Thoughts on...52 Small Changes - One Year to a Happier, Healthier You

I'm a firm believer in small changes. I don't even want to contemplate my appearance if ordering my salad dressing on the side and dipping my fork wasn't a habit now (I love salads).

As the end of the year approaches, we may be starting to think of our New Year Resolutions (cue scary music), so I'm going to post my review in sections. I figure it would do you more good than waiting until I've finished the book....52 changes = 52 weeks. I'd like to get you started a lot sooner than that!

....off to read....

52 small changes made over 52 weeks. Sounds simple enough but one of the "small changes" is to declutter your living environment. Yikes! This one will take a year all by itself. I might be able to start very small and concentrate on my purse ;) Luckily, it's week 39 so we'll have some practice before we tackle this one.

Of course, one of the great things about this book is that you are encouraged to change the order around, spend more time if the change is hard for you, and if you already do it? There is "extra credit". Since declutter will be a tough one for me....it may be done last. (when I have no other obligations for several months/year)

Weeks read so far:

Week 1: Water
Week 2: Sleep
Week 3: Be more active
Week 4: Keep a Food Journal

Sound simple? It is. And it's not. For example, staying hydrated sounds easy enough, just drink water, but how much is enough? Just water? How about milk, juice, tea? Not only are these questions answered, they're explained. And if you already know these answers and feel you do this, your extra credit is to filter your water.

One of the hardest parts of following this program will be NOT jumping ahead and cramming two or three changes into each week.

1) Although there are countless changes you can make, the 52 changes presented in this book are those that will have the largest impact on creating a happier, healthier lifestyle.

2) Giving yourself a year to create this lifestyle affords you the ability to slowly integrate important changes over time, so they are more likely to stick for the long-term

I'm more of an instant gratification girl myself but after reading through just the first 4 weeks, I can more easily see why slow is the way to go.

There is an online assessment to take before you start your journey so you can see where you are starting from....all the easier to see where you're going.

Join me? I'll be hydrating this week. And, overlapping with a partial week 35, be better about taking my medication. Wow, already squeezing a second change in and it's only the first week!

....so ends part 1. I hope to have an update posted in December

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book without any obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may differ from yours. Book information courtesy of the publisher.


52 Small Changes
One Year to a Happier, Healthier You
by Brett Blumenthal

publisher: AmazonEncore
January 3, 2012
ISBN 978-1612181394
Format: Paperback (8x8)
as my copy is an uncorrected proof, I do not know if the finished copy will be hardcover or not.
non-fiction, Health & Fitness, Self-Improvment
380 pages


Product Description:

This “how-to” manual for achieving a state of optimal health and wellness outlines fifty-two weeks of small, yet productive changes that readers can make to live a happier, healthier life. Why fifty-two? By making one small change each week over the course of one year, this will ultimately lead to the big change of living a healthier, happier lifestyle - because ultimately it is the small steps that make the most lasting difference, rather than trying to overhaul an entire lifetime’s worth of bad habits all at once!

Small Changes addresses all areas of well being, including nutrition, exercise, stress management, mental wellness, and even the health of one’s home environment. With weekly goals such as Taking Time to Stretch, Choosing Whole Grains, Spending Time in Nature, and Reducing Dust in Your Home, this enthusiastic guide to long-term wellness is a must-read for anyone ready to change their life for good.

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2011

Does not reflect community values: 10,000 Dresses

What community? Who's values? Not everyone conforms to society's definition of normal. What is a parent to do when their son wants to wear a dress? What do boys who want to wear dresses read? 10,000 Dresses! When push comes to shove, this book is about accepting who you are (when others don't) and being true to yourself.

I didn't see it at ala.org but I have seen it on other banned/challenged lists, I just can't remember where!





10,000 Dresses
Marcus Ewert
Illustrations by Rex Ray

Seven Stories Press
Nov 1, 2008Ages 4-8
32 pages

source: I checked this book out of the library.

amazon product description:Every night, Bailey dreams about magical dresses: dresses made of crystals and rainbows, dresses made of flowers, dresses made of windows…Unfortunately, when Bailey’s awake, no one wants to hear about these beautiful dreams. Quite the contrary: “You’re a BOY!” Mother and Father tell Bailey. “You shouldn’t be thinking about dresses at all.” Then Bailey meets Laurel, an older girl who is touched and inspired by Bailey’s imagination and courage. In friendship, the two of them begin making dresses together. And Bailey becomes the girl she always dreamed she’d be!


My Thoughts:
Gay. Lesbian. Bi. Transgender. Transgender? This is a great book for the kid who doesn't quite feel like everyone thinks they should.

This is a cute book. Bold colors, big graphics. Interesting dresses although we only "see" three of them. It's creative, simplistic and goes right to the point. Stay true to your self. I loved it but I wanted more!

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2011

Q&A with Jack Gresham, author of 18 Billion

In Washington, D.C., a cell of Afghan terrorists—armed with a nuclear weapon—conspire to rob the Federal Reserve Bank of New York of 18 billion dollars. The money is intended to fund Mohammed of Babylon, who is the prophesied redeemer of Islam. Mohammed, however, is a man of peace and must find a way to rectify the wrong done to the United States without angering his followers.

In the meantime, a federal investigation into the attack uncovers a frightening plot by an international corporation to fund and manufacture global terrorism, leaving the feds wondering what it will take to counter the terrorism already set in motion.

The book leaves readers asking themselves, “Could something like this really happen?”


I'm trying really hard to be a good girl and read my review books in order but I'm itching to get this one read. These are not my questions but I hope you enjoy them....and if the book sounds good to you, pay attention to #14 ;D


1. Tell us about your new book, 18 Billion.

18 Billion is the story of a nuclear threat against the United States by Afghan immigrants, who are Muslim. They plan to use the threat to rob the New York Federal Reserve Bank of its cash reserves and send that money to a Mohammed of Babylon, whom they believe to be the Mahdi. Mohammed, who is a proclaimed “man of peace” wants no part of terrorist activity and after receiving the money, seeks to return it to the United States without betraying the trust of his fellow Muslims. There is also the underlying plot of an international terrorist group that requires interdiction at multiple sites around the world, involving agencies of the United States government. At the end, Mohammed finds that he has used means of terror to combat terror. It leaves him in a quandary that he must somehow resolve by choosing one of two doors before him in the fulfilling of his life’s purpose.


2. What inspired you to write 18 Billion?

Islamic jihadists are a fact of life now as never before in American history. The book brings that home with a driving force. Yet, I am convinced that there are Muslims of noble character who are torn between allegiance to their faith and wanting to hold on to certain moral convictions not espoused by their kindred. This, among other things became a phenomenon to explore.


3. What message do you want readers to take away from your book?

We are vulnerable. We are capable. There is always the question, “Which Muslim can I trust?”


4. What sort of research went into writing this international thriller?

Primarily internet research of the banking industry, branches of government (both domestic and foreign), and media reports of terrorist incidents.


5. What is your process for planning out characters and events in your novels?

I primarily plan and document action scenes that will flow with the story; I then create characters that fit into these scenes. Many characters come from my own imagination; some characters are inspired (not portrayed) by people I have known and worked with over my lifetime. Into this flow, I often interject ancillary events and statements that are not necessarily associated with the story, but elaborate on a theme projected by the story.


6. Why did you choose 18 billion as the amount of money to be stolen from the United States Federal Reserve?

It is a sizeable, yet not astronomical amount. Also, there was the need to immediately transfer that physical cash accumulation overseas by air. It seemed reasonable. It was only after the book was published that a wise Jewish lady asked me the same question. My explanation did not satisfy her. She took a sheet of paper and wrote “18” and next to it wrote the two Hebrew characters that designated that number. She then told me that those two characters together could be literally translated as “life” with the parting remark, “I was sure that you knew.”


7. How did you create the characters in your book? Are any of them based on people you know or have read about?

The characters are completely fictional. I have not based any of them on people I have known in the past or now know. They simply evolved out of the machinations of my mind. Don’t ask me how that works.


8. You mentioned that writing is your third life career, after being a pilot in the United States Air Force and an orthopedic surgeon. Was writing always an interest of yours or did it only come about after retirement?

I have, for as long as I can remember, been one to write down thoughts and experiences. I never thought of writing as a career or even for publication until recently, although the germinal seeds for this book surfaced in my life during my five-year stay in Saudi Arabia, 1980-85.


9. How did your experience in the military and on medical mission trips affect your view of the world, and consequently, the plot of this book?

Early on in my travels, meeting people of many cultures and nationalities, I learned there was a commonality in us all. It is this – The basic need for everyone is to love and be loved. Piled on top of that are all the whims, fancies, and enslaving emotions of our striving lives. Possibilities and choices are always with everyone and how we manage them defines who we are. The characters in my book uphold this conviction. My experiences strengthened my faith in God, and at the same time engendered in me a certain degree of skepticism on those who sit in places of power over other people.


10. What tips can you give aspiring writers looking to create compelling fiction using real events?

Be careful to not portray a character of fiction as you might actually know someone to be. Do not be in a hurry to abandon a character in the heights of success or the throes of despair. Do not lose sight of the fact that what you are portraying must lie within the realm of possibilities.


11. In 18 Billion, the president complies with terrorist demands to ensure the safety of Americans. Do you think that we should ever negotiate with terrorists?

I am not a terrorist expert. I believe though that every terrorist demand must be managed on its individual circumstances. There is no ‘cookbook’ on which we should rely.


12. The issues of border security and terrorism are raised in the book. Do you think America is still as vulnerable to terrorist attacks as they were before September 11, 2001?

No. But by the same token, the genre of terrorist attacks continues to evolve into ones much different from those ten years ago. I believe that our intelligence community is on top of this, but there is always the haunting question of “What will they do next?”


13. I know you’ve said you believe that the Middle East will be pivotal to events surrounding the “end of the age” as described in Bible. Can you explain this?

Winston Churchill said it so well: “The further backward you look, the further ahead you can see.” History is a great teacher. There is no other place on Earth that can approach the Middle East in the extent of cultural and religious strife that history relates. I also believe that Biblical prophecy is a reality that one should not ignore. On top of that, scientists tell us that it all began with a “Big Bang” and it most likely will also end with a “Big Bang” (at a time yet eons away); something like a reversal. But we must also know that time is a poorly understood ethereal element in the human experience. And I know this is not an “explanation.”


14. Where can we purchase a copy of 18 Billion?

Online at www.jackgresham.com if you want an autographed copy, as well as Amazon.com and all other major booksellers.




Thank you to Maia Levenson of Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists for sending me a copy of 18 Billion to review.

copyright Book Dragon's Lair 2009-2010

10,000 Dresses

I thought I saw this book on a "challenged" list but don't remember where I saw it. I can see where someone might take offense but I don't.


10,000 Dresses
Marcus Ewert
Illustrations by Rex Ray

Seven Stories Press
Nov 1, 2008
Ages 4-8
32 pages

I checked this book out of the library.

amazon product description:
Every night, Bailey dreams about magical dresses: dresses made of crystals and rainbows, dresses made of flowers, dresses made of windows…Unfortunately, when Bailey’s awake, no one wants to hear about these beautiful dreams. Quite the contrary: “You’re a BOY!” Mother and Father tell Bailey. “You shouldn’t be thinking about dresses at all.” Then Bailey meets Laurel, an older girl who is touched and inspired by Bailey’s imagination and courage. In friendship, the two of them begin making dresses together. And Bailey becomes the girl she always dreamed she’d be!


My Thoughts:
Gay. Lesbian. Bi. Transgender. Transgender? This is a great book for the kid who doesn't quite feel like everyone thinks they should.

This is a cute book. Bold colors, big graphics. Interesting dresses although we only "see" three of them. It's creative, simplistic and goes right to the point. Stay true to your self. I loved it but I wanted more!

I'm hoping Marcus and Bailey will come play.


Challenges:
PB&J
Banned/challenged
GLBT
10*10*10