To Do: Come Back Stronger
Uninspired, But On The Books
Last night – worn thin and weepy – I thought, I don’t have to go to the gym tomorrow. And then I thought, Yeah, I do. As Henry Rollins said in his essay about lifting, “I believe that when the body is strong, the mind thinks strong thoughts.” So I went to the craptastic gym today for overhead squats and bench press. I wouldn’t have wanted to, like, videotape it or anything, but... read moreTaking My Own Advice
Today, I executed against almost all of my Guidelines For Taking Care of Myself – and I added a new one, thanks to a good friend at work: Think only 2-3 days ahead. That is a big one, people. My planning and scheming skills are legendary. But right now, they’re a bit of a hindrance, so I’m practicing thinking about now. This moment. And how I will take care of myself in this moment. Look at... read moreLearning Is Fun
Crisis mode continues, and I’m feeling and learning things that surprise me at every turn. I suppose I should feel grateful that I can feel so deeply – cry so fiercely, yell so bitterly, laugh so loudly – better than sleep-walking through life, right?! I can’t really share my trouble with you, but I can share some of the things I’m learning as I go through this trying time. Some of... read moreHunting in the Wilds of Kroger
We Will Soon Return To Regularly Scheduled Programming
I’m in the midst of a serious family crisis. Y’all know I’m going to weather it just fine (eventually), but for now, it requires my full attention, so I need to take a short break from updating my blog for a few days. While I’m taking care of the business of life, here a few past blog posts that I thought you might want to re-visit… Sleep of the Righteous, Part 1Sleep of the... read moreMonday. Meh.
I had a kind of a terrible weekend and wasn’t really prepared for the week to start rollin’ again when the alarm went off this morning. But heavy weights beckoned. Who am I to ignore the call? 5X5 deadlift: 135, 145, 155, 155, 1553X5 incline bench press: 85, 85(4), 802X15 back extension (2nd set w/ 10-lb. plate) Observations:1. Recharging one’s batteries is 100% necessary and not... read moreRemembering Bataan
Today is the 68th anniversary of the beginning of the Bataan Death March. My thoughts are out in the desert of New Mexico, remembering our team and the POWs who made our experience so meaningful. Read all of the coverage of our Bataan Memorial Death March experience... read moreMy Hands are Swell
And by “swell,” I mean swellin’ up… I have a line of four tiny blisters on the ring finger of my right hand from this morning’s squat cleans. I will spend the rest of the day: Lancing them with a pin to release the pressure. Pondering what this crazy ‘injury’ says about my squat clean grip. Mmmmm… lancing. May I be the first to say, “Ew.” read more
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Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan • melissa@theclothesmakethegirl.com
The Redbreast: A Harry Hole Novel
I'm about two-thirds of the way through this detective thriller, and I'm hooked. It's set in modern Norway with flashbacks to WWII (catnip for me!) and features a somewhat grim hero that engenders empathy. I can't help pulling for the guy as I watch him struggle with his case and his life. The cast of characters is a realistic but motley crew, and it reminds me of other favorites set in cold, snowy climes: the Millenium Trilogy and Smila's Sense of Snow.
Recently finished...
The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million
I picked up this book after reading an interview with Lee Child (author of the Jack Reacher thrillers). He referred to The Lost as "the book of the century" and since I devour as much as I can about the Holocaust to try to make sense of it all, I decided I needed to read it immediately. Part memoir, part detective tale, this book was thoroughly engrossing. It's intelligent, annoying, moving, frustrating, and ultimately, rewarding and beautifully written. It challenged me in ways I didn't expect, and I was sad when it was finished.
