tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13887274639657083862024-03-14T00:49:47.013-05:00Lunacy of the Literary MindErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-69922474862459048412015-12-13T16:46:00.001-06:002015-12-13T16:46:48.392-06:00FacepalmFor all the times I have given myself crap in the past about not blogging very often, this one takes the cake. It didn't even occur to me until today that it has been 2.5 years exactly since I last wrote. Life has changed drastically, in both fortunate and unfortunate ways. While I have successfully held a job that I love, I will soon have to find another one (due to circumstances beyond my control). I have continued to live with migraines, however, they have improved at times since I started receiving Botox and started working from home. After a year of surgeries (to remove kidney stones and have my gallbladder removed), things have finally settled down health wise, except for the fact that I currently have been sick (possibly with Strep Throat) for the last few days. But all in all, I can't complain.<br />
<br />
As far as reading goes (since that was one of the original reasons that I started writing this blog), I have been doing an abysmal job. I am still behind on magazines (totally not a surprise, I know), and have not read any books as of late. One the plus side, I finally got some of my books organized onto a bookshelf that my Step-Father built me last Christmas, so I don't have so many Barnes & Noble bags full of books next to my bedside table. I am desperately trying to find that urge to read like I used to, but I seem to occupy my time with watching television or falling asleep. I did, however, ask for a couple of books for Christmas from FFF's (yes, Fierce Football Fan and I are still together) Mom. I have read so many reviews of new books that have come out that I am looking forward to reading and considering my goal is to read 30 books that I have never read before I turn 30 (I have just over 6 months), this is the perfect time to take advantage of that.<br />
<br />
I don't know that I will be making any resolutions or goals for the next year - at least not the way that I used to. I went back and read what I have previously written in this blog (which was quite a revelation in itself considering how much I have changed) and I found that I give myself so many things to try and accomplish all at once. This is probably because I have all these ideas of grandeur. I've learned that doing that to myself is just asking for failure so I have to find another way to accomplish my goals, simply one or two at a time.<br />
<br />
As I read through everything that I wrote so long ago, I realize how much I have changed. I used to be so optimistic and hopeful. I have found that I am more pragmatic and realistic these days than optimistic about things. It's not necessarily that I have changed fundamentally, but life takes a toll and has a way of changing our opinions in life. I've given up, at least for the moment, on trying to figure out why I feel the way I feel, and why life throws so many curve balls. I think I'll just bury my mind in a book instead. Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-45693983432543613252013-06-12T09:28:00.001-05:002013-06-12T09:28:13.014-05:00UntitledDang it's been a while since I last wrote. Life has been hectic. I have been busy with school, work and an internship over the last several months, as well as searching for another job more closely related to my field of study (Insurance Billing and Medical Coding). Due to all of this craziness, I have not read a book in months :( I have a stack of magazines that I am trying to get through as we speak including Time, Sports Illustrated, Good Housekeeping, Ladies Home Journal, Reader's Digest, and weirdly enough, Vogue. Vogue is ironically one of the magazines that I did not subscribe to, but just started receiving (I wonder if my sister has something to do with it). I figure since I'm getting it, I might as well read it and try and get something out of it. I have also been working on losing weight, which may have made Vogue more interesting to me in a fashion sense. Although 20 lbs less, every time I put on a dress, it still looks like a garbage bag. My goal is to start trying to get into a normal schedule once I can find a steady job again, hopefully soon. Once that happens, I can catch up on a lot of my reading and hopefully get back into reading books. I have had a lot of recommendations lately that I just haven't had time to look into, but I am always looking for the next great book. Not only that, but I'm hoping that I can start writing more in here. Plus, I'm thinking of looking at publishers and submitting some of my poetry to see what they would think about me publishing my own book of it. My fictional creativity for a book has been lacking, so I haven't really focused on it as much as I would like to, but maybe someday I'll come back to it. Until next time...Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-48136539474068861112012-10-28T16:44:00.001-05:002012-10-28T16:44:31.762-05:00FeelingsFeelings seem to be some confusing most days. Not knowing how to feel about people and situations. Feeling betrayed, alone, yet strengthened. I used to escape into books to avoid dealing with my feelings. Lately, I haven't had that luxury. School and work keep my pretty busy, yet I always seem to have time to read something every day - whether it is just a magazine, or my textbooks. I seem to have time to let my mind take control and I start thinking : over-analyzing : feelings and people that I am involved with. My relationships with people and where we stand. I can't seem to make myself stop. I am constantly trying to figure out what I did wrong or how we ended up in this place. Wishing that it was a different time and we were in different positions in our life so we could see what would happen. But alas, we are here. We are making choices and mistakes and trying to figure out what we are going to do to make sure that we don't break. At this point though, I feel broken. I feel like it is going to take a while to heal and trying to keep it together in front of those around me is hard. Trying to solve my feelings. Feelings....they really are confusing most days. Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-47511754589145969302012-03-02T07:24:00.002-06:002012-03-02T07:36:28.044-06:00Another Book DownSo as I was listening to Heart's "Alone" today on Pandora, I was reminded that Charter (a local cable company) offers a karaoke channel. I didn't know this until yesterday, but my boyfriend decided that it would be a good idea to tell me. That may not have been the smartest thing...I am always singing karaoke on youtube and singing whenever I'm listening to Pandora (although this past week, I sound like Elmer Fudd while trying to do so). While this karaoke channel does cost money (I think he said something like $7 a month), it may just have to be something that I look into checking out for a little bit. Might have to see if it's awesome or not.<br /><br />So I recently finished a book called "The China Garden" by Liz Berry. The book takes place in Ravensmere, a British estate (made up of course) where a young woman named Clare finds that there is more to her life than she ever imagined. Having found that she has psychic powers that she had only experienced a couple of times before, she finds that there is a family history in this place that she has always been destined to continue, without ever knowing about it. This book brings you into a beautiful place while feeling like you could be part of the story. After I finished reading this book, it dawned on me that this could be turned into a great movie -- at least in my mind. But as we all know, not all books that are turned into movies really do justice to the story. So for now, I'll enjoy the imagery that I have created in my mind. Definitely a good read - I think that this is probably a book that I got when I was a teenager that I just never read before. You'll notice that sometimes, I do enjoy reading books that are geared towards teens. I think that the writing can be just as good and that there is something about those books that can take us back to a time and place when things were possibly less complicated.<br /><br />Peace and Love!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-62727923111757972362012-02-12T12:59:00.002-06:002012-02-12T13:19:37.043-06:00Week 5 overSo obviously I didn't follow up last week about how my life is going. It's been going... pretty much the same stuff, different day type of thing right now. Last week I didn't lose any weight on WW, but I also didn't gain anything, which I was pretty surprised to see. This week, however, it is another story. I barely counted points this week, and the days that I did, I went over by an average of 10 pts or so. I kinda thought that I may gain something, but I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I ended up gaining 2 lbs. I know that it doesn't sound like a lot, but since I had only lost a total of 2.4 lbs up to this point and then gained 2 back, it doesn't really say a whole lot about what I have been able to do. Luckily, today is the start of a new week, and I ended up finding some foods that I am hoping will help me stay on track better. Plus, I just need to start saying the word no when it comes to getting food at work, which is my biggest problem. I also bought a Kinect over the weekend with some dancing games, which apparently after one song can completely wear me out, and I am hoping to get Zumba for it as well. Hopefully that will get me up and moving around.<br /><br />As for the more interesting parts of my life, I finished "The Girl Who Played With Fire" by Steig Larrson last week. This book is the second in the Millennium Trilogy and I can't tell you how badly I want to read the third one now that I have finished this one. Unlike the first book (which at least gave some sort of a closed ending), this book ends in a total cliffhanger. Just like the first one, it was a book that I could not put down and I got more engrossed in the book the further I got into it. I can't say enough what a phenomenal writer Steig Larrson was - I so wish there were more than just these three books to showcase his talent. So as excited as I am to get to the third book, there is a slight problem: I have promised myself that I will not get the third book until I get to my first weight loss goal, which is 10% of my starting body weight, which is about 17 lbs. Exactly my dilemma. I figure that as much as I want to read the third book, it has to give me some motivation to lose the weight. We will just have to see what happens.<br /><br />I also saw the movie "Safe House" last night. This movie stars Denzel Washington as a former CIA agent that is now being targeted to be captured by the CIA and Ryan Reynolds as the housekeeper of a safe house is Cape Town, South Africa. It was a great movie in which Denzel does an amazing job as always and Ryan makes a more dramatic appearance compared to the comedy films that he usually does. It was engaging, thrilling, and full of lots of action. I was kind of apprehensive at the beginning of the movie because it took a little bit to figure out the storyline, which can sometimes be frustrating. But in this case, it fit with the movie perfectly fine. Plus, it sounds like there could be some interesting movies coming out soon: a new war movie that seems like it could be more of a documentary called "Act of Valor" and a comedy based on a tv show from the 80's called "21 Jump Street." Hopefully, I'll be catching those soon.<br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-301352636305873462012-01-29T15:07:00.002-06:002012-01-29T15:13:30.843-06:00Week 3 OverSo I gained back that .2 lbs I lost last week. I figured it would actually be more. I've been dealing with some kidney stone pain since about Thursday, at which time I felt so sick that I didn't both tracking my food. I did however start tracking it again today. Hopefully a loss is on it's way.<br /><br />So I finally watched the Swedish version of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" yesterday. Definitely another great version of the movie - both movies that I have seen did a pretty good job of following the book and I have to admit that it was nice to be able to hear how some of the Swedish pronunciations came out - makes my reading more realistic if I can read it how it is actually pronounced. I'm currently working on reading the second book, at which point, I will probably watch the Swedish version of that movie as well. Not quite sure how long it will be before the 2nd American version comes out, but I don't think I can wait that long.<br /><br />I found a new app on my Samsung Epic that I think is going to help me keep track of the number of books that I read this year. It's called Book Catalogue and I can actually just scan in the barcode of the book and sort it into a bookshelf that I aptly named 2012 so that I can see how many books I've read this year. Definitely pretty cool.<br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-11476492268897028142012-01-22T16:04:00.003-06:002012-01-22T16:15:19.926-06:00Week 2 OverSo after having a pretty bad week this past week with my eating habits on WW, I didn't think I was going to lose anything. Turns out, I lost .2 lbs. Not a lot at all, but definitely better than gaining, which I thought might happen. So no matter, how small the loss, I'm happy to say that I had one. I'm definitely learning to eat healthier, and have become more aware of what I eat. I still eat things every once in a while that may have way more points than I can afford, but sometimes its worth it. I had my first burger from a fast food joint since I started WW last night, and it wasn't even something that was all that good. Kinda feels good to say that.<br /><br />I did also recently finish the book "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson. I must say, it was a brilliant book. It was one of those books that I hated to put down to go to sleep every night and was one that I could read for hours on end. It provided beautiful writing and hours of enjoyment. I thought that after I saw the movie, at which point, I was almost to the middle of the book, that it wouldn't be a good read anymore. Boy was I wrong. The book was just as brilliant since there were differences between the book and the movie that made each interesting in its own way. This book is worth reading in every way possible - as Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" once imagined, I give this book an A++++++++<br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-2041284130001556712012-01-18T02:47:00.002-06:002012-01-18T02:56:05.472-06:00Thoughts Floating...Sometimes I feel as though the world surrounding me has overwhelmed my being. Thoughts continuously floating in and out of my mind, with no rhyme or reason attached to any of them. Things that makes sense and things that don't. Pain and happiness in a tug of war. Learning that it's possible to live with both. Sometimes, my emotions come out in ways I never thought possible, around people I never imagined would take notice. Feeling like my arms are stretched open wide, ready to embrace life; yet never having the faith in myself to reach for some of my dreams. Reality seems like an alternative. Wanting and ever more needing to accomplish something that makes me happy. Being told that I can't or won't because it just doesn't happen to people like me. Knowing that it would take more time and devotion than I have to give; yet, feeling the pull of gravity in the direction of my heart. Feeling freedom...finding me.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-79357313339860326032012-01-16T14:06:00.002-06:002012-01-16T14:25:48.726-06:00Week one overSo after finishing my first week on Weight Watchers yesterday, I weighed myself. I actually managed to lose 2.4 lbs! I was incredibly happy, even though that probably doesn't seem like a whole lot. I had come to the conclusion the night before "weighing in" that if I didn't lose anything the first week, that would be okay because I had learned a lot about making healthier decisions and was becoming more aware of what I was eating and putting into my body. So to see the weigh loss was even more awesome at that point. Now is the start of week two and we'll have to see how it goes, but each week that I can either learn something more about the program or lose weight, I'm going to be happy.<br /><br />I didn't do a whole lot of exercising last week. I have been taking a walk around the building at work to get my exercise during my lunch hour. But after it snowed and got closer, I didn't really want to go walk around in that. So, I didn't. Thus, I haven't been getting any sort of conventional exercise for the last week. I did take down the ornaments on the Christmas tree and scrape off the car several times, but I'm not sure how much exercise that really accounts for. I am hoping that once tax time comes, which should be shortly, to get a Kinect for Xbox, which I think will definitely get me moving.<br /><br />I had a four day weekend this past week and today is my last day off before I go back to work for the week. But on Friday, my boyfriend and I went to see "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". I have not yet finished the book, so I was a little apprehensive about seeing the movie before that was done. But I'm glad I did. It was phenomenal. Plus, there are slight differences between the movie and the book, which there usually are for cinematic value, which has made reading the remainder of the book great. I didn't know what to expect when I saw the movie, but I do know that there is an incredible amount of sex in it - and we are talking about probably the most nudity that has been shown in theaters for a rated R movie, which just shows how far our society has come in what is acceptable to see in public. This movie was engaging and easy to follow for the most part, with a beautiful score. Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander is captivating and has an incredible magnetism about her, while Daniel Craig makes for a wonderful Mikael Blomkvist. The sequence that plays out during the opening credits is amazing dark and artistic and the storyline, while eliminating some details from the book, is gorgeously written. I have not seen the Swedish version of the movie, which I may wait to watch until after I finish the book, but this one was definitely worth seeing.<br /><br />Speaking of finishing the book, I'm hoping that I can finish it today possibly or at least by the end of the week. It is so hard to put it down once I have started reading. I can't wait to read the next book.<br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-3291288811582599252012-01-08T12:43:00.002-06:002012-01-08T12:55:03.805-06:00Day 1I've signed up for Weight Watchers. As you can tell by the title of this post, today is day 1. Nothing else has really worked for me, so I figured that I would give this a try and the fact that I spent money to try this out for three months (I got the sign up fee waived because I committed to 3 months) is something that I think will motivate me even more. I'm really excited about the program that Weight Watchers offers, which is called PointsPlus. It gives you a certain amount of points that you are able to "spend" each day on food, which each has a point value. The points that you get to spend are dependent on your starting weight and your goal weight. Plus, it gives you 49 points that you are able to use weekly...for instance if you use all your points in a day, but want to eat a piece of chocolate, you can use part of those 49 points for that. Or, if you are going to a party or a wedding, you can use the points for that as well. What I like the best is that there are no limits to what you can and can't eat, which has always seemed to be a problem for me. Exercise is also key, as you earn activity points which you can later turn into food points if you would like. Either way, this program seems incredibly promising. I won't note as to what weight I am starting at (kind of embarrassing at this time), but I will be tracking how I am doing, as I think that might be a key to staying motivated. Another thing that has been keeping me motivated: I've been walking a lap around my work building on my lunch break, so I know that I am getting some sort of exercise in every day, even if it isn't much. I'm going to have eventually start adding more time and intensity to it, but I'm pretty proud of myself for being able to do this on a consistent basis.<br /><br />As for reading, I am currently reading the first of Steig Larsson's books "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." I also recently received my weekly Time issue and my monthly Good Housekeeping issue, which ironically enough has Weight Watchers spokesperson Jennifer Hudson on it's cover (she looks incredible, by the way). I have to say that I have been trying to get more reading in each day, so I'm hoping to be able to get through both the book and magazines by the end of the week.<br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-7685616562775403962012-01-04T00:17:00.004-06:002012-01-04T02:32:10.832-06:00Happy 2012!!!<span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Happy New Year everyone! As this is my first post of the new year, I wanted to reflect on a couple of things. I recently looked over my resolutions for 2011 to see what I could improve upon for this year and to see how I did last year. Here are what my past goals were and how I finished:</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">* Try to get in better shape =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">did not happen in any sense of the word. I was working out for a little bit of time, but apparently, exercising past a certain level of intensity makes my migraine pain stronger. While that could be used as an excuse, I was also pretty lazy about it. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Eat healthier =</span> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I wish that I could say that I was doing this as much as I would have liked. I tried really, REALLY watching what I ate at the beginning, but like exercising, it ended pretty quickly.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Work on my book =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I am proud to say that I did manage to do at least a couple of things for the book. I have a potential protagonist's name, the potential format of the book, and a potential first line. I know that it does not sound like a lot, but I'm just glad that I was able to get some ideas rolling around. Notice that I did say everything was "potential" as everything with a book in progress (at least in my case) is subject to change.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Pay of debt =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I am very happy to say that I was able to pay back money that I owed to a University, as well as pay back money that had been loaned to me about 4 years ago from my Uncle. I have also been paying off twice as much as the minimum payment for another one of my loans, as well as paying on a student loan, saving to pay back my Grandfather for a car that he bought me a couple of years ago, and paying off water bills. I can definitely say that my finance skills have improved tremendously.<br /><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Learn something new every day =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I can say that I am definitely learning something new every day. Constantly reading a book or a magazine, watching certain shows, even working - I feel like I am constantly learning something new.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Stop swearing so much =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I'd have to say that I do it about as often as anyone else does, although I make more of a conscious effort not to if I don't think it fits the situation.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Grow in my faith =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I do feel like I have grown in my faith this past year, going back to where I started I guess you could say. I started reading my Bible more often and have spent more energy than I had been on my faith.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Complain less and show more gratitude =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">I would love to say that I did wonderfully on this, but I'm not 100% sure that I did. I definitely have more gratitude for my life and the things and people that I am lucky to have in my life, but my complaining about things such as migraine pain probably didn't happen less often. I still need to work on remembering that complaining about something (depending on the situation) isn't necessarily going to change it.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">*Read 75 books in 2011 =</span> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Ha! Yeah right. For the second year in a row, I failed to even get close.<br /><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">After looking over all of the things that I tried to get through and resolve last year, I have found that I am still a work in progress (hard to believe, I know). There are things that I am probably always going to have to work on and things that I definitely improved upon. This year, I decided to narrow down my list a little bit. Here are my New Year's Resolutions for 2012:<br /><br />1. Continue to pay down debt - I feel that I did a pretty good job of that in 2011, but seeing it happen and making it such a big goal definitely made me able to appreciate that I am doing it on my own now. I would love to pay off at least another loan or two this year.<br /><br />2. Read 38 books this year - I figure that it is time that I adjust my goal a little bit more. I could continue to keep it at 75, but I would like to make sure that 38 is feasible before I make goals that are just too far out of reach. Plus, I am going to finish the Bible this year.<br /><br />3. Be more open-minded about possible migraine treatments - I have always been a little apprehensive about trying some new things to help with my migraines when they have never caused problems before. It has been suggested that I switch my birth control to something with less hormones to see if that is what is causing them, or possibly trying Botox (which I have never been fond of because I don't like the idea of botulism in my head), which has been proven to work on some patients. I have also ready about a migraine surgery, but I don't think that is something that my neurologist would consider at this point, although I have heard great things about how it increases the quality of life for the people who have had it. The biggest thing that my boyfriend and I think is causing or attributing to my migraines is my sleep apnea, which I did not have when I weighed less. So I have decided that when I get my tax return back (if not a little sooner), I may join Weight Watchers </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">online. I have never paid for any program or anything before, and it hasn't gotten me anywhere because I haven't found the willpower to change. I am thinking about trying it out for 3 months and really put my all into it and see if it is something that I can stick with. But I am going to look more into it before I make my final decision.</span><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">4. Don't take frustrations out on others - I do have a habit of taking things out on other people, especially my boyfriend, when I get incredibly frustrated. Most of the time, it has to do with my migraines. I forget that a lot of people don't know what they are like, thus not being able to understand what the pain is like. Plus, migraine pain isn't the same with everyone. I have been working really hard on remembering that other people are not necessarily causing my migraines (although there are situations where that is not true). I know that I have improved in that aspect, but I need to make sure that I live by a quote I once read somewhere: "Just because I'm in pain doesn't mean I have to be one."</span><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">5. Make better decisions - Instead of saying that I am going to lose weight this year or exercise more or something like, I decided that it isn't always just about the weight. It's about the decisions that I make about how I live my life in general. It's the decisions about how to spend money, what food to eat, procrastinating, etc. I want to make sure that I am living the life that is the best for me. I realize that there are things in life that I have no control over (as much as I would like), but the things that I can control are my decisions. I have decided that it's time for me to grow up. I don't always have to make the best decisions, because I know that no one is perfect, but I do know that I need to make better ones.</span><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">While I know that these resolutions cover a wide spectrum of things, especially the last one, I know that life isn't just about one thing or another. 2011 turned out to be a pretty good year - I was hired the end of March for a wonderful job that has allowed me to pay bills and take care of myself without having to rely on my boyfriend and save money, which I have never really done. I have learned the value of being able to spend time alone and the value of being able to spend time with my boyfriend - plus the job has greatly improved our relationship as we don't see each other as often, thus making us value our time together more. While that is one thing that was an incredible blessing, my migraines did not get tremendously better. I will say that having a regular sleep schedule, always getting about 8 hrs and 15 mins of sleep has definitely helped, but the pain is still hard to work through most days. I'm determined that this is the year that I will not doubt myself. This is the year that I have made the decision to fight back. I'm going to do everything I can to keep pushing through the pain, to keep faith and hope that I will get better.</span><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Here's to a Happy 2012 - may it be full of love, health, and happiness.</span><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><br style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);">Peace and Love</span>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-51110624343591969512011-12-24T22:00:00.002-06:002011-12-24T22:16:36.464-06:00Merry ChristmasHappy Holidays! Ir's Christmas Eve and I'm sitting on my wonderfully comfortable couch listening to my boyfriend tell me who the Packers could possibly play in the playoffs after their bye week. I still am working and actually only have a 3 day work week this next week, which comes after a 4 day weekend. Pure awesomeness. <br /><br />I managed to read only 13 books this year. Horrible - especially for someone who claims to love reading as much as I do. I obviously overestimated how little time I would actually have to read once I got a job. So for 2012, I am definitely going to have to modify my reading goal. I'm not quite sure what I'm going to set that goal at yet, but I will definitely be thinking about it. <br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-87342864722885785052011-10-12T09:46:00.002-05:002011-10-12T09:55:31.174-05:00There's no way....So there is no way that I am going to be able to reach my goal (again) of reading 75 books this year. Since I started working, I feel like I barely have any time to read and since I subscribed to three more magazines, bringing the number of magazines I read a month to 5 (if you only count titles, as Time comes out with a magazine weekly), I feel like I am constantly trying to catch up. I know it probably comes down to time and I am not making excuses - just knowing that I would virtually have to read 24 hrs a day to reach my goal is something that isn't very plausible, especially since I have been working overtime for the last couple of days. The good news is that I don't have any plans this weekend, and I would love to spend most of it reading. <br /><br />I've been feeling incredibly busy and almost rushed. I know that I am making some decisions that are putting me in that position, but at the same time, this sleep apnea is starting to really take hold. 7 hours used to be enough sleep - even restful sleep. But for a while now, it doesn't matter how long I sleep - I never feel rested. I've tried the CPAP machine, and now there aren't too many other options left besides major surgery that would change the way I look or trying to lose weight. I know that I have to start somewhere and that means that I have got to find some way to get motivated to exercise. If nothing else, I need to start doing some resistance training to tone my muscles so that I can speed up my metabolism. I keep saying that I'm going to start, but I never do. I make excuses and haven't started yet. So come Monday, after all of the craziness of optional overtime is done, I'm done making excuses. <br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-77798357920726625892011-08-15T12:48:00.002-05:002011-08-15T12:57:03.082-05:00Curious case of...Enjoying housework?I recently finished a book called " The Stepford Wives" by Ira Levin, a book that has spawned at least two movies and countless opinions (at least going through my mind) on how a society could possibly change a person in such a short period of time. For those of you that have not read this book or seen either of the movies, the books follows a Joanna and her family as they move to a suburb called Stepford. Joanna is a laid back, seemingly normal woman who is all of a sudden surrounded by women who seem to do nothing but housework and caring for their families, while their husbands work and enjoy evenings at the Men's Association, located in a vacant mansion high up on a hill. It seems as though something is amiss in this quaint little town, as two of Joanna's friendly, outgoing friends soon become like the rest of the wives after spending weekends alone with their husbands. It makes no sense what is going on in this town and the answer is never quite identifiable as to what is going on, thus leaving the ending a little more vague than I would like. The book itself is an incredibly good read, and while I had read it before, quite a while ago, I still found it highly enjoyable. Definitely worth checking out - maybe someone can figure out a little more about what was the cause of the mysterious ways of the woman than I could.
<br />
<br />Peace and Love!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-85453985827728572832011-08-01T12:08:00.003-05:002011-08-01T12:59:57.638-05:00Book OverloadI am apparently horrible at keeping up with blog posts, especially after every time that I read a book. I recently finished three books, although I was not reading them all at the same time. I used to try and read multiple books at once, but I found that I couldn't get as engrossed in them as much as I wanted to. <br /><br />So I finished "The Blind Side" by Michael Lewis, which I have wanted to read since before the movie came out. I admit that I did see the movie before reading the book and while I thought the movie was incredible, reading the book had so much more depth to it. I also realize that a movie can only go so far as far as depth is concerned, plus movies can be slightly sensationalized. As far as I am concerned, this book brings so much more to the story of Michael Oher. While it describes his story, it also bring football history into the mix. The entire book isn't about Michael Oher. It bring into the forefront the history of the blind side tackle (most often the left tackle) and how the importance of that position came to be. It taught me some incredible lessons about football in general. I bet you didn't know that at one time during the early 1940's (if I remember correctly), roughing the passer was ENCOURAGED! It's pretty amazing to think not only how much the sport has evolved, but also the brutality that early players put their bodies through. Definitely a book worth reading, especially if you are a football fan. <br /><br />I next read "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent. I have to admit that I was hesitant to read this book, as I am skeptical of anyone who writes that they have been to Heaven in a near death experience. But this story seemed to be a little different. This story is about a boy, who at the age of 4 (he's 11 or 12 now) had to have an appendectomy after his appendix had ruptured and been filling his body with poison for 5 days, due to a misdiagnosis from a doctor stating it was the stomach flu. During the time that he was in surgery, he states that he went to Heaven and experienced a multitude of things, all happening in 3 minutes. The things that he recalls to his parents that are directly related to them are incredible because they are things that he could not have possibly know. For instance, while he was in surgery, he knew exactly where his parents were and what they were doing. His father had never told his about his great grandfather Pop, but this young boy has met him. His mother also never told him about a miscarriage that she had (how would a 4 year old be able to comprehend that), but he comes to her one day and says that he has 2 sisters. He does have 1 sister, which his mother corrects him on and he then proceeds to tell her that she lost a baby - his mother had never know it was a girl - and that he met her too. He talks about things that no 4 year old would know about in the Bible, and details upon details that can be found in the scriptures. The fact that this took place at such a young age and are about such mature subjects made me a little less cynical about this particular book. In fact, I ended up loving it because it gave me hope - a real sense of the possibilities that I have to look forward to. <br /><br />Lastly, I read "A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard. If you haven't heard her story, she was kidnapped in June of 1991 at the age of 11, kept in a stranger's backyard, rapped, and disengaged from the outside world. While in captivity, she gave birth to two daughters, and was forbidden from acknowledging who she really was. At the age of 29, her years stuck in run down shacks in the backyard of a convicted sex offender were over. She was reunited with her family, who welcomed her and her daughters with outstretched arms. I had heard about the story throughout the years, that people will still searching for her. Once she decided to tell her story, I watched a special interview that she did with Diane Sawyer, which opened my eyes. My friend got the book and encouraged me to read it, which included gory details that I can't even wrap my mind around. Throughout her life, she always carried one thing with her: Hope. The hope that she would get through this situation and eventually see her mother again. What may be one of the saddest parts about the story is that since Phillip Garrido (her captor) was on parole, parole officers came to check the property and make sure nothing was amiss. In fact, parole officers visited the Garrido home 60 TIMES during the time that Jaycee Dugard was held there and as noted in the book, even saw her there, and did absolutely nothing. This book will open your eyes to the struggle that this once teenager, and now 31 year old woman went through and how she kept hope alive. <br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-12681243837808322152011-07-11T10:35:00.003-05:002011-07-11T10:48:11.238-05:00CompromiseIt's been awhile since I have written, mostly for the reason that I started a new job at the beginning of May, but also because I have been lazy. Lazy when it comes to not only reading, but keeping up on this blog. Today, President Obama held a special news conference that seems to be about ways that we need to tackle the deficit. While I did not catch the beginning of the press conference, I did catch a little bit about President Obama speaking about compromise that needs to take place between the parties. This is a subject that needs to take place not only in our Congress and in our government at all levels, but also in professional sports, especially the NFL and NBA with their current lockouts while they work on collective bargaining agreements. It lead me to think -- is it truly possible that our Congress can put aside their differences long enough to do something that will benefit almost everyone in our country? There are always going to be those who aren't happy and there are always going to be those who disagree with the opinions and ideas of others. But is it possible that money (in the case of the NFL and NBA) can be the secondary of issues while putting fans as the number one priority? Without fans, do they really think that they are going to make money, or at least as much as they could? Is it possible that money (in the case of Congress) can be taken seriously to help our country realize that we need the mentality that we shouldn't spend more than we can afford? The questions blur together, but always come back to one thing, one of the seven deadly sins: greed. <br /><br />While I wanted to get that opinion out, since this blog is supposed to be about more than just books, I did recently finish a book. "Loser Queen" by Jodi Lynn Anderson. What makes this book pretty cool is that when she was first writing this book, she took most of it to the web, creating a webpage where at the end of every couple of chapters, she would let the readers chose what direction the story went in. The majority of votes would be the direction that the book went in. She would then post the next couple of chapters within a week or two, and the process continued. But she didn't divulge the entire book (why would people buy it then), leaving most of us anxiously waiting for the release of the book. When it finally came out, months later, I bought it and read it from the beginning, even though I had already read (and helped decide) most of the plot. But finally getting the entire story made me feel like the wait had been worth it. While I am no longer a teenager, and it does take place in the teenage years, it was an enjoyable read - one that I would recommend to teenagers and adults alike. Definitely a book worth an A+.<br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-53542954397156824022011-03-30T07:02:00.003-05:002011-03-30T07:11:31.021-05:00Chirp ChirpAs I sit here writing this, I can hear the song of birds outside my window. I have faintly heard their songs for the last couple of days, but didn't really pay any attention to it until this morning. For some strange reason, the sound of birds chirping away invigorated me. It hit a part of me that I didn't expect it to. I'm not really sure if it is the reminder of warmer weather, of a beautiful spring, or if it is something more - maybe the sound reminds me of a new beginning. <br /><br />I've been trying to figure out a lot of things in my life for quite some time, and it only recently became crystal clear what I want to do as far as a career: psychology. I have applied to go back to college, although getting some transcripts sent over could present a slight problem, but the fact that I finally have something concrete in my mind that I want to do is something huge for me. During the last four years or so, very few things have felt concrete. My relationship with my boyfriend is one of those things and now a career path. I think that I am learning that there is more that I can control in my life than what I cannot. I can't control my migraines, but I can control what I can and cannot do while I have them. I've been learning that while this is something that I am living with, and it does take over a huge part of my life based on what I am able to do or not do until we find a successful treatment, I can control how I treat myself and others while I have them. I shouldn't be beating myself up over them (since I have no control) and I shouldn't take my frustrations out on others either. <br /><br />I think the sound of chirping birds has given me a little clarity this morning. For some reason, the sound gives me hope. The songs that they sing remind me of the detail and precision with which God created them (and everything else in our world). So many stresses and complex things happen throughout our lives, but sometimes, it's the simplest of sounds that remind us that things will work out if we just have a little faith and hope.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-77910559649481541442011-03-23T06:26:00.002-05:002011-03-23T06:33:57.240-05:00Over a flippin month!Alright, I have to admit that I didn't think that I would possibly go this long without writing. My head is running with thoughts as usual, wondering and contemplating things that don't really matter. As much as I think about things that I can't control, isn't it a good thing that we can sometimes (or at least I can sometimes) think about things that just don't make any sense or have nothing to do with anything going on with anything. While I have spent some time watching the wonderful series of Sex and the City, I've noticed that a lot of the dating situations that can take place in someone's life are nothing like what has happened in mine. I can't say that I have ever been in an actual "dating" situation. I'm dating of course, but it's a serious, long term, monogamous relationship where I am actually part of a couple - not a situation where I am just getting to know someone and am actually going out on dates. I feel like I could be living vicariously through the character of Carrie Bradshaw. Watching that show and thinking about how my life has been with relationships, it has made me wonder: What is the dating norm these days? Is there a certain way that we are suppose to date someone or are we all so completely different from each other in our dating rituals?Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-22963733019989104392011-02-17T14:30:00.002-06:002011-02-17T14:36:16.805-06:00Ha haSo much for trying to write every day - it's been a week. Near the end of last week (I think), I finished yet another book: "Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously" by Julie Powell. Now most of you might think that this is like watching the movie Julie & Julia, but you would be wrong. While parts of this book and information from Julia Child's writings were used to create that movie, this book goes far deeper than that. With more in depth stories, and a slightly humorous undertone, Julie Powell is a tremendous writer. She is completely open, swearing and yelling almost as if you think she is in the room with you - this book made me want to read her blog, even though it has been years since it was created. Reading both this book and her blog (or at least where I am on that thus far) has made me want to learn to cook and maybe even try out some recipes from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Either way, if you enjoy food (in any capacity), humor, real-life stories, and a book that you won't want to put down, then this is the book for you - A+. <br /><br />I am actually picking up a book from the Library today and received another one in the mail, so stay tuned for some more great books...<br /><br />Peace and Love!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-15372304334044937452011-02-10T13:11:00.003-06:002011-02-10T13:20:29.303-06:00It's always about books...It seems that I have used my personal blog only to discuss the books that I have been reading, but I haven't really done any other writing as I thought I would. In the book I am currently reading, there was mention of a man who wrote in his diary every day for nine straight years. Since blogging has become a thing of the present, I would consider myself more of a blogger rather than a diarist, but either way, a writer is still a writer, right? (LOL). I was just thinking about how selective I tend to be when I think about coming online and opening myself up - it's like having a virtual diary that could be read by potentially anyone - or no one at all. I also have a tendency to talk about pointless subjects and ramble on about things that don't matter or make a difference or make sense even. But I always seem to feel a little bit better when I am finished ranting and writing. Plus, it's kind of hilarious to be able to go back and read those entries months or years after they have been written. <br /><br />With all of the above being said, I guess that's a long way of contemplating and saying that I am going to try and write on my blog (in my blog) as much as I can - hopefully every day. Now, I should offer a disclaimer: I am probably not that interesting, so don't expect fireworks or anything spectacular every day. I want to be able to interact and learn more about me, about those who read my stuff, about everything. So feel free to comment, question, suggest, etc. Hopefully, I'll be able to experience something refreshing from this experience. <br /><br />Peace and Love!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-64116080104916842912011-02-05T10:13:00.003-06:002011-02-05T10:23:27.632-06:00Books 5 and 6 of 2011So as you can tell, reading has been something that I've been trying to do more of at this point in the year than I did last year. While my migraines are still taking place every day, I try to read at least a couple of chapters of whatever book I am reading at the time. I recently finished two books by the amazing author Mary Higgins Clark. If you haven't heard of her, she writes suspense novels - novels which I have a hard time putting down once I start to read them. "Nighttime Is My Time" is a book that takes place during the weekend of a 20th class reunion, in which five classmates who sat together at lunch during high school had all died within those 20 years. I felt like I was kind of playing the game of clue with this one - trying to figure out who did what throughout the book. It was beautifully written and her intensity to be able to capture the reader and bring them into the story is genius. <br /><br />"Just Take My Heart" takes place mostly in a courtroom as a man is tried for the murder of his wife. But he is not the only person being accused of murder. While the prosecutor of the case is the protagonist of the story, she becomes such a likable person that you feel like she could be one of your friends. While she struggles with a couple of intense feelings throughout the novel, you can tell that her instincts are what she follows most. When she finds out the secret identity of a neighbor, her life completely changes. <br /><br />Both of these books are excellent reads - both get an A+ from me. I am going to try and read all of Mary Higgins Clark's books (which is at least 20-30 I believe) before delving into her daughter's books. That's right - her daughter Carol Higgins Clark is a suspense novelist as well. I can't wait to see what continues to unfold in the books that follow. Books like this make me remember why reading is one of the greatest hobbies of all time. <br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-3665138198904196692011-01-22T17:26:00.002-06:002011-01-22T17:36:18.266-06:00Book 4 of 2011I've been horrible at writing on my blog thus far this year - I tend to forget that it is something that I am striving to do more of. I just finished reading "No Wonder They Call Him the Savior" by Max Lucado. This book focuses more on the great things that Christ did near the time of his crucifixion on the cross. It was great to see that someone was willing to forgive a man who had probably spent his entire life defying rules and engaging in thievery. People seemed to only understand who Christ was when he was nearing his death. It was a great book - another A+ from me. <br /><br />As for what else is going on, my migraines are continuing to be a problem - they are continuing to be consistent, but I am trying to be optimistic about my next appointment with my neurologist coming up. As for other news, it's been extremely cold here in my neck of the woods for about the last week - right now, it's 3 degrees F out with a wind chill of -12 degrees F. Pretty darn cold. I've been doing alright with my goal for living healthier. Not doing as much exercise as I should be, as I have been slacking off for the last three days, but Monday starts another week of exercise so I've got another chance to get back in it. Food tracking has been going well - in fact, if anyone is looking for a healthy living website, or a community filled with people trying to lose weight, check out sparkpeople.com. This website is phenomenal. It doesn't cost a thing to sign up and there are tons of message boards and profiles of people who are trying to live healthier and lose weight - they offer inspiration and motivation and the whole community of people just tries to encourage and help other stay on track - this is especially helpful for someone like me who doesn't have anyone here working on this with me. Make sure you check it out. <br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-57929756694555287002011-01-16T13:30:00.003-06:002011-01-16T13:37:35.514-06:00Book 3 of 2011A couple of days ago I finished another Max Lucado book (I only have one more to read for now) called "Six Hours One Friday". It is another book focusing on the crucifixion of Jesus and offered interesting images of people asking for his forgiveness as they prepared for death (one of the thieves next to him on another cross) and offered some great images of what the atmosphere and sky were like as death drew upon them. It was almost frightening at time, but made it all the more real. It was yet another great book - definitely an A+. <br /><br />On another note, I have recently signed up on a site called Sparkpeople.com. This seems to be a healthy living site where there are tons of people in a community sharing their goals of getting healthy. You can use their nutritional tool to track your foods and they take care of figuring out how much you should eat based on your age, weight, ideal weight, height, etc. You can also set your fitness goals, using their strengthening exercises plan or using your own and tracking your cardio workouts. It has been a great first week for me and I hope that things keep going in a positive direction. Although the migraines have not decreased any, and have actually gotten a tiny bit worse this last week (maybe based on the exercise that I haven't done in a long time), I am hoping that losing the weight will help me get rid of them. <br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-10884502531611427402011-01-11T14:28:00.002-06:002011-01-11T14:42:31.409-06:00Book 2 of 2011Wow -- can you believe it? I have already finished my second book of the year! You may be thinking that compared to last year, this doesn't seem possible. But this is about the normal speed with which I read, provided I don't have a horrible migraine. At this rate, I am confident that I can achieve my goal of reading 75 books this year. <br /><br />I recently finished yet another Max Lucado book entitled "And the Angels Were Silent". At first, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this book, considering the entire subject of the book is looking at the last week of Jesus' life. What I found was a better understand of everything that took place, from coming into Jerusalem on what we celebrate as Palm Sunday, to kicking people out of them temple on Monday and Tuesday, to the Last Supper celebrated on Thursday, where Jesus (of all people) washed the feet of his disciples, including the one that he knew would betray him, to Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, to Judas' betrayal in the Garden, Jesus' meeting with Pilate, and his walk to Calvary. This book was just incredible. I think my favorite chapter in this book was Chapter 26, when Max describes a trip he took to Jerusalem. He followed in Christ's footsteps in what were his final steps -- through the narrow, crowded streets of the Via Dolorosa. Where he gave his life on the cross now stands a church, a cathedral. In the church, there is a gold plated hole that is believed to have been where his cross was raised. At the suspected place of the tomb, a priest is guarding the entrance and the inside looks ornate. Luckily, Joe (the guide that Max was with) happened to know of a place within the cathedral that was more intimate and more real. It was a small (no more than 4 feet long and wide), plain, dusty, musty, rock tomb. As Max entered the tomb, Joe said something close to this: "Wouldn't it be ironic if this was the tomb where our Lord was buried?" Max sat in silence, and the idea that he could have actually be in the real tomb gave me goosebumps. It gave me a more real sense of what God did for us - what he sacrificed for us. <br /><br />This book was phenomenal and I highly recommend it to EVERYONE! It gets an A+ in my book :)<br /><br />Keep on reading, learning, and enjoying life. Don't forget that even when you feel like you are alone, you NEVER are alone. God is always with you. <br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1388727463965708386.post-5200452569082267842011-01-07T09:20:00.002-06:002011-01-07T09:26:01.239-06:00Book 1 of 2011Yay! So I have already started on my New Year's resolutions by finishing my first book of 2011. I recently finished reading a wonderful book called "Just Like Jesus" by Max Lucado. If you follow my blog, you know that I have read a few of his books before (he has A LOT)and he just keeps on inspiring me through every book that he writes. This book doesn't need much of an explanation, as the title does a great job of describing it. But one thing that I loved about this book was that it compared the ways that Jesus was like us on Earth and how we can honor him and strive to be like him while we are here. I loved that there was a chapter on how we should spend time with him daily in prayer and reading his Word. It was incredibly comforting. I would definitely give this book an A+ for being a great book to turn to in order to learn to be like Jesus. <br /><br />I highly recommend that when you read an inspiring book (or really any book for that matter), keep a notebook near you. You may come across some interesting quotes (as I so often do) that will strike you as something you want to remember. It's a great way to not only learn something from what you are reading, but something that can take you back to what you were reading when you read that quote. <br /><br />More books to come!!<br /><br />Peace and LoveErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17742014723282878253noreply@blogger.com0