An Object of Beauty

Bob gave me the book, An Object of Beauty, for Christmas (Actually, Book-Eve- December 23).

It's an interesting book about the last 15 years in the Art World, specifically in NYC. It's cleverly written and is obviously well researched. The best part of the book is that when a painting is described in the story, there is a full color picture printed on that page with it. So the reader gets a vivid description and gets to see it for himself.

The plot was strong, but the character development was marginal. The formatting and all the things I learned about art made up for the fact that I didn't feel strongly one way or another about any of the characters.

Another compelling read by Steve Martin, renaissance man. I mean really- is there ANYTHING this man can't do? (I might have a slight crush on the guy).

Four out of Five Stars

Top Ten

I was thinking about the thinking I'll be doing tomorrow... for my "official goals" for 2011, and I started to mull over 2010.

You could make a top ten list for just about anything, and I wanted to see what friends remember from the year.

I'd love to hear your pics, in any category you want. (And they don't really have to be ten, they could be two).

*Obviously my friends and family are more important and more enjoyable than anything on this list, that goes without saying. So AFTER my family and friends...

Top Ten Books Read In 2010:

1.The Help

2. South of Broad

3. The Speed of Light

4. People of the Book

*Okay, those are only 5. But those were the BEST 5 of the bunch this year* 5 Stars to each of them.

Top Ten Everyday Pleasures (That don't break the bank):

1. Writing a chapter in my novel- a chapter I feel great about.

2. Reading an excellent book.

3. Finishing an excruciating run.

4. Enjoying a seemingly effortless run.

5. A date with Margot at the Bread Peddler on a Saturday afternoon.

6. Playing backgammon with Bob every night at dinner.

7. An excellent glass of Merlot.

8. Clean sheets.

9. Skyping with my parents and Bob's parents

10. Walking around Olympia, especially in the Farmer's Market with a cup of Batdorf and Bronson coffee. -It's heaven, I'm telling you!

Top Ten Happy Memories from 2010:

1. Bob returning home from Iraq.

2. Margot's first... smile, crawling, walking, teeth, etc. They're all great.

3. Bev's wedding. It was lovely and fun, and an amazing opportunity to see my dear friends from college who I miss SO MUCH!

4. Margot's Christening, with all of our families there.

5. Margot's first birthday (with friends and family attending).

6. Running two half marathons and a full marathon. It was incredibly empowering after having a baby.

7. My cousin Hana's visit out to Washington. It was very cool to play tourist and have late chats into the night.

8. The first week or so when the idea of writing a novel occurred to me. (It's been great since then as well, but that was magical for the first little while).

9. Any time I spend with my friend Annette. She's grounded and nurturing. She's a great book critic/ editor/ sounding board.

10. The day I realized I weighed less after the baby was born, than before. (In Birmingham, on Bev's scale. She saw me go berserk with happiness. It's shallow and stupid, I know. But it felt like a victory to me!)

It's been a fantastic year. Tough, but still positive.

I'm really looking forward to next year... I'm sure it will be outstanding as well.

How do you work this thing?

I'm writing my first book, and let me tell you... it's a roller coaster of an experience.

Some days when I sit down to write, I feel enthused. (Someone call the Pulitzer board. I'm on to something here!)

Other days, I'm hopeless. Who wants to read this load of ...?

Either way, I sit down almost every day to write. I started this process about a month ago, and I think I've taken three days off total. I just finished writing chapter 11, and am somewhere around page 75 (give or take the editing I do from day to day).

But the thing is this: I don't know how you're "supposed" to write a book. I just know what seems to be working for me. I turn out all the lights in the office, close the blinds, and pull the (huge) monitor of the Mac right up to the edge of the desk... and begin to write. -With my noise cancelling head phones on... usually Muse or Red Hot Chili Peppers or Over the Rhein on iTunes playing.

I'm my novel's first reader (as Stephen King points out), and I'm excited to see where it's going to go. I just wish I could get past this business of feeling like a flunkie. Don't all writers start somewhere?

I sort have adapted the Powerball adage which is something like "Somebody's got to [write, be published, be an author, etc.]. Why not you?"

Why not, indeed!

Fall Favorites

Man I love fall! Every year, starting back in college with Bev, I've celebrated some version of "Fall Day." When the stars are aligned, Fall Day actually coincides with the autumn equinox. But usually it doesn't.

In our little town house in college, Bev and I would make a batch of Wassal (hot spiced cider) and banana bread. I'm thinking of one year I was a Big Sister, and my Little Sister was not impressed with our efforts to celebrate pumpkins and the like. Remember that, Bev? I think she just wanted to go to the mall or something lame like that. Oh well.

Last year I celebrated fall with little, tiny Margot and Bob's parents who were in Washington to visit.

But this year, it was wonderful to have my little family back together again. We've actually celebrated Fall Day a couple of times this year! We went to the apple orchard one weekend, and the pumpkin patch another.

Who knows what kind of autumnal activities I'll find for my family to do together this weekend? Stay tuned...

Corn Maze 2010

Free picture slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Today we met our friend, Kim, and her boys (and their friends) for a tour through a corn maze. Despite growing up in Indiana, I'd never been to one before, and it was a lot of fun.

I admit, I gave zero input on which direction we should turn at any given point. Bob was all over the map reading, and he ensured we reached our destinations in a timely manner.

Poor Margot was not a huge fan. We went right after mass, and she was ready for a nap, but she gamely hung in there for an hour and a half or so.

All in all, it was a great Sunday fall activity for the whole family.

It's Tricky

Run DMC had it right: It's Tricky. I'm home today with Margot who has had some degree of intestinal issues for the last four days or so. Yesterday her school called and asked her not to come in today. -I certainly felt chastised! (In my defense, she hasn't run a fever, hasn't been grouchy, and the dirty diapers aren't soupy). So I went on the assumption that no fever meant she wasn't contagious. -But I've been wrong before, so I made a pediatrician appointment for this afternoon.

But the REALLY tricky part is this: Of course I love my baby more than life itself, but I have really important things to do at work. I NEED to be there, and things don't go well when I'm not there. And why is it that the mom stays home from work? Why is her career less important than the dad's? Moms out there, if your husband stays home with the sick kids- then I'd love to know about it.

But especially in the Army, for some reason- the wife is the mommy is the stay at home nurse. It chaps my ass and insults my equality as a woman. And to add salt to the wound, when Bob is asked what he does at work during the day, he ALWAYS says, "Oh, not much. I went to some meetings and did some other stuff. Not a big deal." That's fine. But I DO have big deals I should be working on right now!

But while I'm home, I'm making the best of my womanly stereotype- so if you'll excuse me, I have pumpkin bread to bake, laundry to fold and put away, and toilets that won't clean themselves.

Hello, Old Friend

Well, it's been about forever since I've posted anything remotely current. So here goes:

1. Bob is home and life is pretty normal. The school year has begun, and let me just say: I'm loving this school year. My kids are wonderful, and I'm not starting the school year three months late (like last year's maternity leave), so I don't feel completely behind the 8 Ball.
2. I'm training for my next marathon: Portland (10-10-10). Oh man, not even ready for this. Sunday morning, I was lying in bed at 5:00 am, listening to the rain POUR (as it is prone to do in the Pacific Northwest). And I did some running soul searching. I've come to this realization: I'm not enjoying running this distance anymore. I feel guilty for leaving Bob and Margot for four hours at a time. And when I'm out there, I just feel like it's something I HAVE to do, rather than GET to do. I like shorter runs: 5,6,10 mile runs. They're much more enjoyable. So I'm going to hash out this run in 12 days (and hurt like hell for a few days afterward)... and then get back to the running I love. This might not be my last marathon ever, but it's the last one for a while.
3. I've GOT to start calling my friends. When your husband comes home you get a little time hibernate and not be extremely social. But, I fear, I've over-hibernated. Friends (and cousins) have called, and called some more. And have I called back? Ummmm, no; not really. "I'm busy..." But aren't we all? It's time to get back to being a better friend. After all, one of the most rewarding parts of my life is my network of friends all over the world. It's about time I start acting like I care about these people (because I do!)
4. Also, it's time to start reading more. I'm about 3/4 through Catcher In The Rye, and boy am I HATING it. When can you cut your losses and read something you enjoy? Maybe I'll read a chapter a day in the morning until I'm done with it. But I'll read what I want in the evening. I can't risk being labeled in my own mind as a quitter (on account of quitting marathon running AND Catcher In the Rye.
5. Margot is amazing, and Bob is the most fantastic daddy-o you've ever met. I'm blessed enough to quibble over reading and running. I mean -really- my life is pretty smooth sailing at the moment. (Which is long overdue after last year's deployment with a newborn). So I do believe it's time to pour a glass of red wine and crack open a new book: Ape House (by the author of Water For Elephants- which I adored).

~Salut~

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

My book group is reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo this month, and I had heard interesting reviews about the book (okay, review- singular. From Beth Boswell's blog). The story is about an unsolved mystery in Sweden, and the two unlikely people who are called upon to solve it: a journalist and a skinny, troubled hacker.

The first 200 pages really dragged on, I thought. But then it picked up... in a most disturbing way. There are lots of accounts of sexual abuse throughout the book, and it just felt creepy to me. True, the pages started turning faster around page 300... all the way to the end (pg. 594).

There are two other books about these characters, and I won't be reading them. They're a bit too grisly for my taste. I don't want these images in my head. The author, Stieg Larsson died recently. So three books are all you get, even if you love the story.

Well written- definitely.

Intriguing- certainly.

Creepy- Yessir.

Three stars.

Ready to Run

Last year, I had a list of goals that included all kinds of races at lots of different distances. Then on January 2, I found out I was pregnant. I scratched out all those races, and wrote instead, "Have a healthy baby." It was a good thing I adjusted my mindset, because not a month and a half later I was told I couldn't run anymore until the baby was born. It was causing complications to my pregnancy.

But now Margot is here, and I've been cleared for exercise (except for Ab work, and that will happen at six months).

So I've registered for a couple of races. So far, here's what I've got:

1. The Olympia Half Marathon on May 16th.

2. The Portland Marathon on October 10. (10/10/10)

If you're interested in running in the lovely Pacific Northwest, I'd love to have some company on these races! I'm thinking of throwing the Bolder Boulder in there over the Memorial Day weekend. Anyone up for racing in Colorado?

There is one thing I love about having friends all over the country: I've got racing buddies almost everywhere.

Here's to a great 2010 full of lots of sweat, fast races, and good times.