What would you do if you weren't afraid to do it?

What would you do if you weren't afraid to do it?  Would you publish a book?  Open a restaurant?  Produce a movie?  Cure a disease?  Invent something?  Did you ever set a goal that seemed like maybe you were reaching a little too high but you couldn't help yourself, you decided to reach anyway?

I did.  I do.  And I did it.  I reached.

I'd like to invite you to come along with me as I embark on my next adventure that combines 2 of my passions: reading books and talking with friends.  I'd like to invite you to listen to my podcast.

That's right, podcast.  Debbie and I have a podcast.  If you are a podcast virgin let me give you a little more information: podcasts are audio or video blogs.  Debbie and I decided to create an audio podcast where we will review books, blogs, authors, basically anything written down.  Our inaugral podcast is now live and can be found on our blog http://www.undercoverwithdebandbeth.blogspot.com/ or downloaded from iTunes.  Just type deb and beth in the search bar.

In our first podcast we review the Stephanie Plum series written by Janet Evanovich.  For our next podcast we're planning to discuss the combined works from author Stacey Ballis.  Our style is casual, the audio mix a bit amateur, the intro music probably a little dated, yet I am so proud of the overall product that I am just about bursting.  I'd love to have you listen along.  Download the podcast (it's free) and even better subscribe so you get our regular updates.

And while you're listening to us, think about your dream.  And then reach.

General Housekeeping

Summer has been good to me thus far: I have taken a fantastic trip to Ohio and back, I have gone to a new-to-me beach in York, Maine, I have had many wonderful meals shared with family and friends, I have played a lot, worked a lot, and most importantly, laughed a lot.

Here are some general housekeeping updates.

1.  American Express came through for us by refunding the $169 we requested due to unauthorized charges dating back to 2007.  Good job American Express, now how about we don't do that again, eh?

2.  TMPP continues though very slowly.  Massive heat waves followed by rain, followed by more massive heat waves defnitely have slowed the process.  I thought we'd be on the finishing touches by now, but then I am an unfailing optimist who is also blessed with an ability to underestimate the scope of any project while vastly overestimating my ability to get said project completed.  It's a gift.

Having said that we are at another decision making point in the project.  We are considering replacing the shutters (don't worry, I'll donate my old shutters to a recycle center like Habitat for Humanity) that were on the house previously.  They are dark green louver style shutters.  We are thinking about black raised panel style shutters.  Care to cast your vote for a style?  We know the color will be black, the style is still up for debate.

We currently have this style

We are thinking of putting on this style.  In black.

3.  Just a teaser: Debbie and I are hatching a new blogging project together that will be like music to your ears...

Debbie and I hope to launch 'Project X' at the end of July...

4.  I have been reading, reading, reading.  Long days spent on the beach (I know, my life, right??) have yielded plenty of reading time and I besides I have been doing research for my new blogging project...

5.  Always in search of something new to drink that is water, but not just water, I have found that mixing carbonated water with any fruit juice is just about the most refreshing thing on the planet.  My friend Chellie gave me the idea and I have taken it and run.  Add crushed ice and enjoy.

6.  While contemplating my neverending exterior paint project from inside my house because of the rain I have decided upon a new color for the interior of my home: Benjamin Moore's Rainforest Dew will be adorning my walls this fall, stay tuned for photos.

Don't let this neutral fool you, it's not gray, not green, not beige...I think it's going to pop!

Whew, getting all of that housekeeping out of the way feels great.  Now I can go back to enjoying my summer.    I hope you are having a great summer too!

Can reading make you healthier?

Read to improve your health

Have I mentioned recently how much I love books?  I love bookstores, libraries, and the book table at the warehouse club.  So I started wondering: is there any correlation between loving books and health?  I researched online and found that YES, loving to read can make you healthier.

It all stems from the balance of those stress hormones I talked about in my last post.  People who love to read can reduce their stress at will simply by choosing their reading material wisely.  Unlike people who unwind by watching TV where you are bombarded with images, advertising, and carefully targeted social messages, people who read for pleasure have more control over the amount of stimulus they are receiving because they are better able to control their involvement in the story.  It doesn't appear to matter what you are reading either.  Fiction, fine literature, non-fiction, scientific journals, smut novels, whatever you like as long as you enjoy it.

A picture is worth a thousand words, right?   Images, once seen, can be very powerful and produce an instant and lasting stress response in the body: increased heart rate, increased adrenaline, and increased cortisol.  However images, once imagined, can be controlled, edited, and don't ellicit the same stress response in the body.  It's less stressful to read something scary than to see something scary.

Research is also showing that people who read for pleasure tend to read more in general: they read more food labels, they research questions online, they feel more comfortable questioning 'facts' and more confident in their ability to discern what is right for them as opposed to following a trend.

Lower blood pressure, higher IQ, better quality sleep, better concentration, more confidence, and better judgement.  All because I love to read!  If that isn't a healthy habit, I don't know what is.

Read any good books lately?  I love to hear what other people are reading.  I have just finished re-reading all of Jen Lancaster's autobiographies in anticipation of Pretty in Plaid coming out in paperback this week!

No need to get the police involved ma'am, it was just a question

There are some stereotypes that exist about the friendliness of people who live in different parts of our country.  East Coast people allegedly would cut you rather than say hello; Midwestern folks are portrayed as friendly and open; Southern hospitality is legendary; and the dudes on the West Coast are rumored to live and let live (so long as you don't live off the West Coast, that is).

I live on the East Coast. 

But I was raised in the Midwest.

I think absolutely nothing of striking up conversations with people I meet in public.  We're all here sharing some planetary space, right?  Don't you want to discuss with me the merits of the book you just selected versus the one I'm holding?   Why wouldn't you want to share with me how well you like the one-pump-sugar-free-caramel in your chai latte versus the plain old latte?  And aren't we all annoyed in line at the post office?  Shouldn't we be bonding, as a species, over these shared experiences?

Maybe not so much on the East Coast.  Recently I was in Michaels craft store.  I was in the yarn aisle.  A woman who looked to be about my age was in the yarn aisle.  We are standing no more than 18 inches apart.  I am breathing her exhaled molecules, for goodness sake.  So when I ask her, quite pleasantly with my slight Midwestern twang that should communicate friendliness and openness, if she knits or crochets, should she abruptly turn and glare at me as if I'd just asked her for a tampon?  No she should not!  And was it necessary for her to hiss "My son has a project!" and then run from the aisle?  Again, no it was not!  I'm not a stalker.  I'm not even (that) weird looking.  (And since we're now discussing my looks I should really mention that new-stylist Lisa outdid herself on my latest cut and it is super cute, not stalker crazy). 

I frequently hear people, well mostly me, complain about how hard it is to meet and make friends as an adult.  No wonder ladies!  If you are guilty of the glare-and-run when a stranger with nice hair asks a simple friendly question then you have no one to blame but yourself if you outlive your spouse and are a lonely old cat lady (no offense to my sister-in-law who now has..5..maybe 7..cats).

As for me, I'll be hanging out in the yarn aisle at Michaels.  Perusing the book selection at BJs.  Sifting through picture frames at Target.  Reading the recipe cards at the end of the meat aisle at Hannafords.  Say hi, I promise not to run.  You can even borrow a tampon.

Things are bad and It's Deb and Chellie's fault

My house is in chaos. I have mostly taken down the Christmas decorations (though there is one big box in the living room that is too heavy for me to carry...hint hint Steve) and a few miscellaneous items that I forgot about when I did the major taking down. My laundry still needs to be folded. My bathroom still needs to be cleaned. My bed is unmade.

Basically my chores aren't done.

Hey, don't blame me, blame Deb and Chellie. You see I do my chores while talking on the phone. Housework is boring and lonely so I depend on my girls to get me through. Frankly they haven't been holding up their end of the deal lately, citing things like work, studying, work, hair appointments, and work as excuses to not distract me from the drudgery, the work, the sheer annoyingness of making the dirty clean over and over again.

Usually when Deb or Chellie are not available I listen to my iPod or a book on CD. However, it is Deb's fault that I can't listen to a book on CD because she got me into this Jen Lancaster fixation and my local library didn't have any Jen on CD and I can't contaminate Jen's musings with another author, now can I? It's Chellie's fault I can't listen to my iPod because after years of listening to Chellie's devotion to the Bare Naked Ladies (and other adult bands) I actually listened to them and now I'm finding my musical tastes are perhaps moving beyond Wham!, Madonna, and the soundtrack to the Lion King so my iPod songs don't really feel like a fit right now. (Though I am still preeeetty happy with Abba selection).

If nothing else is available I will sometimes (in desperation) entertain myself by creating blog posts in my head while doing the mindless task of cleaning. I can't do this anymore because (Deb's fault) Deb suggested I actually write down some of these ideas instead of letting my brilliant posts drift away with the minutia in my mind and I can't possibly write down a blog idea while scrubbing a toilet, right?

Finally when I am absolutely desperate for something to think of while cleaning I mentally re-decorate the room I'm cleaning. This is a last resort because all-too-frequently those kinds of thoughts lead to dissatisfaction with the room, a compelling urge to put my ideas into reality, and an expensive (financially) and conflicted (maritally) result all because I can't make a bed without a buddy. Even this not-perfect solution isn't available to me because (Chellie's fault) Chellie agreed with me when I said I would call American Express and get my statement closing date changed which led American Express to extend this billing cycle by 13 days which threw the budget into meltdown and thus any redecorating on my part would result in us having to eat the cat's food because we couldn't afford groceries.

See? My friends have some 'splainin to do, yes?

Grace #23: The Library

Of all the wonderful things that moving into our new house has brought to us one of the best has to be the return of our library privileges. The town in which we used to reside had so mismanaged their money that they had to close the library. The other local libraries decided that if our library couldn't reciprocate borrowing privileges then they didn't want our business. It was a sad, sad day for me when I could no longer borrow books from the library.

Luckily my friend Debbie stepped in and supplemented my Barnes&Noble purchases with boxloads of books sent every couple of months. I looked forward to those shipments like a starving man looks at a tuna sandwich!

My last book purchase was Janet Evanovich's Finger Lickin' Fifteen. I have long been a fan of Janet's but I looked forward to this book release with mixed feelings: her last 3 books had disappointed me and while I didn't want to not read the book, I wasn't sure I wanted to buy it. Finally, just days before my library privileges would resume, I couldn't wait any longer and I bought the book. I justified the purchase by telling myself that the library would probably have a waiting list several months long and I couldn't wait that long. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the library and there were several copies Finger Lickin' Fifteen available!

Ah well, I had already read the book by then and while it didn't blow me away with its depth, humor, and well-crafted plot, it did have its moments and I'm glad I own it.

But back to the library, you may be wondering how a public service that receives funds from the state can blacklist an entire town. Well, I never thought it was all that fair either but let me tell you, those old biddies behind that desk can be downright intimidating when they look over those glasses-on-a-chain-pushed-down-on-their-noses and I never had the courage to buck the system and demand book borrowing privileges. Besides, what does it say about a town that is so mismanaged they can't even keep open a library? Not a town I'd want to live in and I'm glad we moved.

I love books. I love bookstores. However financial and space limitations conspire to keep me from owning every book I wish to read so when push comes to shove (I love that expression, I don't know why) I love libraries.

Annie's Used Books

As I've said before, I love books. I love bookstores. I also love libraries but am soon to become persona-non-grata at our local library consortium because I reside in a city that has so mismanaged its money over the years that it hasn't bought a decent book in 8 years. The other cities' libraries (who receive STATE money let's not forget) have decided to punish us lesser residents by not letting us borrow books from their libraries. It is a sad, sad tale, I know.

All of this to explain how I found myself travelling far afield in search of a decent used bookstore. I happened upon Annie's http://www.anniesbookstopworc.com/. Upon entering Annie's I was immediately greeted by Granny Annie herself who gave me a full tour of the store. It was intoxicating to breathe in the aroma of so much ink and publisher's paste. It was a feast for the eyes to see towering shelves filled to capacity with books, all at half price. Mostly though, it was a treat to meet Granny Annie. Her silver nails embellished with poinsettias sparkled as she pointed her bejeweled fingers at the different book sections. Her tour was thorough and businesslike, no laughing at Steve's jokes for Granny Annie. My mind boggled as she explained the pricing system which seems to have something to do with the alignment of the planets and how much Annie feels like charging at that particular time. I couldn't wait to dig in.

I found everything -- well -- almost everything. There was one section of books I wanted to peruse but couldn't work up the nerve to ask some one's grandmother where it was: the smut section. I tried to hint, but I'm not very good at hinting and Granny Annie thought I was looking for books on the occult. I am really not a good hinter. Still, it says a lot about my personal hang-ups and inhibitions that I felt more comfortable with Granny Annie thinking I wanted to pray to a pentagram than read smut.

I finally left the store $58 lighter, about 10 books heavier, and eager to dig in to my new cache. Granny Annie valiantly asked me to be sure to come back soon which I felt was a real honor considering she thinks I'm a devil worshipper.

Don't worry Annie, I'll be back and maybe I'll even purchase some books on religion just to keep her on her toes.

I'd like a re-write please

Recently I just finished reading (well, listening to) Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner. I was moving along through the story, enjoying the ride well enough, when all of the sudden WHAM, the story took a sudden dramatic and unexpected turn. I did not like the new direction of the story. I couldn't figure out why the author would take this particular direction. I considered not finishing the book.

I think life is a little like that book. We're all just drifting along and WHAM you lose your job, find a lump, crash your car, your house burns down, a parent dies, you get a promotion, find out your pregnant, win the lottery, meet the man of your dreams. Life takes a lot of unexpected turns, some of them not so good. Sometimes I have felt very much like I didn't want to finish a particular chapter. I want a cosmic re-write. Surely this plot twist wasn't meant for me!?

My grandpa died when I was 18. I hadn't been close to my father for years at that point, and my grandpa stepped in and really filled that void for me. When he died, I mourned not only him, but my dad as well. My grandma was devastated. She slammed the book closed and never really opened it again. My grandma lived another 18 years after my grandpa, but she wasn't really alive after he died. She chose to end her story with his.

I am more of a re-write kind of girl myself. I have had my share of bad plot twists, but I haven't ever wanted to stop writing this story of my life. There are a few parts I'd like to re-write completely, and more than a few that could use some selective editing, but I am always excited for what will happen next. I have lived just long enough to learn that we can't ever know what will happen, but we can always put our own spin on the plot. The outline may be somewhat out of our control, but the details, ah, the details are all our own.

I rely a lot upon faith in my life. It was a complete leap of faith when I got married, against both our families' advice. It was a complete leap of faith to quit my job and be a stay-at-home-mom. It was a complete leap of faith to move to Cincinnati, then to Toledo, then to Massachusetts. But isn't every day a complete leap of faith? We don't know what will happen, though we carefully schedule each day. We don't know what the future brings, though we worry endlessly with a false sense of control. We don't know how this story ends.

All I know is that my life is a page-turner, and I can't wait to read the next chapter.

I love books

I love books. In fact, since I was in the 6th grade most of my best friends have been made because of a mutual love of books. Books have literally changed my life. I completely changed the way I was thinking about my body after reading Louise Hay’s You Can Heal Your Life. I completely changed the way I eat after reading Fit for Life by Harvey Diamond. I changed my relationship with money and the way I felt about politics after reading Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman. I changed the way I parented after reading Playful Parenting and how I taught my daughter about the world after reading Protecting the Gift by Gavin DeBecker. I decorate totally differently since I discovered books on Feng Shui, and I haven’t really felt good about a cheeseburger since I read Fast Food Nation. Mostly though, I love fiction, chic lit, smut, historical fiction, mysteries, and the occasional sci fi just to keep things interesting.

I love reading books, I love discussing books. I love browsing for books in libraries, book stores, garage sales, and newsstands. I love the anticipation of having a new book to read and the satisfied/disappointed feeling I have when I have finished a good book. I married a man who also loves books and am raising a child who is an avid reader. Sometimes when I am not sure that my parenting is really going all that well I remind myself that my child loves to read and is good at reading and therefore can rule the world if she wishes to do so.

I think life is easier for those of us who love to read. We are rarely bored, our hobby can be free (though I admit that just seeing a Barnes&Noble on the horizon makes me feel giddy…), we tend to have better vocabularies, be better spellers, have broader senses of experience even if we haven’t travelled much, and be more interesting in conversation. There are always new books being written so we can never run out of material, and our hobby is helpful and applicable in everyday life.

I love books. Last year for Christmas I bought my husband a Sony e-Reader. He loves it. He loves how small and compact it is. He loves getting a new book quickly simply by downloading it from the internet. He loves the technology. I have read a few novels on the e-Reader, but for me, it’s just not the same. I am a touchy-feely kind of girl, I guess, because I want to hold the book, turn the pages, flip back to re-read something, or flip forward to “cheat” on what happens next. I want to meet new people because they see the title of what I’m reading and want to discuss it. I want the anticipation of opening the book and I like the finality of closing it when I’m finished.

My friend Debbie drives a lot for her job, so she also likes audio books, something I am quickly learning to love myself. I feel like I can workout for hours while listening to an audio book. I have cleaned my house, painted many rooms, and folded endless loads of laundry while listening to audio books. I even find myself sometimes envying Deb her time alone in the car with her audio books. I imagine her all snug and comfy, driving along, sipping a coffee, alone in her own little world while listening to a great book.

I sometimes dream of writing a book. I don’t think I am committed enough to the idea now to really stick to it, but maybe someday. For now I’ll stick to my little blog, hopefully providing reading enjoyment for somebody else who shares my love.