January 26, 2019 DON'T THINK I DON'T THINK ABOUT IT

 A day late and a dollar short--again. Yup. I'm talking about the dreaded New Year's Resolution. Don't think I don't think about it. I DO--BUT I keep changing my mind. So--instead of the N.Y.R. --I've decided to make a PLAN for 2019:

1) Run again--pain free--just for fun--that's my GOAL. Not going to worry about racing OR how many miles I run each week.  It's a waste of ENERGY. Went out for a little jaunt today and it felt--JUST OKAY--but being in the SUNSHINE WAS GLORIOUS.  Still felt the pain but it was more of a NUMB pain--probably from the cortisone shot.
2) Practice Ashtanga yoga at least TWICE a week. It is an INCREDIBLE experience of the MIND--BODY--BREATH.
3) Be Mindful--live in the moment. Not going to worry about tomorrow or next week. Another HUGE WASTE OF ENGERY.
4)Remind myself to be thankful EVERY DAY for--FAMILY--FRIENDS--HEALTH.
5)Practice Kindness--Kindness--Kindness. Smile--Smile--Smile. Life is too short.

See why I couldn't decide?? Too many things I need to work on this year. This is probably how the narrator of Jens Christian Grondahl's novel Silence in October  felt when his wife of eighteen years left him. The narrator of this gem is an art historian who lives in Copenhagen with his wife Astrid. He wakes up one morning and his wife announces that she is leaving. So begins this dialogue free story. The narrator spends the whole of this beautifully written book examining the last eighteen years of his life--marriage--kids--empty nest. He struggles with many of the mistakes he's made and then wonders whether his wife has done the same. This is an introspection of the demise of a marriage.  The narrator wrestles  with many notions associated with married life. A few that stick out in my mind--Can two people live together for 18 years and really not know each other?? Did they originally know each other and lose each other along the way?? If I knew the answer to most of the questions the narrator struggled with I'd probably be a millionaire and have my own talk show.  His concerns are valid and the issues are real-- for any long married couple. This dense book is about 300 pages or a 6 mile run that will definitely hit the mark if you have been married for many years. Enjoy.

January 20, 2019 WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR

Remember when you thought 50 was REALLY OLD???? Seriously--when I was a kid--I thought that was ANCIENT. Okay maybe not ANCIENT but someone --THAT AGE-- certainly had one foot in the grave. They'd certainly be Pushing up Daisies SOON!!  It just seemed SO DAMN OLD TO ME.  I've obviously had to rethink those CRAZY NOTIONS-- trade them in-- for some that work in my favor--NOW THAT I'M 54. That's right--THE BIG F-I-V-E-F-O-U-R. Today I'm thinking--Fifty is the NEW Thirty. That works for me--SORT OF-- if I color my hair every 5 weeks, exercise religiously and wear expensive clothes. I'll also take--Age is ONLY a Number. That really covers a HUGE area right?? It's general--vague and positive. Seriously-- There's a quip out there designed to make anyone feel better about AGING. One of my all time favorites would have to be--I'm NOT getting older--I'm getting better. OKAY REALLY??  I guess I can talk myself into that too.  I'd like to use the old stand by--I'm NOT Older-Just Wiser-- but NOT sure that's the case as I keep doing the some dumb things. I'll have to SCRATCH that one and go with--WOMEN AGE LIKE FINE WINE instead.  Happy Bday to me.
Willa Drake, the main character in Anne Tyler's new book Clock Dance,  has reached a certain age too--when she decides to set her life on a new path.

Willa and her husband Peter have recently retired and moved to Arizona. While Peter is happy with the move, Willa feels lost and unfulfilled. One day she receives a phone call from a stranger that ultimately changes her life. The stranger asks Willa to come to Baltimore to take care of her son's ex-girlfriend's young daughter Cheryl.  Although this is out of character for Willa, she decides to fly to Baltimore for a few days to help out and possibly visit with  her son while she is in town. This impulsive decision is the springboard that changes Willa's life. After arriving in Baltimore, Willa meets the neighbor who called her and then moves in with Cheryl to take care of her while her mom is in the hospital. Cheryl lives in a lower-class neighborhood surrounded by quirky, kind-hearted people who look out for each other. They inadvertently  challenge many of Willa's long held notions and make her question some of the choices she's made in her life. You will have to pick up a copy of this fine novel yourself if you want to find out what happens to Willa, Peter, Cheryl and the neighbors. This 300 page book--4 mile run--is by a Pulitzer Prize winning  author and  does not disappoint. Enjoy.

January 16, 2019 WHEN IRISH EYES ARE SMILING

Funny story. My eleven year old came home from school the other day with some homework. He had to write about traditions in our family related to our ethnicity. He then said that he complained to his teacher because he didn't think our family had any traditions other than--DRINKING IRISH COFFEE. I almost fell over laughing. From the mouths of babes right?? I ALMOST added-- We also drink Luksusowa Vodka--to honor our Polish ancestors --but I refrained. After some DEEP THOUGHT--I came up with a few traditions that don't involve ALCOHOL--but the next best thing--FOOD. So our 'CLEANER' version of traditions includes--Corn beef & Cabbage--for the Irish. Linguica Sausage for the Portugese--mixed with a little Kielbasa & Peppers--for the Polish. To round out the meal--a side of Matzoh Ball soup for the Russian Jews. I think we have it all covered.  Spent the entire week eating Matzoh Ball Soup--with a side of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Yup--keeping the tradition alive.

Libraries are celebrated institutions with a tradition of adapting in an ever-changing world. This and many other themes are explored in Susan Orlean's newest work of nonfiction The Library Book. Orlean's book is a combination of many things. It's part an investigation into the Los Angeles Public Library fire in 1986. It is also part mystery as Orlean reinvestigates the fire-- and the main suspect Harry Peak  It is also  part history as Orlean explores the idea of the library and librarians and how their roles have grown and changed over the years to meet the needs of the community. It is also a tribute to books and reading. This is a book for anyone who loves libraries and is interested in the history of the library. It is also for people who  love books and feel most comfortable surrounded by them. This beautifully written, well- researched book  reminded me that libraries and public spaces are vital. They keep us connected as a community, especially, in our technologically driven world. This important book is about 336 pages or a 5 mile run that is invaluable to any book lover.

January 12, 2019 VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR

WHY IS EVERYTHING SO COMPLICATED??? All I wanted to do was get rid of some message that kept popping up EVERY time I started my car. OKAY. I tried to follow the rules. I LOOKED at the 4 different manuals that came with my car. DIDN'T UNDERSTAND A DAMN THING. Told myself it couldn't be that hard. SO--I started pushing buttons.  CAR SETTINGS--sounded good. So I hit the OKAY button--which then led me to  something about a RESET. That sounded good to me???  I really should have stopped to read the FINE PRINT--but I get VERY IMPATIENT with technology.  In my TINY SIMPLE mind--I thought that if I hit RESET-- that STUPID MESSAGE would STOP-- and that was a good thing--RIGHT??  Little did I know that by hitting--RESET--  EVERY SETTING would go back to the--MANUFACTURER SETTINGS-- Whatever that meant. To add insult to injury-- THAT STUPID MESSAGE IS STILL SHOWING UP EVERY TIME I START MY CAR. The only thing WORSE than hitting the RESET BUTTON WAS HAVING TO ASK MY HUSBAND FOR HELP--He already rolls his eyes--EVERY time I ask which of the 4  REMOTE CONTROLS I should use to change the channel. By the time this debacle  gets sorted out, I'm gonna need a reboot--maybe a little TLC --at a health resort like Nine Perfect Strangers did in Liane Moriarty's new novel.

Moriarty's latest book is the perfect blend of quirky characters, intrigue and suspense. Here's the premise. Nine people, who are all at different points in their lives, have decided they need a break. They pay a pretty penny for a ten day stay at this posh posh health resort named Tranquillum House in Sydney, Australia. Frances Welty, a fifty-three year old best-selling romance novelist,  is nursing a broken heart and ego. The Marconi family is dealing with bereavement, while Tony, a former NFL football start is dealing with ageing and the decisions he's made in life. I personally found Jessica and Ben pretty interesting. They are a young couple who won the lottery--but lost themselves in the process. The question becomes--is Tranquillun House and its owner/director Masha all she seems to be or is she up to something?? Don't want to say anything else because I don't want to spoil the fun except that there are many twist and turns that you will definitely enjoy. This great read is about 450 pages or an easy 5mile run. It's a real page turner that you will not be able to put down. Enjoy!

January 4, 2019 HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT

After four months of TAKING IT EASY--I decided to try to run again. NO CAN DO--without pain. Did I mention the tingly sensation in my foot too? It actually gets NUMB after 3 miles.  YUP--  Finally went to see an orthopedic doctor. After several XRAYS-- that will most certainly cut my life expectancy in half--he concluded that there's nothing wrong with my hip. No rubbing of the bone--cartilage issues-- back looks okay too. Step 2-- Getting an MRI on Monday. Not too sure what that entails but apparently he will be able to see actual images of the INSIDE of my body. In my warped scenario he'll see-- A HUGE--swollen--THROBBING--brick colored--oblong muscle--thumping much like a heart beat--COMPRESSING  my sciatica with every beat--while it helplessly cries PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME over and over begging for relief.  Okay--back to reality. Step 3-- having a CORTISONE SHOT on Wednesday.  YIPPIE--always wanted a shot in the ASS. Hopefully--by the end of next week-- I'll be sittin' pretty and running pain free. That's my New Year's wish. 

Thought I'd start the New Year off on a good note and have some fun too. So I decided to read another David Sedaris book. This collection of essays was written in 2013 and is called Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls Essay, Etc.  Not sure how it happened, but I seem to be reading his books backwards. This collection of stories is equal parts funny, sad, insightful and pure genius. At times I literally laughed out loud--he is that funny--while other times I was left shaking my head thinking you've got to be kidding me. The stories that include his father are my favorite; especially, "The Happy Place"--about his first colonoscopy, and " Memory Laps" where Sedaris recalls competing for his father's attention while swimming at a country club. Equally entertaining are "Standing Still", "Standing By", "#2 to Go" and " Understanding Understanding Owls".  Although Sedaris' essays seem arbitrary at first,  they all share  common bonds--family, love, friendship and the craziness of everyday life. I encourage you to read his work--maybe not backward to forward--but whatever it takes. This book is about 275 pages or a 4 mile run thats easy and fun to read. Enjoy.