Coffee For The Brain Book Tournament - Put on Your Reading Hats

Put on your reading hats


It is time for ALL of you to help out in the judging of the FINAL FOUR books in the COFFEE FOR THE BRAIN BOOK TOURNAMENT


Here it is. This is a link to the bracket of the book tournament(which is also posted at the top of this blog). Check out the book matches so far.

We have dwindled the books down the final four. It has been exciting and a load of fun watching the judges scramble to make a decision.




It is time for you to participate. You don't need a partner(but feel free to discuss freely here on the blog)

All you have to do is:

1. Pick one of the two book pairings or maybe read all four books.


Will you read: Compound vs. Maze Runner



























Or will you read: Red Kayak vs. Matched

 
























Or read all four books


2. Once completed with the reading of one of these pairings, then go on over to the Judge Form and fill out the required information. Please provide your insights as to why you chose the book you did.

3. We will have until March 18th to read and offer your insights. This is three good weeks of reading time(time extended due to our Spring Break).


4. After March 18th the final two books will be announced and we will once again allow everyone to read and decided on their favorite book in the 1st Annual Coffee For The Brain Book Tournament

Spread the word. Let everyone know. The more insights we have the more balanced of a book decision will be reached.

I cannot wait to see the results. I am super excited!!!!!

Here is a link to the form once you have read the books. Please fill it out the best you can.
Click here to fill out the judge form for the books

Still waiting for the first votes to come in. I will keep the stats updated on blog as they come in!!

50 Day World Challenge: Day 1 Topic: Photo and 15 Facts

1. My name is Aaron Maurer.
2. I live in the state of Iowa.
3. My nickname at my school where I teach is Coffeechug from all the coffee I drink throughout the day.
4. I want to connect and meet people from every country and help my students realize the world outside their little bubble they call home.
5. I am training to run my first marathon this summer.
6. I am an avid reader of all things, but love to read YA and books that work to improve the mental toughness of people.
7. I am obsessed with technology and gadgets. If there is something new I am going to give it a try.
8. I would love to travel around the world and visit the places of people I have connected with(I just need more money and time)
9.I teach gifted students for my job and it is awesome.
10. I have many websites to showcase the work of myself, my students, and various other projects to help me connect with the world.
11. I am expecting my third child in May.
12. I have a wonderful wife who allows me to be nerdy every single day and is veyr patient with me.
13. I am still trying to figure out how to write a novel. It is on my bucketlist.
14. I would love to be a head basketball coach for a high school team when my kids get older.
15. I still want to learn martial arts.

Join the fun in this project by checking it out here http://coffeechug.posterous.com/

50 Day World Challenge: Introduction to Project and Day 1 Topic

Head on over to my other Posterous site where I just started a new project. http://coffeechug.posterous.com/50-day-world-challenge-introduction-to-projec

50 Day World Challenge: Introduction to Project and Day 1 Topic

Head on over to the site http://coffeechug.posterous.com/50-day-world-challenge-introduction-to-projec


I was on Facebook the other day and I came across a post of one of my friends who was partaking in a 50 Day Challenge. I was reading through the 50 posts that are part of this project and I thought, "This would be a great idea to help bridge people from around the world." 
So, I decided to take the framework of the 50 Day Challenge, add the word "World", change some of the topics and give it a whirl.


What you are reading is the first of the 50 days in the challenge. It will not be a daily assignment. Instead it will probably be a few a week or one a week to give people time to post and submit.


My goals are twofold


1. Connect with as many countries as possible.
2. Learn about ourselves, our countries, our cultures, and help everyone realize that the world is indeed "flat" as suggested by Thomas Friedman


So, without rambling on any longer here 50 Day Challenge: Day 1 


The Topic: A picture of yourself with fifteen facts. This is designed to help us get to know each other a little bit more. Facts that you share are up to you, but remember this will be viewed by many(hopefully) and is designed to be an educational experience.
I will post my picture and 15 facts later tonight.

Remember, if you wish to submit a picture or two simply subscribe using the green button at www.coffeechug.posterous.com or email me your post at coffeechug@posterous.com and I will load it up for you.

I look forward to a great journey with all of you. Feel free to spread the word and have others join us on this exploration of people at their finest around the world.

 

Coffee For The Brain Book Tournament - Round 5 - The Final Four Books - You are needed to help out in deciding the final books!

Here it is. This is a link to the bracket of the book tournament(which is also posted at the top of this blog).

We have dwindled the books down the final four. It has been exciting and a load of fun watching the judges scramble to make a decision.

Judges had some really tough decisions to make between some of these book pairings. They have done a wonderful job getting us to this point in the tournament.

Now this is the point where the tournament opens up to everyone. Anyone who reads this blog, friends, students, teachers, parents, etc.

All you have to do is:

1. Pick one of the two book pairings or maybe read all four books.
2. Once completed with the reading then go on over to the Judge Form and fill out the required information. Please provide your insights as to why you chose the book you did.
3. We will have until March 18th to read and offer your insights. This is three good weeks of reading time(time extended due to our Spring Break).
4. After March 18th the final two books will be announced and we will once again allow everyone to read and decided on their favorite book in the 1st Annual Coffee For The Brain Book Tournament

Spread the word. Let everyone know. The more insights we have the more balanced of a book decision will be reached.

I cannot wait to see the results. I am super excited!!!!!

Here is a link to the form once you have read the books. Please fill it out the best you can.
Click here to fill out the judge form for the books

Happy Reading My Friends!

Marathon Training: Week 2 - Setbacks and Developing a Strong Sense of Self

Last week I completed my first week of my marathon training. I was proud, excited, and felt really good about getting off on the right foot. Well, my left foot decided not to keep up and gave me problems this week. Before I go into the week let me go back to check my goals I set at the end of week 1


My goals for week 2 are the following.
1. Do more stretching. I did not do this enough again. I must force myself. I did better than week 1, but not enough to warrant any true benefits. Stretching will not only help with injury prevention, but also to reduce soreness. More dynamic stretching in Week 3
2. Eat better for snacks. I was starving every minute of they day last week. I need to find more healthy snacks to help with the hunger. I need to drop a few pounds to make the running easier for me, but still need to refuel the body. This is something I need to educate myself about a little more. I did eat better this week. I am starving all the time so I did better eating healthier snacks at night. The time window of 7:30 - 9:30 is my worst enemy. A bag of popcorn has become my best friend.
3. Try to keep all my easy runs under 8:30 mile pace. I am not going all out, but I want to have better race times this year so I need to make sure that my easy pace is in a range that will allow me to push harder on the other runs. 2 of my 3 easy runs I was at 8:30 and 8:24 respectively. I had one over 8:30, but am learning that it is not about time. The easy runs are supposed to be easy and nothing more. However, my mind tells me that if I can make the runs under 8:30 and make this pace "easy" I will be better off. I still have much to learn about running as it is a completely different mindset than basketball.


Week 2 has me scheduled for 28 miles of running. I have one 4 mile run, three 5 mile runs(one hill workout), and another long 9 mile run. Will keep you posted as it does me good to reflect on my training.


I ended the week with 3.5 hours of training. Should have been over 4 hours if I did not miss one run due to injury. 


Monday: Rest day. Did not do any lifting or anything. We had no school so we did not workout at the Y this morning. Good for body as I was still tired and sore from 9 mile run on Sunday.


Tuesday: 4 mile easy run. We ran 4.25 miles at 9:05 mile pace with heart rate at 159 bpm. Good run. It was cold outside, but am starting to enjoy running in the cold. A nice easy run this morning to help wake up my legs. They feel better after two days of feeling heavy. Soreness in calves and Achilles a little better also. Felt good to be outside in the 27 degree weather.


Wednesday: 5 mile hill run. We ran at an 8:39 mile pace on this course. It was tough. Heart rate was at 154.  I accidentally turned off watch for about .5 mile on hill portion of run. So I actually ran about 5.5 miles this morning. Hills kicked my butt, but it was needed. Felt good to be running. Calves and below are pretty sore post run.


It was Wednesday night at basketball practice that I hurt my foot. Not sure what I did, but when I got home that evening I could barely walk. I thought my stress fracture had returned and went right to the boot. Needless to say I was beyond angry and frustrations set in immediately.


Thursday: Rest Day. Wore the boot and just did some light lifting. Completed one circuit of the P90X Chest and Shoulders, but did not work out too hard. Body was tired and frustrations were still heavy on my mind.


Friday: 5 mile easy run. I skipped this run today because foot was still hurting. Starting to question stress fracture as it feels better as day goes on. I went to the doctor and she ran me through the stress fracture tests. I passed them all where last time I could not do any of them. She told to either have an MRI to find out for sure, but it costs $1000 or keep running and see if it still hurts. It might just be a weird pain due to the mileage I am running. I decided to go back to running.


Saturday: 5 mile easy run. I ran 5 miles at 8:24 mile pace with heart rate at 155 bpm. I felt really good today. Pushed maybe a little too hard as my legs were tired after run which is not what I wanted the day before my long run. I had one mile run at 8:02 so times getting better with heart rate not going too crazy. Good signs for training.


Sunday: 9 mile LSD run. Ran 9.26 miles at 9:19 mile pace with heart rate at 155. Considering my foot hurting like heck a few days ago, I feel great. Good run yesterday, pushed a little too hard and I felt it today in long run. Last 2 miles were tough mentally. Felt good to be outside running long distance again. A running partner makes time go by faster. Nothing like running with snowballs on your eyelashes.





I am reading Chi Running and slowly beginning to work on my running form to help with injuries and soreness.


As I write this post, my legs are dead. Calves and below hurt like no other. Time to get in some good stretching and keep learning more about running.


Week 3 has me thinking about a marathon only being 13 weeks away. That does not seem that far away. Does not seem like I will be ready, but time will tell. If I am not ready, then I will continue to train until I am ready. I will have three easy runs, one day of hills, and a long run of 12 miles. A tough week ahead of running 30 miles. That seems like a lot of running. But I must never surrender to self doubt. Thanks for following my journey and I hope these posts help you on your journey to accomplishing your goals.


We all have setbacks, but it is all about how we deal with them. I rested, studied, and mentally prepared to get back on the road. 


Until next time.

Time to help with Brainstorming Session

My 5th grade students want to prepare a presentation on Iowa and then provide a lesson via Skype to students all over the world and US. 


What would you like to know about Iowa?


Leave a comment with some suggestions and ideas. We are collecting as many thoughts as we can. Thanks for helping us out.


Here are some ideas so far:
-sending out a can of Coke to compare taste of pop around the world(not sure if we can mail pop or not yet)
-Sharing about the artist Grant Wood and gather info at our art museum
-Sharing info about John Deere and gather info at the factory/business here in Quad Cities
-Sharing about the Mississippi River
-Wildlife of Iowa
-Sharing interesting facts about the area like we have an Egyptian mummy in our city!


Please help us put together a great presentation. 


If you live in Iowa, what else could we focus on?


If you live outside of Iowa, what would you like to know about the state?

Coffee For The Brain Book Tournament - Round 4 - Red Kayak vs. Fallen

Comparing Red Kayak to Fallen is difficult because I enjoyed both of them very much. They are two very different reads, which makes the decision even more difficult. Fallen keeps the reader's interest with its love triangle between Cam, Daniel, and Luce. I like how the reader isn't always sure who is best for Luce until the very end when some of the mystery behind Luce's problems and past are explained. The ending leaves things open for the sequel (I think it's Torment).

Red Kayak makes the reader think about friendship, right and wrong, and making difficult decisions--sometimes very grown-up decisions. Brady is caught between helping his friends and helping his neighbor who has suffered a great loss. 

Because I have to make a choice, I choose Red Kayak. Brady has to make some hard choices, and I think this shows young readers that doing the right thing is not always the easy thing. We had some good discussions in our book clubs about the course of action Brady should take and what the consequences should be for his friends.

Book Review: Tribes by Seth Godin

Title: Tribes
Author: Seth Godin

Author Website: http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/

My Thoughts

This is a book about what it takes to be leader for your tribe. It is a different take on becoming a leader. This is not some action plan type book where you must follow this step, then this step, etc.

This is book bounces around from thought to thought. I loved it. It provides some great ideas, thoughts, and suggestions on what it takes to be a leader. It is general so it applies to whoever you are and whoever you plan on leading.

I am a big fan of Seth Godin.I started reading his blog and tweets a few months back and just love his insights and thoughts. I finally decided to read one his books. This was the one that I decided to go with. Yes, I will be reading his others. I have them all on hold as we speak. I took many notes.

My favorite little story in the book is the balloon factory and the unicorn. I laughed and then thought, "Wow, that is a perfect story to share with my team."

It is a book that is a quick read, but I spent many pages re-reading and then writing down my thoughts and reflections. Yes, like the other books I have been reading(Find Your Zone) I will be making future posts about how I am applying the ideas I have recorded in my notebook.

The key to remember is that anyone is capable of being a great leader in this day and age. We all have access to all the tools needed to organize and construct our tribes. Just remember that you have to have a tribe to be a leader and vice versa.

I have already thought about implementing his ideas in this book into my coaching youth basketball and in my job as a middle school teacher.

I would love to connect with others who have read this book about what they took away from the book.

This is one that will probably be purchased so I have it to reference to when needed.

Finding The Zone: Me trying out one of the ten lessons. Dreams and making fun of it because it sounds so hokey.

The other day I reviewed the book, Find The Zone, and I discussed how I was going to try and apply some of the lessons shared in the book. Well, I did.

I decided to tackle Lesson One: Dreams

I have to be honest and tell you that one of my favorite new quotes comes from this chapter.

"I dream of the dragonfly who dreams of me."

I gave this quote to my basketball team as homework. They had to go home and think about the quote. They had to write down what this quote means.

What I think it means is that we can dream anything. Our dreams are unlimited. Our dreams are what keep us going in life. However, we must work very hard to make our dreams a reality. We must have a plan of action. This quote reminds me that we can dream whatever we want and we can give it life. We can make it a reality if we really want to. For me, I never would have expected myself to be training to run a marathon(if foot turns out okay after going to the doctor tomorrow). One year ago I would have laughed in your face and told you that you were stupid to think I could do something like this. I knocked out a half marathon last year and still am surprised in myself that I pulled it off.

So, back to the dreams. In this lesson it was suggested that a simple exercise would be to have a dream journal. It offers the idea of thinking about something prior to going to bed and then recording your dream in the morning to see what visions/ideas come about.

I will be honest. I think a dream journal and thinking about what to dream before bed sounds a little off and weird. It seems like I should have a tarot card reading. However, I put my sarcasm mind aside and decided to give it a whirl.

I thought the following question prior to falling asleep on Monday night:

"What will be needed in order for my basketball team to be successful tomorrow?"

I know, probably not a very deep question, but one that I pondered all day as I cannot stop thinking basketball during basketball season.

I chuckled to myself thinking I would not remember my dreams and all my notes I took on this book would be a waste(at least the dream notes).

I woke up several times due to my daughter coughing all night, but I did have a few dreams. Yes, I admit it. It worked.

Yes, I did write it down.

No, not in a journal, but on a bookmark in my book.

Here is what I envisioned.

1. A player diving for a loose ball out of bounds on the sideline by our team bench. What was so great was not the dive, but the fact that everyone on the bench was standing up and hooting and hollering. Emotion. Excitement. The very thing I have been asking them to do all season and something that 8th grade boys refuse to do.

2. The second vision was the other team calling a time out. We were playing so intense that the other team just could not handle the pressure and intensity we were delivering. During the time out their best player pulled out a can of paint and began painting his jersey black. Our jerseys were black as we were playing away. This dream signified in my mind that he was surrendering and wanted to play our style of basketball.

3. Not really a vision, but throughout the night my daughter kept coming into our room asking questions. I thought this was a sign to work on communication. We need to talk more. I know it is not a dream technically, but it is a dream of mine that one of my 8th grade teams would actually communicate and talk all the time on the floor.

I was rather surprised and shocked by these visions. They actually worked and the visions were realistic to what was needed in order for my team to be successful. These were actually the main things that I have been preaching to my team all year.

I am sold. I will work on this exercises more and see what insights it offers me.

However, it does leave me wondering: "Do we create the dream, or does the dream create us?"

Classroom Debate Topic Spurs Heated Discussion and Your Expertise is Needed to Settle

Here is the question that we are discussing in class while studying Andrew Jackson:

Is it grammatically correct to state the following: "Bob has an impact on Joe."

We were reading through the text when this word was being used on a chart. A student argued that this was not correct usage and suffice to say we went off track to debate the grammatically correct usage of this word.

One side of the argument is stating that this is not grammatically correct. It is common usage, but not correct as the word "impact" is defined as a forceful contact, collision, i.e.

The other side of the arguement is stating this is correct because it means that having an impact on someone is having an effect.

We need someone with a true understanding of the English language. Is using the word "impact" in this way grammatically correct?

You have to love working with 8th graders. Who would have imagined a 10 minute heated debate would ensue on the word "impact" from an Andrew Jackson study.

Please help us settle this score.

Marathon Training - Week 2 - No AGAIN!!!!

Last night after coaching basketball I came home. My foot was killing me. It is still killing me. Yes, that same stupid foot that I had a stress fracture in prior to Winter Break. I wore my good old boot last night and this morning and it still really hurts.

I cannot begin to tell you how angry I am right now.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I hope the doctor tells me I am a wuss and there is no stress fracture(fingers crossed)

Finally, I was focuses and on track and now this. Why in the world does this have to happen? I actually followed the plan of the doctor and now pain.

I just had to vent and thought to do it here. Will post again after going to doctor.

Book Review: Finding You Zone: Ten Core Lessons for Achieving Peak Performance in Sports and Life

Title: Finding You Zone: Ten Core Lessons for Achieving Peak Performance in Sports and Life
Author: Michael Lardon, M.D.
Pages:162

From Barnes and Noble

The first research-based program to offer concise, clear ways to realize your best performance.


As a therapist, physician, and mental coach, Dr. Michael Lardon has dedicated his career to helping athletes understand and better achieve peak performance. In Finding Your Zone, he shares with readers what he's discovered about reaching the state in which “thoughts and actions are occurring in complete synchronicity,” and how this state is accessible to all, not just the few.

In ten key lessons—illustrated by personal anecdotes from his clients—Lardon teaches readers how to access the zone not only in sports but in all aspects of their lives, by understanding how to:

• Transform desire into will

• Channel emotions to victory

• Trust instincts and keep it simple

• Conquer fear through acceptance

• Perform under pressure

My Thoughts

At first I was a little skeptical about this book. Sometimes when I come across these books I have to be cautious that it is not some flimsy book trying to showcase a mental training program that costs money or have you believe that you can turn your life around instantly. These types of programs are scams.

This is not a program. This is not a scam. This book is just good sound practical advice to help you think about yourself and actions. This book gives you key insight into helping you guide yourself to finding your own "Zone". That is what I liked best about this book.

I ended up taking 5 pages of notes(front and back) as I just could not get enough of the information. Nothing here is groundbreaking information. If you have read other books dealing the mind, then you have read some of these things before. What I liked about this book is the approach. It was simple with great examples. It came with simple exercises to help work on the ten core lessons.

I am a quote lover and there were some new quotes that I wrote down to use with my basketball team.

The key element of this book is that these lessons can apply to anyone whether you are a pro, high school athlete, a non athlete just trying to find a job, businessman, etc.

I have already tried some of the ideas in the book and am finding them to work.

I am rather impressed by this book. I am glad that I took the time to actually read and absorb the material. I sometimes rapid read books just to get them done. This book I took my time and found it beneficial.

I am now in pursuit of some other books that are just as helpful as this one to help me become a better person, runner, and basketball coach.

I am also going to be adding posts to my blog where I will be documenting my journey using some of the techniques offered in this book. These will be posted soon.

Mystery Skype Location Project spotlighted on www.epals.com

Just wanted to share with you all a project I did with my ELP kids has landed on the main page of www.epals.com


I am pretty excited. The project was nominated by another on the site and the project was accepted. Much credit goes to the kids and also to the other teacher in New Orleans.

Here is the link http://www.epals.com/ or go here http://www.epals.com/projects/info.aspx?divid=spotlight_main

Look down at the bottom left of your screen in the "Teacher Spotlight" section.




http://www.epals.com/

 

Book Review: Ghostopolis

Title: Ghostopolis
Author: Doug Tennapel
Pages: 272
Graphic Novel
Author Website: http://tennapel.com/

From the author website

Ghostopolis


Imagine Garth Hale's surprise when he's accidentally zapped to the spirit world by Frank Gallows, a washed-out ghost wrangler. Suddenly Garth finds he has powers the ghosts don't have, and he's stuck in a world run by the evil ruler of Ghostopolis, who would use Garth's newfound abilities to rule the ghostly kingdom. When Garth meets Cecil, his grandfather's ghost, the two search for a way to get Garth back home, and nearly lose hope until Frank Gallows shows up to fix his mistake.

My Thoughts

After reading a few graphic novels that just did not do it for me, I finally have read two really good solid ones in a row. Ghostopolis is one that I will recomend to many of my students. I loved the imagination of this story. I loved teh idea of Garth being stuck in this world of ghosts who are the spirits of the dead. It is not a creepy atmosphere, but an atmosphere that I really liked. The Ghostopolis world has been overrun by an evil leader and has spawned the skeletons and other creatures to fight one another. All Garth wants to do is get back home to reality.

I loved his pet horse. I thought it was quite clever. The artwork on each page was beautiful. I don't say that very often about graphic novels, but I did spend time actually viewing each panel. Many times when I read graphic novels, I skim through everything because it does not hold my interest.

There are some good humor scenes, some great battle scenes, and a good message to be conveyed as well.

Even more important I had no idea the author/illustrator created the Earthworm Jim video game from back in the day on SNES. I loved that game. This makes me an even more devote fan. I also did not realize all his other works that I have just put on hold to read and view.

I know this is a pretty popular book, but now I can say that I am one in the crowd who loves this story and artwork. This graphic novel is also in the early stages of being adapted to the bigscreen. I hope it is done right and turns out awesome.

Random Things to Share with YOU!!!

1. Taxi Driver Imitates Michael Jackson, Delights the Internet [VIDEO]http://on.mash.to/gBAE1s


2. People are sharing their meals on my other site from all over the world. Feel free to join in, contribute and learn something about people from around the world. http://www.coffeechuglunch.posterous.com/ If you wish to contribute either subscribe or email your post and pics to coffeechuglunch@posterous.com


3. 50 Brain Facts Every Educator Should Know

President's Day

On the third Monday of every February we celebrate President's Day. I should not say we "celebrate" as most people just view it as a day of no mail, no school, and some shopping sales. It is a day to celebrate the birthday of George Washington, but overtime has expanded to include more than just him.

 

This holiday started in 1880 and eventually moved to inlcude all federal offices in 1885. It is intended to celebrate old George for founding our nation and getting things established. 

 

I am just curious....what holidays are being celebrated around the world this time of year? Please share as I love to continue to learn about the cultures all over the world.

 

Remember, if you wish to submit a picture or two simply subscribe using the green button at www.coffeechug.posterous.com or email me your post at coffeechug@posterous.com and I will load it up for you.

This has been great so far. I am learning many new things from all of you.

Book Review and Giveaway: I Lost My Mobile At The Mall

Title: I Lost My Mobile At The Mall: Teenages on the Edge of Technological Breakdown
Author: Wendy Harmer
Pages: 262
To Be Released on March 1st, 2011
Book Website: http://www.mobileatthemall.com/


Kane Miller, A Division of EDC Publishing, is the US publisher of the book 

from http://www.girl.com.au/i-lost-my-mobile-at-the-mall.htm

I Lost my Mobile at the Mall

Teenager on the edge of a technological breakdown.

Australian comedienne Wendy Harmer needs no introduction. A playwright, TV presenter, radio personality, author, mother and staunch supporter of Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, she has just turned her hand to writing her first novel for teenagers. I Lost My Mobile at the Mall is fantastic, utterly believable story that has lots of laughs and surprising depth.

The novel stars fifteen-year-old Elly Pickering. After losing her mobile, Elly feels she is facing certain social death. Her best friend has moved hundreds of kilometers away, her other best friend is acting stranger than usual and her parents are distracted by 'the Global Financial Crisis'… and everything' To top it all off, Elly's boyfriend is giving her the silent treatment and there are embarrassing photos of her on the web-which she can't see for herself, as she can't get to the computer either.

I Lost My Mobile at the Mall present topical issues such as cyber-bullying, peer pressure and finding your voice and your beliefs in a fun way. Random House Australia is also offering teens an exciting new way to extend the book experience via dedicated website designed especially to be viewed on mobile phones. In an Australia publishing industry first, readers can access the site via scanning the QR code published on the back cover of the book. This allows potential readers while browsing in a bookstore to enter competition, watch a video from Wendy, access social networking sites and read what others thought of the book- all before buying a copy.




My Thoughts


This is the perfect book for teenage girls. That is all I kept thinking about while reading this novel. I told my daughter if you were a teenager this would be the book for you. Elly, the main character cracks me up. She is real, she is authentic. What I liked about her was the fact that you gained the sense of drama that comes with growing up, but it was not whiny drama. She is in love, she has friends, she wants to fit in, but when her phones turns up lost everything falls apart. 


I found this to be quite a humorous story. I laughed quite a few times throughout the story. I also liked the message of the story. It opened up my eyes when I started to think about how kids today probably don't have letters that they write back and forth anymore like we used to. They don't write letters and send in the mail. There is something so personal and powerful in receiving a letter that these kids are missing out on. It has caused me to think about writing more letters from now on.


I hope to read more from this author as I think she has done a good job with her novel. Being that it was written in Australia I learned a few things. One, they don't call 911 for an emergency, but they dial 000. That is crazy! I also learned a whole new language of text messages. Some of the phrases I had to look up to see what they stood for. Another sign I am getting old.


This book contains a great message, how to cope without technology. It addresses the realistic thoughts of a teenagers as their brains are filled with ADHD as they bounce around from being mad at mom, to sarcastic remarks, feeling hunger, and then wondering about the weather all at the same time.


Giveaway Details


I am going to give this book away to one lucky winner. It needs to be shared and spread around here in the US. So, here is how you can enter to the giveaway.


Leave a comment with the following information


1. Your email for me to contact you in case you win 
2. Become a follower +1
3. Share this on the web via Twitter, other sites, Facebook, etc. +1 for each one(please share links)
4. One of your favorite quotes +1


I will declare a winner on March 2nd


Good luck!

Marathon Training: Week 1 - Soreness and Reflection

I did it. I took the first steps toward my goal of running my first marathon.

As the saying goes, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."


I took my first steps this past week. I already have done more than what I thought I could. I honestly did not think I would pull off all five days of running. I figured I would have to drop down to four days, but I stayed strong and accomplished the training.


Monday - Rest day in which we performed a P90X workout
Tuesday - Ran 4.25 miles at 8:32 pace
Wednesday - Hill Workout on Treadmill for 4 miles at a 9:01 pace
Thursday - Rest day in which we performed another P90X workout
Friday - Ran 4.28 miles at an 8:25 pace
Saturday - Ran 9 miles at 9:00 pace
Sunday - played basketball game and ran 4 miles at 8:30 pace


My totals for the week were


Total Miles: 25.6 miles
Total Running Time: 3.75 miles
Calories Burned: 4500 




Today my legs are sore. They are in need of rest. I am glad I have a day to do very little. The backs of my knees are in some pain as well as my calves and Achilles area. Other than that I feel pretty good. I feel much better than I expected to feel.


My goals for week 2 are the following.
1. Do more stretching
2. Eat better for snacks. I was starving every minute of they day last week. I need to find more healthy snacks to help with the hunger. I need to drop a few pounds to make the running easier for me, but still need to refuel the body. This is something I need to educate myself about a little more.
3. Try to keep all my easy runs under 8:30 mile pace. I am not going all out, but I want to have better race times this year so I need to make sure that my easy pace is in a range that will allow me to push harder on the other runs


Week 2 has me scheduled for 28 miles of running. I have one 4 mile run, three 5 mile runs(one hill workout), and another long 9 mile run. Will keep you posted as it does me good to reflect on my training.


How are your training plans going?


I have taken my first step and now just need to keep moving forward.

Random Links for a Sunday Morning

New Weight Watcher Program??????

Kobe scoring 81 points in a game in 3 minute time lapse


Whole world is getting fatter

History of Sweetheart Candies

Jake Shimabukuro plays "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Book Review: I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

You must go to the website: http://iamnumberfourfans.com/pittacus-lore/



From the website

In the beginning they were a group of nine. Nine aliens who left their home planet of Lorien when it fell under attack by the evil Mogadorian. Nine aliens who scattered on Earth. Nine aliens who look like ordinary teenagers living ordinary lives, but who have extraordinary, paranormal skills. Nine aliens who might be sitting next to you now.

The Nine had to separate and go into hiding. The Mogadorian caught Number One in Malaysia, Number Two in England, and Number Three in Kenya. All of them were killed. John Smith, of Paradise, Ohio, is Number Four. He knows that he is next.

I AM NUMBER FOUR is the thrilling launch of a series about an exceptional group of teens as they struggle to outrun their past, discover their future—and live a normal life on Earth.

I AM NUMBER FOUR.
I AM NEXT.

My Thoughts

Aliens
Huge alien beasts that want nothing more than to kill the final nine Loriens
Blood
Fighting
Trying to survive and fit into high school
Love interest
School bullies
Action
Battle Tactics
Cool dog named Bernie Kosar

What more does one want in a book? You cannot ask for anymore because the brain would explode. The book gives you everything you need in an excellent read.

I know the movie comes out Friday. Yes, I want to see it. No, it probably won't happen, but I sure hope it turns out to be a good movie.

I cannot wait for the sequel. I want it NOW!

This author has me intrigued as it appears to be a mysterious and unknown type person. It just addes more fuel to the mysteries of the book.

You must read this book.

Caution that this is a YA book for older readers due to some foul language and pretty graphic battle scenes. I always put out the warning for those that maybe should hold off another year or two. It does not take away from the coolness of the book, but stated to cover my butt.

Well, stop reading this and go read some crazy monster alien fighting plot in I Am Number Four. Trust me, the book is better reading than this post.

Marathon Training - Music For My Ears While Running...

This week has marked week #1 of my first ever marathon training. As I put in the miles (a recap of the week coming soon) I am in need of some music for my long runs.

You guys always come up with great ideas.

So why don't you help this blogger out and provide some music suggestions to keep me entertained while running my long runs. I have a 9 mile run Sunday and they only go up from there.

Leave a comment with some albums to check out.

Music that I enjoy listening to while running is pretty open as depending on my mental state of mind I listen to rap, country, rock, laid back vibe music, etc.

Another Random Question Thrown In Your Face!

Alright, so I am reading a new book that is going to be released March 1st in Australia and even though I just started the book I have already laughed several times within the first 20 pages.

The book got me thinking about something that made me stop and post here on this blog.

What are some sayings that people say that we all accept, yet we really have no idea what it means?

Huh? What are you asking bald guy?

Example, in the story her mother states the following which I have heard at least a thousand times in my life growing up. "Dead as a doornail."

Yes, we all get the concept in the phrase. You are either
1. No longer breathing
2. In some serious doo-doo and about to get grounded or in serious trouble

Yet, how many of actually know what a doornail is and someone would say "dead as a doornail"?

I had no clue myself so I did a little Google search and found the following info over at http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-dea1.htm

I was going to post the info here on the blog, but the author has it all copyrighted so I will let it be. Just go the link and read and then come back here and post something interesting for the rest of us to read.

However, who would have thought it would have dated back to the times of medieval doors?

What Are You Currently Reading?

I pose this question all the time on Twitter and thought I would post it here.

What are you currently reading?

OR

What have you read recently that everyone should read?

Despite the fact that I have a massive TBR pile sitting at home and a few books to read for the tournament, I am always looking out for the next great book to read.

Leave a comment with your book suggestions

Here are my top 3 suggestions for books to read so far this year:

1. Across the Universe
2. Anna and the French Kiss
3. I Am Number Four

Book Review: Smile by Raina Telgemeier

Author/Illustrator: Raina Telgemeier
Title: Smile
Pages:214

Author Website: http://goraina.com/


Scholastic/Graphix, February 2010

224 pages, Full-color

Ages 9 - 13

Summary from her website:

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.

My Thoughts
Finally, I have read a graphic novel that I like. This was a fast read. I loved the storyline of Raina dealing with all the things that go on when trying to grow up and fit in. It all starts when she losed her front teeth and things just escalate from there. This is a realistic story that is based on her life. That is what makes this story even better. As I was reading I kept thinking, "I bet this is based on her life." After reading I went to her website and found out it was. I remember having similar things happen in my life and I am sure we all have our own stories.

What I liked best about this story was the ending. I think kids growing up today need to continue to be pushed to be comfortable with who they are. They try so hard to fit in with whatever group they are trying to fit into. We need to continue to remind our youth to be happy with who you are and to find others who appreciate you. So many times I see kids hanging out in a group to be picked and tormented on and that is just not the way to live.

This was the perfect novel for me to read after being so busy lately and not having anytime whatsoever to just sit down and ready.

Please check this graphic novel out. It is one that is sure to please.