Whew this month gave me a lot of options in book reading! Perfect thing to do on these cold dark winter nights. Here is the lowdown on what to read and what to skip:
The Primal Connection : Follow your Genetic Blueprint to Heath and Happiness by Mark Sisson
This was the much awaited follow-up to the Primal Blueprint. Of course, I am biased when it comes to Mark Sisson. I read his blog Mark's Daily Apple and pretty much own all of his books. He is my favorite writer in the paleo/primal community. So gush gush. Check out his blog and then buys his books!
Verdict: Highly Recommend. This is the only book I actually bought this month.
The Dressmaker: A Novel by Kate Alcott
I liked this book, but glancing over the reviews, I might be the only one? Apparently, it is full of historical inaccuracies of the sinking of the Titanic. Fortunately for me, my knowledge about that event is pretty much limited to Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCarpio 1997 movie version. The story is as light or as heavy as you want it to be. It is about a young woman,who longs to be a fashion designer. Of course, she is also pursued by two men and must figure out who she loves more. Yawn. What I found interesting, is it tells the story of the survivors- how they were put in the media spotlight and judged for not going down with the ship. It explores the social notions of "what makes a hero?"
Verdict: I borrowed this an eBook from the library, so it was free. Would I have paid for it? Yes, if I was going to be on a plane or stuck in jury duty all day.
The Case for God by Karen Armstrong
I only made it about a third of the way through this book and I couldn't even continue to skim it. It is laden with detail and historical facts. For me, the details buried the interesting question about religion's place in society through out the ages. It is written a step or two down from an academic paper. In fact, if you told me this was adapted from the author's thesis paper, I would totally believe you.
Verdict: If you love detail, you will love this book.
Paleo Slow Cooker Recipes by Tracey Daniels
This was a free down load from Amazon and I might have just paid for it too! I haven't yet made any of the recipes, but they look good! I love cooking in a crockpot and the author has recipes for everything: soups, sides, snacks, desserts, etc.
Verdict: I am thinking yum.
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
This book got very good reviews. The story is well written and it kept me interested, but the ending led me nowhere, except that living in North Korea sucks (and I kinda knew that already). I get that it is a bold move to write about North Korea in such a unflattering narrative. However, I found the story disturbing and depressing. I felt sorry for everyone, even the "bad" guys.
Verdict: If you are deadset on reading a downer- go for it!
Write Good or Die: Survival Tips for the 21st Century by Scott Nicholson
I had a brief moment this month, when I flirted with a career as a writer. This book is a collection of essays written by various authors about writing and publishing a novel. I found it quite inspiring not just for writing, but for life- if you love something go after it! I like that the essays were short, so anytime I had and extra 5 minutes, I would read one.
Verdict: If you think you might want to be a writer, this provides insight about the all the things you will need to think about. The devil is in the details.
Catherine The Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
The author does a good job fashioning facts into a narrative, but I just couldn't get into it. This is a loooong book, so make sure you have time and patience. This story makes being a princess and queen sound not fun!
Verdict: Meh, but better than the history book version of Catherine the Great.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
I don’t think I can ever get tired of bacon-wrapped dates. They are so delicious- the sweet and salty layers! They are also very simple to make:
Lay bacon on baking sheet and put in oven at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Let bacon cool.
Wrap pitted dates in bacon and skewer together.
Bake another 10 minutes until bacon crisps.
I love these for breakfast or as a compliment to soup. If I have a couple let over, they make a perfect snack. Bacon makes everything better J
Thursday, January 17, 2013
A Mojo Renaissance
14 Years Ago….
I left my home in Hawaii and flew over 2,000 miles of ocean to start a new adventure in California.
I was fearlessly optimistic. I wasn’t afraid. People always ask me that? I was so young and inexperienced I had no idea what there was to fear or worry about?
My biggest concern was getting a job? That’s right, I moved without having any idea how I was going to make a living. I needed a job, so I knew I would find one.
My second biggest problem was keeping warm. I went from 80 degree Hawaii weather to California in January- Brrrr! Someone had to explain to me I needed to turn the heater in my apartment on and I figured out how to dress in layers by accident. Bottom line: I didn’t freeze to death, I adapted.
I called home once a week on land line phone. I was behind the curve on cell phones and the internet, but that didn’t stop me from keeping in touch with friends and family.
I had no car. I still got to everywhere I needed to go. I walked, biked or caught the bus.
I made a risky choice, but it was the right choice. I had that spark to make things happen, against very unrealistic odds.
If I could go back and tell myself one thing it would be “thank you” for having the courage to leap. Reflecting on this has inspired me; reminded me of what I am capable of. Over the years, convention has crept into every part of my life and I started living in “limits” rather than “possibilities.” It is time to set a revival in motion. I have no idea what this actually means…yet. Let the Rani Renaissance unfold.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Resolution: Better than Yesterday
This past weekend I did a Resolution 5k Run. At the end of the race, you got to write down a resolution and it will be mailled to you in July so you can access your progress. My resolution: Work towards doing an unassisted pull-up. I would have loved to written: Do a pull-up but, according to the research, woman can’t do pull-ups.
In a recent study, researchers at the University of Dayton put 17 women through a training program to increase strength in those magical pull-ups muscles. After three months, only 4 of the woman could do a pull-up. Researcher were very surprised, but came up with several reasons pull-ups elude woman:
*Lower testosterone means woman develop less muscle then men
*Woman typically have higher levels of body fat
*Also if you are taller or have long arms (this applies to men too), you are at a disadvantage
I have being trying to do a pull-up for over a year now, so reading this article should make me rejoice. It’s not failure, it’s biology! But the fact is, I see evidence that doesn’t support this every day at CrossFit. Most women, I know, can do pull-ups! And every trainer at my box fully believes that I can too. Finally, this article gives me an out…but I don’t want an out, I want a pull-up.
An unassisted pull-up was a 2012 goal that was not fulfilled (I even asked Santa for a pull-up). Focusing on doing a pull-up brought me endless frustration and no real progress was ever made. So this year, I am changing tactics. My goal isn’t a pull-up. It is to work towards being able to do a pull-up. I am shifting the focus to the process rather than the result.
A trainer gave me two things to work on: doing strict pull-ups with bans to build my pull-up muscles and strengthen my wrists/grip with some dumbbell exercises. I also found the tips in this video helpful :
Will I get a pull-up in 2013? I honestly don’t know, but I am sure as hell going to reach my goal of trying!
“Why Woman Can’t Do Pull-ups” article link:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Resolution: To Be a Kinder Cat
Have you seen this YouTube clip: Cat-Friend vs Dog-Friend:
The first time I saw it I thought, why would anyone want to own a cat? It was amusing enough, so I watched it a couple more times and started seeing people as either cat-types or dog types. Then I realized…I am a cat.
Obviously, dogs are so much easier and pleasant to be around! Even I own a dog and not a cat! Why would anyone want to be my friend? I want/need to be less of a cat to the people I care about.
I thought about trying to be more like a dog: friendly, eager-to-please and loving. As I cat, I can see how those qualities are desirable. But being a cat, I can’t be a dog. At best I can be a kinder cat: less aloof, more welcoming and making an effort to do nice things for others.
So I am making a conscious effort this year BE KIND to others.
Meow….
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