Benny's wife Rachel has cut him off. No more visits with his grandchildren and no b'nai mitzvah party. This is the story of the choices we make and the people who are affected by those choices--extended family, neighbors, old friends. A lesson that Richard learns too late. Will Edie change her eating habits? Will Richard and Edie get back together? Will his children forgive him?? Will Richard go to the party? Find the answer to these questions and many more when you read this book about a family that is both hilarious and heartbreaking. This novel is about 270 pages or a 3.5 mile run that will make you think twice about the choices you make.

October 9, 2017 I HOPE YOU DANCE

Regardless of the STRANGE weather we've been having--it's still apple crisp season in my house. Rounded up the FAM--a huge undertaking--and set off to do some apple picking last Saturday. It's a tradition--and my daughter LOVES tradition--a 3 hour drive to pick apples--NO PROBLEM. I'm sure my oldest son didn't REALLY want to go--but he's a trooper--so he'd never let us down. He understands how important it is to spend time with family. SO GLAD my daughter insists on sticking to ALL of our traditions because they are important. Every family has them--little things they do together--that keep  them connected. A glue that helps bind them together. A comfort too. Just spending a few hours  together--the way we used to--before one jettisons off to Michigan for the week and the other back to Boston until Thanksgiving. In a world as chaotic and unsettling as ours, traditions remind us what's really important--family. I just finished reading a wonderful book, Inside the O'Briens, about a close Irish Catholic family who have to learn  to deal with the effects of Huntington's disease.

Lisa Genova, the author of this novel, is also a neuroscientist whose understanding of medicine is paramount. Through Inside the O'Briens, she brings this devastating disease to life in the main character Joe O'Brien. Joe is a 43 year old police officer living in Charlestown, Ma. He is a devoted husband and father of four who is diagnosed with Huntington's disease after dealing with involuntary movement, disorganized thinking and temper tantrums for several years. Genova wrote this book to raise awareness of Huntington's disease and teach people what it's like for not only the patient, but also the family, to live and deal with this deadly disease that has no treatment or cure. Huntington's disease is a genetic disease---passed from one generation to the next. Joe's children have a 50% chance of inheriting the disease--which begs the question--should they be tested. As Joe's four children grapple with this question, Joe has to learn to live with a disease that's essentially tearing him apart. He has to learn to appreciate every moment of every day--a lesson we should all learn. This essential book is about 350 pages--or a 4 mile run--that we should all read. Awareness & Hope matter.

October 4, 2017 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS

The Second Amendment needs to reviewed and changed to REFLECT THE TIMES WE ARE LIVING IN:

*10/1/17--58 KILLED approximately 537 injured--Las Vegas Country Music Festival
*6/12/16--49 KILLED approximately 50 injured--Night club in Orlando
*12/2/15--14 KILLED wounded unknown--Employee gathering in San Bernardino
*6/17/15--9 KILLED wounded unknown--Church in South Carolina
*12/14/12--26 KILLED--wounded unknown--Sandy Hook Elementary School
*7/20/12--12 KILLED--wounded unknown--Movie Theatre in Colorado
*4/16/07--32 KILLED --wounded unknown--Virginia Tech

THIS IS A PARTIAL LIST--SO COMMON THESE DAYS THAT WE ALL JUST SHAKE OUR HEADS THEN PUT IT OUT OF OUR MINDS--POWERLESS TO STOP IT.
IS THERE NO END TO THIS INSANITY?? WHEN ARE PEOPLE GOING TO CARE MORE ABOUT PEOPLE--LESS ABOUT MONEY??
BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY!

*The economic impact in 2016 of the firearms and ammunition industry in the United States was $42.9 BILLION DOLLARS.
*In 2016 the NRA spent 4 MILLION on lobbying/contributions to politicians.
*The NRA spent 30 MILLION to help TRUMP get elected.
*The NRA is one of the most POWERFUL interest groups in politics.
*The NRA is 5 MILLION members strong and growing.
*The NRA is so powerful that POLITICIANS ARE AFRAID OF THEM--the NRA can make or break careers.

Add these facts together and--THE PEOPLE WITH THE MONEY WIN--AGAIN.
WHERE ARE THE VOICES OF REASON?? At least I can still count on David McCullough when the chips are down. McCullough is one of the most honored historians in American history. He just wrote a wonderful book to remind Americans what makes our country special. It's called The American Spirit Who We Are and What We Stand For. This little nugget should be required reading for all Americans as it is a humbling look at where we came from and where we as a country are going. McCullough looks back at our history as he discusses some of his most important speeches--he has spoken before Congress, the White House, as well as colleges and institutions across the United States. He is urging the American public to look beyond political parties--go back to what made America great--and what continues to make us uniquely American today. AND he knows what he's talking about. This is  a man who has won two National Book Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes, two Francis Parkman Prizes, the National Book Foundation American Letters Award, the National Humanities Medal, The Gold Medal for Biography AND 54 honorary degrees. He has spent his life writing about our Nation's history so take some time to read this book. It's actually quite short--only 160 pages or a 3 mile run that will inspire you to greatness.

October 2, 2017 SHAKE YOUR BOOTY

Piriformis Syndrome. Fanny--derriere--haunches--rump--bum--behind--rear. Okay--my BUTT HURTS. It's A DULL ache and tightness in the GLUTEAL MUSCLES--DEEP IN THE BUTTOCKS--that radiates down the back of my leg. The good news--WHO KNEW I HAD MUSCLES IN MY BUTT--I would've bet money that it was all FAT!  The bad news--it really makes it hard to run. ACTUALLY supposed to STOP running for a bit to let it heal. I've been stretching and icing--trying to work the BUTT-but it's SLOW going. OKAY DON'T LAUGH--I've only been trying to work out the KINK for 24 hours--EVEN THOUGH--I've had the injury for quite a while. I was in DENIAL. Runners aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. WE THINK--we can RUN "THROUGH IT" but we're actually just making it WORSE. I'm sure that every ache & pain I've had over the last month or so is because I've been compensating for the BUTT!! DUMB--DUMB--DUMB. Will I ever learn?????? Probably not. Most of us don't want to admit anything is wrong right? This is an issue Lucy Barton has been wrangling with first in Elizabeth Strout's My Name is Lucy Barton and it's sequel that I am currently reading called Anything is Possible.

If you loved Olive Kitteridge--THIS is the book for you. Strout returns to the short story format linking each  to Lucy Barton and her family. The characters are so richly drawn that they could be --neighbors,  friends or relatives. Strout has the unique ability to portray real people--the good and the bad--sorrow--joy--and every emotion in between. Her characters are flawed in many ways; people who are struggling to understand themselves and others. She can also capture small town life --in this case a small town in Illinois--in such a way that the reader feels part of the scenery. In this installment,  we meet several people who live in Lucy's hometown and we  learn about Lucy's childhood through their eyes. We also meet her sister and brother--when Lucy returns home after a 17 year absence. This wonderful story is about the bonds of family--even in a family as dysfunctional as hers--and the hope that anything is possible. This novel is only about 250 pages--or a 3 mile run that is dear to my heart.  In order to really appreciate this book, I  definitely recommend reading My Name is Lucy Barton FIRST because most of the characters in the first book reappear in the second book, linking the two as they come full circle.

September 29, 1017 US AND THEM

Bucket list. We all have one. Mine is SOOOO long it would be impossible to check the whole thing off--but I hit one the other night. So I'm what you would call a VERY serious PINK FLOYD fan--REALLY.  Pink Floyd and I have a special relationship. Their songs have helped me get through every race  I've run over the past 20 years.  Because the BAND is no longer together--I did the next best thing. I bit the bullet--bought 2 ridiculously expensive tickets to see Roger Waters. Sounds crazy but--I HAD NO CHOICE--times a ticking. Waters is now 73 and I was worried--bucket list and all. I've had the tickets since last December--and have been PATIENTLY waiting. So-- Flew home from work Thursday--grabbed  my 23 year old--fellow PINK FLOYD FAN SON--and sped off to TD Garden for the show. WHAT A SHOW--OOOMMMGGG. Worth every penny. It was wonderful spending time with my son--knowing he LOVES PINK FLOYD as much as I do. There were people of ALL ages--the next generation--LOVING IT TOO. IS POT LEGAL IN BOSTON?? Felt like I was back in high school the air was THAT THICK!!  Roger Waters is a wonderful performer--a voice that is still FLAWLESS--And a show THAT'S CRAZY-- a spectacle for all the senses.  His tour -- US & THEM--is so relevant too.  It's NOOOO Us and Them--IT'S ALL OF US--THE WHOLE. That's his message. GREAT SHOW--GREAT PEOPLE--GREAT COMPANY. A once in a lifetime treat. The themes in Waters music are timeless as are the issues in Edwin Abbott Abbott's satirical novella of 1884 Flatlands. 

I originally read this book several years ago for a college class and loved it. Abbott was concerned about the rigid divisions in Victorian society and criticized it in his fictional two dimensional world called Flatlands. In Flatlands, the world is occupied by geometric figures. The narrator of the story is Square who is writing this memoir for future generations as a warning to see beyond their two-dimensional existence. The society in Flatlands is a caste system based on lines. Women are at the bottom of the caste as they are only line segments. Men are polygons whose status is determined by their number of sides. As a square, the narrator is a member of the gentlemen and professionals. Square gets himself into trouble though because he is a free thinker who believes there are other dimensions that need to be explored. He is imprisoned for heresy and suppressed in order to keep the caste system healthy. IGNORANCE IS BLISS.  SOUND FAMILIAR. This is a really clever book  that is STILL relevant 140 years after it was originally published. It's a commentary on class systems--the have and have nots--and how the hierarchy perpetuates itself. Find out what happens to Square when you read this short story of only 96 pages. It's a 3 mile run that really packs a punch!

September 27, 2017 LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

Getting back to the business of living. But how?? I always find it a bit unsettling. The world keeps spinning--people are arguing, driving, texting, stopping for coffee--TIME STOPS FOR NO ONE. I want to yell--Hey don't you know that someone important just died??  Doesn't it matter?  Of course it does--BUT--the REALITY is this-- the people who saw him or talked to him on a regular basis will be affected the MOST. They are the ones who will feel it every SECOND--MINUTE--HOUR--of the day. It's a pain that never goes away--it SUBSIDES with time-- but is always there--LURKING at the surface. This is the risk we take when we love--A risk well worth taking too. Only by experiencing great love can we feel its counterpart. LOSS AND SADNESS. So the business of living??? Appreciate every day on this Earth. Be kind--forgiving- thankful for the life you've been given. Honor the ones you've lost this way as a TRIBUTE to them. Flora MacKenzie, the main character in Jenny Colgan's new book The Cafe by the Sea has to grapple with loss too after the death of her beloved mother. 
As the story unfolds, Flora has been living in London for a few years working as a paralegal. She moved to London after the death of her mother because she couldn't handle living in Mure, a tiny Scottish Village, and the responsibilities she'd inherited. She left behind her father, four brothers and their century old farm for the city.  In London, Flora believed she can reinvent herself, run from her past and bury the pain of her mother's death. After her boss Joel (whom she has a major crush on) is hired by a very wealthy investor named Colton, who just happens to own property in Mure, Flora is summoned back to her little village to help Colton win over the local community. Flora dreads the reunion she must have with her family but it's exactly what she needs. She comes to realize that she can't run from her past, her heritage or her family anymore--and just maybe life on Mure is better than she originally thought. While in Mure, Flora meets another man too--a handsome islander named Charlie. Find out if Flora stays on Mure? Find out which man she chooses and just what the cafe on the sea really is when you read this easy book of about 390 pages. It sounds like a commitment but it's really a simple read --or 4 mile run that you will really enjoy.

September 22, 2017 GONE TOO SOON

Sad week.  Lost one of my ALL TIME favorite students. Teachers always say they don't have favorites-- I generally try not to--BUT-- there was just SOMETHING about him. He was KIND --a sweet, sensitive soul with a GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR. When he laughed, his whole body joined the action. And a smile that could MELT an iceberg. Did I mention CHARM--he could cast a spell on you with a side glance quicker than a blink. Like I said--THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT HIM. I was lucky enough to be his teacher three different years beginning in fifth grade. We forged a great teacher--student relationship that  I'll always cherish.  That is one of the benefits of teaching--really getting to know kids and appreciating all that they have to offer. I'm really lucky-- the bonds I've forged with many of my students last a lifetime.  Many of them feel like  part of my family--they are so dear to my heart. That's why it's so devastating to lose one. It's like losing a family member. I'm thankful though that I ran into him a couple of months ago.  It had been a few years. He still had--that ANGELIC face--irresistible SMILE--WIT and CHARM--NOT surprised.  We laughed and talked about the old days for a bit--I wished him luck at school--went about my business--thankful for the chance encounter. Life is fragile.  We have to appreciate the time we have and spend it wisely.

In his memory, I'm going to review a book about baseball--his favorite sport. The Natural by Bernard Malamud is a wonderful story about America's favorite pastime. Roy Hobbs is a nineteen year old baseball prodigy. As the story opens, Hobbs is on his way to Chicago with his manager for a try out with the Chicago Cubs. While on the train, Hobbs meets several people including a beautiful woman named Harriet Bird. After arriving in Chicago, he settles into his hotel room and gets a call from Harriet. She invites him to her room and then proceeds to shoot him in the stomach before turning the gun on herself.  After this tragic event, Hobbs disappears for fifteen years before returning to try to make a comeback. He joins the New York Knights  and uses his "Wonderbat" to try to help the Knights win the pennant.  Will he succeed and finally make a name for himself? Find out when you read this wonderful novel. This book was made into a movie several years ago starring Robert Redford. I absolutely LOVED the movie but want you to know it is very different from the book---especially the ending. So do yourself a favor-- read the book AND then enjoy this wonderful movie with a bucket of popcorn. It's only about 220 pages--a 3.5 mile run--that's as American as apple pie. I hope they have baseball in heaven. RIP.

September 19, 2017 RICH GIRL

When my daughter first told me she wanted to be a TEACHER--I urged--okay BEGGED her to reconsider. It's a jungle out there. Between new initiatives AND  never ending meetings --it's crazy. Schools are always looking for the next "BIG FIX". They are constantly changing either their reading  or  math program-- at HUGE expense to the taxpayer--leaving the old program to ROT away in some storage room. NOT KIDDING. See why I tried to talk her out of the TEACHING PROFESSION. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching, I love the kids but............. So after a long--SWEATY--day of teaching  last week something AMAZING happened. Something that reminded me of why I became a teacher in the first place. A former student stopped by to THANK ME. Isn't that wonderful? It's nice to know someone learned something of value from me and felt strongly enough about it to come and see me. It's nice to feel appreciated every once in a while. That's why I teach--it can really be a rewarding profession. It's a profession that can touch and change lives and it's probably one of the MOST IMPORTANT jobs in the world. Hats off to the next generation. Teachers aren't the only ones who teach-- parents should be the primary teachers of their children. But what happens if the lessons taught by  parents are all wrong?? This is what happens to two sons, Biff and Happy Loman, in the wonderful play Death of a Salesman. 

Every once in a while, for a change of pace, I like to read plays--especially Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning plays. Arthur Miller wrote this masterpiece about the American dream in 1949. Willy Loman has been a salesman for over thirty years. He's at the end of a modest career, a man  who deludes himself into thinking that he is a big shot. In reality, he's  an insecure, angry dreamer who believes that money buys happiness.  That money is the key to success--and he's taught this lesson to his sons. Willy's not a success because his character and personality are flawed.  He doesn't get along well  with people and his motives are questionable. Because he is not successful, Willy tries to get Biff to make it for him. Biff, the older son, is a football star with serious potential. Biff's on the road to success until he witnesses his father in a compromising position. He then quits school  and heads west.  As the play unfolds, Willy, and his wife, Linda, are arguing about his job,  Biff's lack of ambition, and Willy's mental stability.   Find out what happens to this family who live in denial when you read this play that is considered by many to be the greatest play of the twentieth century. It's only about 140 pages--it can literally be read in one sitting! When you're done, check out the movie starring Dustin Hoffman. It's wonderful.