BOOK NERD Book Review: The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life by Amby Burfoot

I consider myself to be a MAJOR book nerd!  So much so that I want to get a shirt made that says it, and you can believe I will be rocking that shirt to school!! J My students would get a kick out of that! 

I have been a reader my whole life.  Some of my favorite memories from childhood revolve around book.  One of my favorite memories is when my step-dad used to take me to a bookstore every time he came to visit…and would give me allowance money to spend on my favorite book every time.  Another favorite memory is when I used to get in trouble and my mother’s version of punishment was throwing my favorite books, the ones that I used to read over and over, in the trash!!  Honestly, that was more devastating to me than getting grounded would have been!  The best part about it was that my aunt used to secretly dig the books out of the trash and save them for me, and then give them back to me later when I wasn’t in trouble anymore.  LOL! 

I have been seriously getting back into reading in the last year.  One of the best parts about teaching 5^th graders is that their Young Adult novels are awesome and just as entertaining for me as for them!  Some of my favorite Young Adult novels that I have read recently were: The Hunger Games series, Pictures of Hollis Woods, Bud, Not Buddy, City of Ember, The Shadow Children series, and The Moon series.

I also do some grown-up reading, though!  And for Christmas, my friend Rachel gave me a couple of books, one of them being the one that I am reviewing today. 

Leti’s BOOK NERD Book Review
Novel	The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life “What 35 years of running has taught me about winning, losing, happiness, humility, and the human heart”
Author	Amby Burfoot Executive Editor of “Runner’s World” Magazine and Winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon
Genre	Sports/Running
Rating (out of 5 stars)	*****/***** (5 out of 5 stars)

The book is divided into “lessons” instead of chapters, and has a few “insights” sprinkled in, including a collection of words of inspiration and an essential reading list for runners.  As a runner (still feels weird to call myself that after all these years), I made connections to this book on a deep level, and even book marked, with sticky notes, all of my favorite quotes.  These quotes are what I’ll share with you here today.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it really uses running as a metaphor for life, as demonstrated by this quote from the book:

I especially love “Lesson Eight: Losing.”  This chapter is all about how losing is a part of life and how we can use it to propel us forward instead of holding us back.

Another great lesson in this book is from “Lesson Nine: Materialism,” which states that we we really need in life we already have.  I really liked this quote from that chapter:

I like what the author says about Goals, and really like this quote from that Lesson:

Finally, I love what the author says about Winning:

 

…and the importance of listening to yourself, which I think is something we all struggle with from time to time.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!  It inspired me to start running again, which I had stopped doing consistently throughout most of the winter.  Reading this book helped me find my “running mojo”, and shortly after I read it I started really running again.  I just finished reading this book for the second time, it is THAT helpful, and I feel confident about recommending it to you as a MUST READ book.   

 What are your must-read books?  Are there any books that you recommend I read a.s.a.p?

Friday (the thirteenth - ooooh, creepy!!) Favorites

Friday Favorites
Books	Most Talkative: Stories from the front lines of pop culture by Andy Cohen – I’ve already cried three times, and laughed countless times (one time so hard I almost dropped my Nook)…and I’m only on page 57!
Tv shows	Dr. Oz – just can’t get enough of that man and his healthy info – plus, does anyone else think he’s kinda handsome or is it just me?! Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition – watched it for the first time ever Sunday and I loved it!!
Movies	360 – story about a bunch of different people’s lives and how they all intersect; Being Flynn – touching movie about an author and his father, I actually really enjoyed it! The Muppets Take Manhattan (Found the original in the $3 Bin at Dollar General and got it for my daughter.  It takes me back to childhood!)
Songs	1. Where Have You Been? – Rihanna 2. Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye 3. Wide Awake – Katy Perry 4. Boyfriend – Justin Bieber 5. Give Your Heart a Break – Demi Lovato 6. Let’s Go – Calvin Harris feat. N-Yo 7. Feel So Close – Calvin Harris 8. Set Fire to the Rain – Adele 9. Balance – Sara Tavares 10. Beautiful Things – Gungor 11. Maimbe Danda – Daniela Mercury 12. Vuelve Al Sur – Gotan Project 13. No Church in the Wild – Jay Z and Kanye 15. HYFR - Drake
dessert	2 minute mug brownies with Buttered Pecan ice cream
Dish	Oven-baked bar-b-que ribs with cole slaw, fresh corn on the cob, and drop biscuits.  Made this today – delish!!
Stores	Fav store of the week - you guessed it - Dollar General!!! Followed by Marshall’s as a close second.
Scents	Yankee Candle – the green fresh, woodland, herbal one
moments	The sunset and the rainbow, dancing in the living room to Michael Jackson songs with my daughter, movie night with the hubs
happenings	It’s a tie!  Definitely would have to be: 1) being featured as a “Real Fit Mom” on Skinnymom.com and 2) being a guest blogger on EatTeachBlog. It was definitely a good week! J
Looking Forward to…	-         Friend’s Daughter’s 2nd birthday party -         Pool Party -         Coffee with Amanda -         Murphy Family Reunion!!! -         Home sweet home – AGGIELAND, here I come!!!! -         Seeing Rachel, Luis and the littlest Enciso -         “The Book Whisperer” by Donalyn Miller (staff development); I’m excited because her book really made a difference in my teaching this year!  I hope I get to meet her!

Tangent Tuesday, 7/10/12

Today was yet another day of relaxation, napping, and working out.  Today, however, I actually got dressed (real clothes…and real shoes rather than slippers!) and ventured out to one of my favorite stores ever: Dollar General. Big spender, I know.  

Let get right to the tangents. 

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I went to Dollar General today.  I loooves me some DG!!  Proof #34,781 that I am turning into my mother: my love for dollar stores, knick-knacks that I don’t need, and bargains that I can’t pass up.  (Love you Mom!)  It’s okay; I’ve come to terms with it and consider myself a lucky woman.  If I grow up to be half the woman that my mother is, I’ll be a lucky lady! J  Anyway – oh look, I just went off on a tangent from a tangent! – back to DG.

I originally went in to buy a mop and some cleaning supplies.  It always starts out like that, doesn’t it?  You go into a store for one or two things and come out with a dozen?  And sometimes you have good intentions, and take your list with you and everything, but still come out with way more than you intended to buy.  And inevitably, there will be times when you will come out with everything else in the store except for what you came for! 

Anyway, I went in for a mop – and came out $80 later.  For real?!  $80?!?!?  Only I can go into a DOLLAR store and come out with $80 worth of stuff.  The irony.  Go to a dollar store to save money and end up spending way too much.

***

This morning I finally started reading Andy Cohen’s new book, Most Talkative.  Unfortunately, I only downloaded a sample of it so I was left hanging, dying for more!  You can trust and believe (my friend Rachel always says that phrase and I love it!) that I will be downloading that bad boy tomorrow.  Based on the 30 pages I read, and the fact that I laughed out loud at least five times (and it was my ugly, almost-a-snort laugh, too) I know the $11.99 will be well spent! 
 

***

I’m feenin’ for a Jasmine Cream Tea with a double shot of boba.  Feenin’ baaaaaad!  It’s going on a month now that I’ve been craving it and still haven’t gotten one.  I may have to put on real clothes and venture out again tomorrow, just to get one.  Adding that to my to do list now.

TO – DO (7/11/12)

1. run 4 miles
2. get dressed in real people clothes
3. get a tapioca
4. take a nap
5. Body Pump and Step
6. cook. eat. repeat.

***
New favorite (cheap) workout gear: Hanes Her Way V-neck t-shirts.  I found a package of three shirts (pink, gray, periwinkle) in the clearance bin at Dollar General and, of course, bought them.  I mean, hello? at $3.25 it was too good to pass up.  Even if I just wear them around the house, I will have gotten my money’s worth. 
 

Anyway, I wore the pink one to the gym tonight…and it definitely passed the test!  It was comfy and I loved the way it fit!  The only drawback is that it has no kind of sweat-wicking or dri-fit absorbing action so when we left I was drenched with sweat.  Then again, there’s probably not many fancier, more high-tech material that can contain the amount of sweat that I was working with after having done Zumba, running three miles on the treadmill (intervals), and lifting (legs).  I’ll definitely be picking up some more of these!  I will make sure, however, to stay away from the white ones.  You know why.

***  

Dinner tonight was one of my favorites!  It’s my go-to meal when I’m not in the mood to cook. 
 

“Mama-ain’t-cookin-tonight” Quick and Easy Dinner

- 1 Rotisserie chicken (ready made from Wal-Mart)
- 1 bag of Green Giant steamed broccoli with cheese sauce
- 1 package of Uncle Ben’s ready-rice – Whole Grain Wild Rice flavor (90 seconds in the microwave, in the bag)
- hummus (Saabra’s roasted garlic one, although I usually make my own)
- sliced tomatoes 

It’s quick, easy, and pretty darn healthy too!  I never tire of this meal and sometimes we substitute the rice for a nice loaf of freshly baked, thick, crusty Italian or French bread. DELISH!  Dessert will be the other half of my chocolate chip cookie from last night’s visit to Subway (aren’t their cookies the best?!) and maybe some grapes.

 

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I hope you enjoyed the tangents.  Please feel free to share some of your own!

Five questions for you:

1. What’s your favorite bargain store?  How often do you shop there?
2. What books are on your summer reading list?  What’s your favorite genre of books?
3. Do you like Jasmine green tea?  Ever had a Tapioca?  What’s your favorite flavor?
4. What’s on your to-do list for today?
5.  What is your favorite “I-aint-cooking-tonight” meal?