Tag: challenges

A-Z Challenge Completed

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I finished another challenge!  The challenge was to read 2 books for each letter – one for the title and on for the author.  So, 52 books later I can cross it off my list of challenges.

I liked the fact that I had to find books that I never would have looked at before.   I started on one shelf at the library and read the first book that had a title that started with K (Killer Mousse by Melinda Wells) and loved it.  I also used the library to find an author for X and discovered the sweet gem, Sky Burial by Xinran.  And I never would have considered The Xibalba Murders by Lyn Hamilton without the need for an X title.  If you are titling your book, consider starting it with an X!

You can find the list of books I read for this challenge here.

 This was fun and I hope to do it again next year.  Thanks for hosting it, Becky!

Why I joined the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge

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In May I finally decided to do something about all the weight I’d gained over the last several years (I blame it on the Cleveland winters), so signed up with Weight Watchers online.  You count points and weigh in every week in the privacy of your own home and they chart your weight loss.  Since then I’ve lost 23 pounds, which is only a pound from where I wanted to be by the end of the year (My goal was to take off the last 10 pounds next year) .  I lost the weight simply by eating less and making better food choices and I did it without exercise.  I know I should be exercising for my health and now that I’ve successfully changed my eating habits I need to do something about the exercise.  So, here I am joining the challenge.

The goal is to travel 100 miles by December 31st.  There are weekly mileage updates that will keep us honest.  Unfortunately, I  only logged 3 miles this week, but maybe I can get some walking done on the treadmill while I’m watching football this afternoon.

I’m not going to doing weekly updates here, but wanted to share my new challenge with you.  Would you like to participate?  Visit 100 Mile Fitness Challenge and sign up!

Southern Reading Challenge Completed

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I finished my first reading challenge!  Woo hoo!  I joined the Southern Reading Challenge hosted by Maggie after I realized that I didn’t read many books set in the south.   We had three months to read 3 books and I did it in 2.  (I’m only bragging about this because I have 3 other challenges that have patiently been waiting for some attention ) 

My favorite of the 3 was the non-fiction Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil by John Berendt.  It was set in Savannah, Georgia and it was absolutely fabulous!  This went on my all-time favorite list and I envision a trip to Savannah soon!  4 1/2 stars

I also really loved When Venus Fell by Deborah Smith, a romantic family drama set in the Tennessee valley.  I loved the spunky heroine and the loving, inclusive family that was willing to take in two sisters as their own.  4 stars

I read Sights Unseen by Kaye Gibbons and thought it was good.  It takes place in North Carolina and chronicles a young girl childhood as her mother is treated for mental illness. 3 1/2 stars

I want to thank Maggie for hosting this great challenge.  I had fun and look forward to next year 🙂

Southern Reading Challenge

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Maggie is hosting this challenge for the third time, although I’m a first-timer.

I have from May 15th (I’m late, of course!) to August 15th to read three books set in the south.  I’ve always lived up north, but am charmed by the stories set  in the south, so I’ve looked at my shelves and chosen three that fit the challenge.  I suppose I could change my choices later, but I’m starting with these…

Sights Unseen by Kaye Gibbons – set in North Carolina

Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil by John Berendt – set in Savannah

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt – set in Mississippi

Now all I have to do is get reading!

2009 Book Challenge

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readown3I’ve decided to participate in my first reading challenge.  This one is right up my alley and it should help me clear off my shelves.  The challenge is to read books already on my shelf.  If you haven’t seen how many that is for me, check this out. 

I perused the hundreds of titles on my shelves and chose these 50 that I’m committed to reading in 2009.  I know I will read more than that, but these are titles that have been on my shelves awhile and I need to get them read! 

I know it’s early, but these are the 50 I’ve chosen…

1. A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving

2. Angels & Demons by Dan Brown

3. Second Nature by Alice Hoffman

4. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

5. The Pigman by Paul Zindel

6. Skinny Legs & All by Tom Robbins

7. The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

8. The Man Who Ate the 747 by Ben Sherwood

9. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

10. Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

11. Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophi Kinsella

12. The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve

13. The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver

14. Naked Came the Matinee by Hiaasen et al.

15. Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

16. Summer’s Child by Luanne Rice

17. The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks

18. Mercy by Jodi Picoult

19. The Tenth Justice by Brad Meltzer

20. An Invisible Sign of My Own by Aimee Bender

21. Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts

22. Joy School by Elizabeth Berg

23. Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

24. Damage by Josephine Hart

25. Wacky Chicks by Simon Doonan

26.. The Rival by Brenda Joyce

27. Deep Shaker by Les Roberts

28. Small Town Girl by Lavyrle Spencer

29. Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

30. The Angel by Carla Neggers

31. Summer in the City by Robyn Sisman

32. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

33. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

34. Watchers by Dean Koontz

35. Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz

36. The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer

37. The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

38. Bump & Run by Mike Lupica

39. Billy Budd by Herman Melville

40. Chocolat by Joanne Harris

41. Murder by the Glass by Michele Scott

42. The Stone Monkey by Jeffrey Deaver

43. The Time Machine by HG Wells

44. The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

45. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

46. Red Light by T. Jefferson Parker

47. Dead Sleep by Greg Iles

48. On the Occasion of My Last Afternoon by Kaye Gibbons

49. Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

50. The Thieves of Faith by Richard Doetsch

(Yes, I’ve doubled my original goal.  I looked at my shelves and decided I needed to do it.)