Thanksgiving

Wow! I didn't realize it had been so long since I'd posted. Things have been crazy, but that's how it usually is around the holidays, right?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the prep for and anticipation of Christmas, but as far as the actual day itself, Thanksgiving wins every time. I think it's because for a day we all stop and remind ourselves of what we have. There is no other pretense. Just spend time with loved ones and appreciate your life. It doesn't get much better.

Here's this year's thankful list with serious and silly items, for all of which I'm very grateful:

1. My family, as always. I don't like all of them, but I love every last one and am so glad we're a fairly tight-knit unit.

2. My friends, who are my family.

3. My job, which gives me the freedom to be creative and the security to make rent.

4. Coffee, which makes even the worst times just a little bit better.

5. My talent. That might sound conceited, but I don't mean it that way. I truly value my imagination and the ability to play with words.

6. Books, and also my book club, who are some of my favorite people on the planet.

7. Weight Watchers, which has helped me lose 15 pounds in the past month. (I know!)

8. Ian Somerhalder. Good Lord.

9. My health, which has stayed with me even though I haven't given it much genuine consideration until recently.

10. Mexican food, and the ability to make it myself.

11. Nature. I love being outdoors.

12. The Clinique skin care line, even though my forehead is rebelling against it at the moment.

13. Movies. Like books, they let me escape.

14. Tequila. Yum.

15. Hope. I'm still holding onto it for things I want that I don't have yet.

That's good for now. I might be inspired to write more. If not, Happy Thanksgiving!

Oops, I did it again

Well, I completed my second half marathon today. As with the first time, two years ago, there's an asterisk next to the victory time.

There's a place in the course that loops down one street and back up the next. Two years ago, I woke up with terrible back pain on the day of the race and made it to that point until I had to stop, cut across, and lay flat on my back on the sidewalk while I waited for my friends to make the loop and get me. It's the only way I could have finished. (I'm not being dramatic, either. My buddy told me that she was genuinely worried about me and thought they were going to need the EMTs to come save me at some point.)

Well, this year, I ended up doing the same thing. Not because my back was killing me and making me feel like I was about to die, but because at that point (around Mile 11) I was starting to lock up. My lower back, legs and feet were just not moving right. The second I stopped and stretched, I felt better. I waited for my friend to come back around, and then we finished together.

I don't feel the least bit guilty about stopping, stretching and waiting. I was listening to my body. The miles before that point (except Mile 10, that fucker) weren't bad. I was tired, yes, but not in pain. As soon as I felt the shift from fatigue to pain, I knew I needed to do something.

Anyway, the point is, I finished, albeit with an asterisk. I don't care. It's still an accomplishment at 12 miles than 13.1. I'm not going to lie about what I did, and I'm not going to buy a "13.1" sticker for my car. I am, however, going to enjoy getting the medal. (They ran out at the finish line and said they would send them to us. Lame.) At the moment, the idea of doing this again sounds like the worst thing ever. But... I'm pretty sure I said that exact same thing after the first one.

Book Review: "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake"

This was last month's book club selection, and I just realized I never wrote my summary. (I know y'all were on the edges of your seats for it. Ha!)

Here it is: This book is stupid.

A little girl, Rose, if I remember correctly, discovers that she has the ability to taste in food the emotions of the person who created it. This is sort of "Like Water for Chocolate"-esque. Rose learns about her mother's unhappiness and affair by eating her food. She can pinpoint where any mass-produced item is from, down to the exact factory. She can break down recipes and tell exactly where each ingredient is from.

Rose doesn't have super close friends and isn't that close to her family, either. As she grows up, she and her dad have a chance to bond more. Her brother is a lost cause. He's a genius, but basically lives like a hermit. He'll vanish for a few weeks at a time, only to reappear completely emaciated and in need of hospital care to get back to health.

Long story short: Rose discovers that her grandfather had a "gift" of smelling the emotions of people, and it damn near drove him crazy. He ended up wearing this weird mask thing in order to keep it under control. Her father has a similar thing regarding hospitals. He's scared to death to go in one because of the reaction he has to it.

So in the end we find out her brother, the genius, has found a way to break the laws of physics and turn himself into furniture. Yes, you read that right. He. Becomes. Furniture. When he's missing it's not because he's on a drug binge, or locked in a den of hookers or in a drunken stupor under a bridge somewhere. It's because he's the coat rack.

It's the stupidest thing I've ever read in my life. I am so so SO glad I checked out the book from the library and didn't actually buy it. I would have been PISSED if I'd spent money on it. The only good thing about it, in fact, was that our book club hostess was inspired to make a lemon cake from scratch as our dessert. I think we all deserved a slice after the nonsense that is this book.

Oh, and also...

Remember, remember the fifth of November...

Disneystrology

Got this book at work. Here is what my birthday character says about me:

Tigger

You never run out of energy. You're optimistic, creative, and charming. Because you're so sure of yourself and your abilities, you're shocked when things don't turn out as planned. You usually discover, after the fact, that the things you can't do, you don't like to do anyway. You never lose your childlike innocence and are shy around those you admire. Your best friends are the ones who appreciate your energy and spontaneity.

Magical Gifts

Tigger bestows everything that Tiggers like: a happy heart, good friends and a fabulous bouncing ability.

Keys to Your Success

Looking before you bounce.

Tigger's Story: "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day" (1968)

Fun stuff! :)

P.S. - The universe was speaking to me today. When I was younger, I was kind of obsessed with Tigger and had a bunch of Tigger stuff. And today was a very blustery day.

National Novel Writing Month

November, along with having my favorite holiday and the lovely Fall Back I've been waiting for, also is National Novel Writing Month.

There is a movement for writers to start and finish a 50,000-word novel in one month. One. Month.

That's crazy talk. I don't have the time for that! Especially not with the kind of novel I'm writing. That requires research and lots of alone time, all of which, in my case, has to happen before and after work hours. If I didn't have the job? Totally down for it.

The idea to start writing, though, is timely for me since I'm working on a new concept as we speak. (I know I say that a lot. I make no apologies for the amount of crap rolling around in my head. It comes out when it wants. I'm just the messenger.) I'm excited about it, so hopefully the momentum to keep writing it out will continue.

Happy November! It's going to be a good month. I can feel it. :)