Carol's Notebook – Page 222

Readers’ Workouts – 1/30

January 30, 2018 by Carol8 Comments

How long til Spring? This week's activities: I like Robin Long's Pilates videos. She posted a new one, Pilates at Your Desk, that I've been trying to do once a day when I'm at work. I spend most (all) of my work day sitting at a desk and it's a nice mini-break. Tuesday - Pilates Wednesday - Pilates Thursday - Elliptical Friday - Walk with the dog Dinners: Tue: Bruschetta pasta Wed: Meatball sandwiches and chips (at church) Thur: Pizza Fri: Sausage, peppers and onions on rolls Sat: Pizza (another birthday celebration for Amber) Sun: Chicken noodle soup Mon: Baked potatoes with broccoli, ham and cheese Goals for January Gym - 4 times (Done: 4) :) Pilates - 12 times (Done: 7) :( 45 pts in the #PlankAwayJanuary Challenge - (Current total: 29) This one was bothering my back at a time when I was playing the piano a lot too, so I kinda quit. Goals for February Gym - 4 times Pilates - 12 times Yoga - 1 28 pts in the #Feburpee Challenge Meal ideas for next week: Chicken fingers "Skinny" eggplant parmesan Shrimp Fried rice Farmers...

24 in 48 Readathon

January 27, 2018January 31, 2018 by Carol4 Comments

I can't resist. I'm joining in on the 24 in 48 Readathon this weekend. I'll be posting updates on Instagram and...

On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder

January 26, 2018January 26, 2018 by Carol2 Comments

My Kindle needed re-charged last night, so even though I really wanted to finish my current read - I'm ready to be done with it, I had to pick up something else. I'd been planning on reading On Tyranny soon, so I grabbed it off my shelf and settled in. It's a quick read, more of an essay than a full-fledged book, but full of good nuggets. Snyder opens the book with “History does not repeat, but it does instruct,” and goes on to give us 20 mini-lessons we can learn from history, most notably from the Hitler, but also from Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, and Putin’s Russia. The warnings and lessons are well-presented, easy to read and understand and they're important. Some quotes I want to share: "Take responsibility for what you communicate with others. (72)" "Since in the age of the internet we are all publishers, each of us bears some private responsibility for the public's sense of truth. If we...

My Favorite . . Biography

January 24, 2018January 24, 2018 by Carol16 Comments

My Favorite.. is a weekly meme hosted by Maureen’s Books. In this meme we share every week something we love with each other. Because let’s face it.. The world can be a dark place and it’s time to share something positive. For more info: My Favorite Meme. Picking my favorite biography is pretty easy. First, I don't read many biographies. Second, there is one that definitely stands out: Ballad of the Whiskey Robber: A True Story of Bank Heists, Ice Hockey, Transylvanian Pelt Smuggling, Moonlighting Detectives, and Broken Hearts by Julian Rubinstein. Elmore Leonard meets Franz Kafka in the wild, improbably true story of the legendary outlaw of Budapest. Attila Ambrus was a gentleman thief, a sort of Cary Grant--if only Grant came from Transylvania and was a terrible professional hockey goalkeeper. During the 1990s, while playing for the biggest hockey team in Budapest, Ambrus took up bank robbery to make ends meet. Arrayed against him was perhaps the most incompetent team...

First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intro

January 23, 2018January 30, 2018 by Carol8 Comments

Every Tuesday Vicki at I'd Rather Be At the Beach hosts First Chapter, First Paragraph, Tuesday Intros, where we share the first paragraph or two of a book we are reading or thinking about reading soon. Mine comes from Andorra Pett and the Oort Cloud Cafe by Richard Dee. "Is that it?" The entrance was in partial darkness, the alleyway behind me dimly lit with flickering tubes. My heels had clicked on the floor as I passed small piles of rubbish and stained brick-effect cladding. The heels didn't really work here but I was out of my depth and struggling to catch up. Same as the clothes, my designer suit was a little out of place in this riot of grey. It was a splash of colour in a drab working world....

Readers’ Workouts – 1/23

January 23, 2018January 25, 2018 by Carol7 Comments

I made my step goal this week! I think that's the first time this year. This week's activities: Tuesday - Pilates Wednesday - Walk with the dog Friday - Walk with the dog Dinners: Tue: Chicken pot pie pasta (from Lose Weight by Eating: Detox Week) Wed: Pizza (at church) Thur: Tacos Fri: Butternut squash soup, mini-pita pizzas Sat: Broasted chicken, noodles, mashed potatoes and pie (at Der Dutchman) Sun: Kielbasa, pierogies Mon: Chicken, rice, and black bean burrito bowl (from Lose Weight by Eating: Detox Week) Goals for January Gym - 4 times (Done: 3) Pilates - 12 times (Done: 5) 45 pts in the #PlankAwayJanuary Challenge - (Current total: 25) Meal ideas for next week: Chicken fingers Sausage and pepper bruschetta "Skinny" eggplant parmesan Spinach pasta with blistered grape tomatoes Loaded baked potatoes 2018 Fitness Goals: - Lose weight. Goal - Lose 25 lbs. - Run 4 races of any length - Hit my weekly step goal (average 8,000 steps/day) for 48 weeks. (Current total: 1) How was your week? Readers’ Workouts is hosted by Joy at Joy’s Book Blog....