Four Down, Eight to Go

The first three weeks of training for Cap City went surprisingly well. As I mentioned, I've moved up to intermediate level training, and so far I am enjoying the variety in the workouts. In the beginner level training I did for the marathon, I focused mostly on endurance and increasing my mileage. Intermediate training includes a variety of workouts focusing on speed, strength, and endurance. I was worried that my lack of long runs between the marathon in October and starting this training in February would bode ill for me, but apparently the interval, hill, and speed training I did on the treadmill all winter did more for my fitness level than I realized. My average times have been improving overall, and the long runs haven't been as tough as I expected (with the exception of the one discussed below).

Week four was a bit tough. My mid-week runs went okay, but when I took Polo out on Saturday for my 10 mile run, I had to mentally force myself to stay out on the trail. I'm not sure if it was the wind, which was pretty strong and unpleasant, or my inappropriate layering, but I was just really sluggish. We went to Hilliard Rails to Trails, which is a nice, flat, long, straight path that can get somewhat boring after a while. The sun was shining, which was a nice change, and the temperature stayed somewhere in the 50's, not factoring in windchill. I was wearing a sweatshirt though, and while it kept me warm from the wind, it also made me rather non-aerodynamic. At two and half miles in, I wanted to turn around. I told myself I had to go at least seven total, so just another mile would do it. As I approached that half-way point I told myself that just another half mile would make a total of eight, and I pushed on. Then I saw a road that looked like it was just the right distance to make a turn-around point, and I kept going. As I approached the road, I suddenly felt stronger and decided to keep going. As soon as I crossed it, however, I wanted to turn back. After checking in with Pippin (my iPod) and seeing that I was at about four and a half miles, I wanted to push just a little further and set my sights on a telephone pole in the distance. After reaching it, I happily turned around and headed home. The total mileage for the run was 9.75. I'm not disappointed that I fell short of the full ten, especially when I was so close, rather I am pleased that I was able to push myself that far through a difficult run when I wanted to give up so early on.

February Book Reviews

Title: Olive Kitteridge
Author: Elizabeth Strout
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: ****
^winner of the Pulitzer Prize (2009: fiction)

I often peruse the front tables at Barnes & Noble and make note of any books that look and sound interesting to me. I think Olive Kitteridge made that list a while back. Being a Pulitzer Prize winner and a best-seller definitely drew me to it as well.

The format of this novel is a bit unusual. Each chapter is like its own short story, but all the stories involve characters who live in the small town of Crosby, Maine, and Olive Kitteridge makes an appearance in each. Sometimes she is the focus; sometimes she is just a blip.

When I shared with a friend that I had started this book, she told me that she has not read it yet because she had heard that Olive was a rather unsympathetic individual. While I can see why a person might feel that way, I think it comes from a misunderstanding about her character and her purpose in the novel. Olive has many flaws, but the book is full of flawed characters because the world is full of flawed people, and Strout's aim is to help her readers understand a bit more about what it means to be human. Everyone has their secrets, and all relationships have their ups and downs. What Olive Kitteridge does, and does beautifully, is use a collection of "complex, relentlessly human narratives" to provide the reader a glimpse of these secrets and relationships that we might come away more sympathetic and better for it*.

*O: The Oprah Magazine

Title: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, Book Two)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Rating: ***

Since I enjoyed the first Mortal Instruments book, I decided to continue the series. In City of Ashes, Clary and Jace continue to fight demons and their complicated feelings for each other. As Voldemort is to Harry Potter, Valentine is to The Mortal Instruments. He is the ultimate evil guy that the characters will have to face in new ways in each installment as he tries to collect the mortal instruments and basically rule the world. He also just happens to be Clary's father. I had some conflicting feelings about certain aspects of the plot as I read, but I enjoyed it overall and was ready for the third as soon as I finished.

Title: Safe Haven
Author: Nicholas Sparks
Genre: Romance
Rating: ****

Nicholas Sparks is my guilty pleasure author. In the summer of 2005, I met a girl from North Carolina who is a big fan of his, and she gave me The Rescue to read. Since then, I've managed to read all of his novels, including the memoir he wrote with his brother. Safe Haven came out last fall, so it naturally was added to my list of books to read. I probably would have waited for the paperback to come out, but then my book club picked it as our February/March book. I read it in one day.

Katie moves to Southport, NC because it seems like a safe place to escape her past. While she is content to keep to herself, living in a small Southern town makes that nearly impossible. Her new neighbor, Jo, reaches out to be Katie's friend and to encourage Katie to be open to Alex, a handsome single father who runs the general store and has been showing particular kindness to Katie. However, Katie still fears that her past will catch up to her and ruin any chance she has for future happiness.

If you've ever read a Nicholas Sparks book, then you have a pretty good idea what to expect in any other of his novels. While Safe Haven has all the usual Sparks cliches (ill-fated love, strong father, absent mother, letters, outsiders, death, and of course the small beach town in North Carolina setting), it is still an enjoyable read, and fans won't be let down. I especially enjoyed the last quarter of the book, which was packed with suspense, and I couldn't put it down.

Title: City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, Book Three)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Fantasy
Rating: ****

The third book in The Mortal Instruments series is definitely my favorite. The relationships, love triangles, action, suspense and mystery build throughout and the end is satisfying.

Title: The Subtle Knife

Author: Philip Pullman

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Fantasy

Rating: ***

I read The Golden Compass back in 2007, and though I enjoyed it, I didn't feel compelled to continue the His Dark Materials series at that time. However, a couple weeks ago I happened to catch the film version of The Golden Compass on TV and then really wanted to follow up and read the rest of the series.

The Subtle Knife opens with a scene set in our world and introduces an important new character: Will Parry. Eventually, Will's path crosses with Lyra's. Having been the star of The Golden Compass, Lyra now shares the spotlight with Will as the two of them discover new paths and doorways between worlds. "As Pullman moves between his young warriors and the witch Serafina Pekkala, the magnetic, ever-manipulative Mrs. Coulter, and Lee Scoresby and his hare dæmon, Hester, there are clear signs of approaching war and earthly chaos. There are new faces as well. The author introduces Oxford dark-matter researcher Mary Malone; the Latvian witch queen Ruta Skadi, who 'had trafficked with spirits, and it showed'; Stanislaus Grumman, a shaman in search of a weapon crucial to the cause of Lord Asriel, Lyra's father; and a serpentine old man whom Lyra and Pan can't quite place."*

I got a little lazy with writing a summary, yet I did enjoy reading the book. I wouldn't give it the glowing recommendation that Publishers Weekly did, but the characters are well-developed, the plot is well-paced and engaging, and the themes are intriguing. Though some religious groups take umbrage with His Dark Materials because the story is, at heart, about killing God, I think it provides great discussion material. Why do the characters feel like they have to kill God? What are the problems within the church that causes those feelings? What inconsistencies and hypocrisies exist in real-world churches and religious organizations today? What parallels can we draw? Let's use controversial books to spark thoughtful, engaging conversations instead of fights.
*Amazon.com review http://www.amazon.com/Subtle-Knife-Dark-Materials-Book/dp/0345413369

Title: Little Bee

Author: Chris Cleave

Genre: Fiction, British Contemporary Fiction

Rating: *****

Little Bee is one of the many books that caught my eye because it was at the front of a bookstore and had an interesting cover. Even though I was taught not to judge a book by its cover, I have to admit that I do. The truth is that cover artists know how to appeal to certain audiences, and I've learned what kind of art represents books that I will like. Covers are by no means the only thing that I use to choose my books, but a good cover certainly helps. Little Bee is currently #6 on the New York Times Best Seller list for Paperback Trade Fiction.

I am not sure if I should take the advice of the book's editors and not reveal the story to you. What I can do is tell you after the first 30 pages or so, I turned back to read the flap copy because I realized that I didn't know what the book was about. Sometimes I'll read a book's description and put it on my list to read, and then by the time I get around to reading the book I will have completely forgotten what it is about. This was the case with Little Bee, and this is what I found when I turned to the flap:

We don't want to tell you WHAT HAPPENS in this book.

It is a truly SPECIAL STORY and we don't want to spoil it.

NEVERTHELESS, you need to know enough to buy it, so we will just say this:

THIS IS THE STORY OF TWO WOMEN. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again--the story starts there . . .

Once you have read it, you'll want to tell your friends about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens. The magic is in how the story unfolds. 

This technique may intrigue you or it may drive you crazy. In any case, here's just a little more to go on:

The two women in the story are Little Bee, a refugee from Nigeria who is in a detention center in England, and Sarah, a wife, mother, and editor-in-chief of a British magazine. Each woman takes a turn as the narrator every other chapter, and their stories do intertwine. I loved Little Bee's voice, and I think Chris Cleave did a wonderful job portraying her and developing her character through the events in the novel. The story is touching, poignant, and unflinching. I highly recommend it.

Title: Room

Author: Emma Donoghue

Genre: Fiction

Rating: ****

This was a month for really good books. I usually give most books three stars because I like most books. Some that really move me or engage me will get four stars, and the few that I really LOVE and would reread or buy just to loan to friends get five stars. Room was the fifth book to get four or more stars in February. I remember having heard about the book and considered reading it, and then a good friend gave me a signed copy for my birthday, so naturally, it was automatically added to my list.

Jack, the 5-year-old narrator, has only ever known Room. It is his entire world. He plays with his mom on Rug, sleeps in Wardrobe, eats at Table, and believes that everything outside Room is Outer Space. TV shows him an imaginary world, and he doesn't realize any of it could possibly be real. When his mom finally decides to "unlie" to him, sharing the story of being kidnapped at 19 (She is now 26.) by Old Nick and being made a prisoner in Room, Jack's mind can barely wrap itself around the concept of lots of people existing right outside his Walls. As Jack and his Ma start to feel the burden of their shrinking world, they must face the serious question of what to do next.

Room is a beautiful story, both disturbing and full of hope at the same time. Emma Donoghue's use of Jack's point-of-view is genius. Seeing the world through his eyes opens the reader's to moments of beauty and small joys. This is a truly special story of two amazing people, even if they are fictional.

An Early Spring?

One can only hope. As February comes to an end, I start to look forward to spring again. This is the end of my fourth "real" winter since leaving Arizona and my second winter in Ohio, which means my second winter of asking myself "Am I doing this right?" every time I shovel snow from the driveway and sidewalks. It seems simple enough, and I think I do a pretty good job of it, but no one ever showed me how, so I'm left to wonder things such as "Should I shovel now or wait to see how much more snow will fall? Will this snow melt soon enough that shoveling is unwarranted? Is this the most efficient way to move the snow?" They may seem like silly questions to you, but this desert native feels self-conscious thinking that the neighbors are all peeking out their windows saying to each other "Look at that silly girl! Doesn't she know this snow will melt on its own?" or "What is she doing scooping the snow that way? She should know to do it this way!" But I don't know what "this" way is, so I'll just keep doing it my way.

New Year, New Race

I took a good month off from running after finishing the Nationwide Better Health Columbus Marathon last October.  Even in December, I didn't run much since we were gone almost half the month in Spain, but I spent a good portion of January trying to get back to it.

I'll admit the winter weather has made it a challenge. Fortunately, we have a treadmill in the basement, but I find it really difficult to go more than 3ish miles indoors. Come snow, rain, wind, or sun though, I'm going to have get committed again. Michael and I are planning on running the Capital City half marathon in May, and training starts on Tuesday! I figure that the more people I share my plan with, the less likely I am to skip out on it.

While I went with beginner's training for the marathon, I'm going to try an intermediate level training plan for Cap City. Again, I'm using the one provided by Nike+. My goal is to finish in 2'15". My half-marathon split from the marathon was 2'18", so I'll have to pick up the pace a bit, but I'm looking forward to trying.

Tiger Weather

Happy Chinese New Year! We are leaving behind the Year of the Tiger and turning the page to the Year of the Rabbit. As 100 million-ish of us can tell you, the Year of the Tiger did not go out without a fight. Icy rain, thunder snow, and blizzards affected most of the country, including Columbus, OH. I think we got off comparatively easy though. The freezing rain closed schools on Tuesday, so I didn't have to go to work, but we didn't get any snow accumulation. Granted, icy roads are much more dangerous than snowy roads, but at least we're not still buried like Chicago. Then, at about 8:15 Tuesday night, as I was doing yoga in the basement, our power went out. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face, so I slowly crawled toward the laundry room, feeling my way along until I found the door, the shelf, and the flashlight that I knew was there. Luckily, Michael and I had just bought some candles recently, so we lit all those, and then, with nothing better to do, went to bed.

I thought there might be a chance that school would be canceled again yesterday, but I had no way to check without electricity, so I got up and got ready in the morning and headed out. The radio stations were saying that some schools were closed and that the complete list could be found on their websites. Sure, if you've got power, which some 50,000 of us do NOT. Finally, a station shared the complete list (Thanks, WNCI!). Sure enough, mine was included, so I did a very careful U-turn and went back home. I was actually looking forward to work because I knew it would be warm and well-lit, unlike our still powerless house. Rather than stay under a huge pile of blankets with nothing to do, I packed up my computer and books and left for Caribou Coffee. Shortly after getting settled and updating Facebook, etc. I had several offers from friends who were willing to share their warm homes with me. I felt so blessed by the community God has given me here in Columbus. It is often hard for me to believe that we've lived here less than two years because it feels so much like home. I ended up hanging out with a couple from our Lifegroup at their house, and it turned out to be a pretty sweet time of fellowship. When I returned home in the afternoon, I was pleasantly surprised to find the power back on.

To celebrate the holiday, Michael and I went to Hong Kong Buffet last night after he got off work. The food was underwhelming, but we left stuffed nonetheless. We both decided that we just should not go to buffets (unless we're in Vegas) anymore. At home, we played a couple rounds of Mahjongg, which is supposed to be a four person game, but we modified it. I won best of three :) Despite the craziness of the weather, I really enjoyed the day and am looking forward to the Year of the Rabbit. 

One Lucky Dog

A couple that we are friends with were expecting their first baby on February 3rd. Michael and I had agreed that when the time came, we would go pick up their dog and take care of him while they were at the hospital. As it happens with babies, they rarely come exactly when expected, and little Ethan arrived on January 21st via c-section. That meant that Polo got to spend a few extra days with his good friend, Barkley, while mom recovered. Barkley and Polo have known each other since Polo was a puppy, and they get along really well. Barkley is part Golden Retriever, so they even look like cousins. After I took Barkley back to his house, I came home and let Polo out of his crate and he ran all over the house looking for his friend. He went to the door to see if Barkley was in the backyard, and when he didn't see him, he looked at me with these sad eyes that just said, "Mom, where's my friend?"

Barkley and Polo staying comfortable on the couch

 He didn't have to be lonely for long though. Just a few days later, another friend emailed me saying she and her family were going out of town and they wondered if we could dog-sit for them. Of course! So, Riley came over on Thursday and has been playing with Polo all weekend long. We actually dog-sat for Riley last year, but he was having joint issues and wasn't up for playing with our very active puppy. This time around is a very different story. Riley seems like a puppy himself running around and playing with Polo. I just know I'll see those sad eyes again tonight when Riley goes home and Polo gets lonely again. Hmmm.... time for a second dog? Probably not yet but maybe someday. For now, we'll just keep planning play dates and trips to the dog park.

Just Riley

January Book Reviews

First, a little note: One of my goals or resolutions for this year is to use my blog as a place to review the books I read. Since reading is one of my passions, I spend a lot of time with my nose in a book or hanging out at the library or Barnes & Noble. I would like to share with you why I read the books I do, what they're about, and what I think of them, so I will try to post a monthly review to do just that.

Title: The Shadow Children Series (Among the Hidden, Among the Impostors, Among the Betrayed, Among the Barons, Among the Brave, Among the Enemy, Among the Free)

Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Genre: Middle Grade, Science Fiction/Fantasy

My Rating: ***

One day last fall, I was helping re-shelve books at a school library, and I noticed that there were numerous titles by an author I did not know: Margaret Peterson Haddix. After asking the librarian about her, I found out that she is a local (Dublin, OH) writer. I called up my friend at Scholastic to ask if she had heard of Haddix, and she said that the author is very well known for her middle grade fiction. I decided that if she was so popular and she lived nearby, I should definitely check out a few of her books.
I decided to pick up Among the Hidden, which is the first in a series known as The Shadow Children.

The story is set in an unknown future fourteen years after the government has implemented a population law making all third children illegal. Luke, the main character, is a third child who has had to remain in hiding his whole life, not allowed beyond the protective trees that border his family's farm. When the woods are bulldozed to make way for a new housing development, Luke is confined to his windowless attic bedroom, but it's not long before he spies what he believes to be another third child in one of the new homes. As Luke sneaks out to try to meet this mysterious person, he starts a chain reaction of events that carries the reader through the seven book series, the last of which I finished earlier this month.

I found this to be a captivating story and flew through the entire series very quickly, which is pretty easy to do at this reading level. The theme of freedom is compelling, and Luke's dilemma will intrigue readers.

Title: The Piano Teacher
Author: Janice Y.K. Lee
Genre: Historical Fiction
My Rating: ***


I think I put The Piano Teacher on my list of books to read after it attracted my attention at the book store last year.

Moving between 1952 and 1941, the novel tells the story of two Britons living in colonial Hong Kong: Claire Pendleton and Will Truesdale. Will comes to Hong Kong in 1941 and falls in love with the beautiful and exotic Trudy Liang. In 1952, Claire moves to Hong Kong with her husband and begins teaching piano to the daughter of Victor and Melody Chen, who are among Hong Kong's elite social class. Through this connection, she meets Will and the two begin a unique affair that will reveal secrets of a hidden past bigger than either of them.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the illustration of life during the Japanese occupation. During the course of Will's relationship with Trudy, the Japanese Imperial Forces take over Hong Kong, and nearly all the non-Chinese residents are placed in internment camps (including Will). I love reading historical fiction because I feel like through the lives of fictional characters I experience and learn what it might have been like to live during a certain time period or through a specific historical event. While I wouldn't call The Piano Teacher a page-turner, it was engaging and interesting.

Title: Atonement
Author: Ian McEwan
Genre: Literary Fiction
My Rating: ***


Atonement was the January selection for the book club I'm in, and I finished it just in time for our discussion. Though I saw the movie when it came out in 2007, I didn't have a desire to read it, but I'm glad I did.

The novel is divided into three parts. In part one, a young girl with an active imagination and a knack for story-telling named Briony witnesses an event that she cannot fully understand as child. Her subsequent story and accusation lead to ruin for the other characters involved. The second part of the novel is set a few years later during World War II and follows another character, Robbie, as he takes part in the British retreat to Dunkirk and evacuation of France. In the third and final section, the long-term effects of Briony's recrimination are revealed.

The attention to detail and development of characters in Atonement makes it a profound read. McEwan has received much praise for his writing style and theme development, but one of my favorite quotes that I think sums the book up well is from The Ottawa Citizen: "Class conflict, war and the responsibilities of the artist are among the themes of Atonement, but it is Ian McEwan's writing that makes this novel one of his best: lush and langorous in the long first section, understated and precise in the latter two."

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction/Fantasy
My Rating: ***

One of the students in my class (when I was long-term subbing) was reading City of Bones, and I thought it sounded interesting, so I added it to my list of books to read. When it became available at the library earlier this month, I picked it up and proceeded to read it in just a few days.

Clary Fray goes to Pandemonium club in New York City with her best friend, Simon, just hoping to have some fun, but after witnessing a murder that turns out to be anything but normal, she is quickly drawn into a world she never knew existed. She discovers that she can see beyond the "glamour" that hides the faeries, demons, vampires, and other Downworlders  from the mundanes (regular humans).  Then, her mother is kidnapped by a demon before Clary can ask her what it all means, and the only person who can help is Jace, a gorgeous and powerful warrior, known as a Shadowhunter, whose purpose in life is to fight the demons and keep the mundanes safe.

City of Bones is part of the rapidly growing young adult fantasy genre, which, as is typical, means it is part of a series. Though vampires, werewolves, and wizards all make appearances, this is not another Harry Potter or Twilight. If anything, I thought it felt like a more mature Percy Jackson that appeals to girls. There's unrequited love, sexual tension (though not inappropriate for its audience), fighting, adventure, and mystery. I find that I'm looking forward to Book Two.