Running With Perseverance

Other Books I Read In 2012–And The One I Didn’t

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Coco

At the beginning of 2012, I set a goal of reading 12 books in 2012, and I am pleased to report that I exceeded that goal. Writing a book review post at the end of each month helped keep me on track but so did discovering Good Reads and reading other book suggestions on blogs and Facebook.

The last book I read in 2012 was The Dog Stars, by Peter Heller.

From the Amazon synopsis:

A riveting, powerful novel about a pilot living in a world filled with loss—and what he is willing to risk to rediscover, against all odds, connection, love, and grace.

My synopsis:

Finding friendship–and love?–after the end of the world without losing your sense of humor.

I think the optimism of the main character outweighs the bleak setting, and keeps the tone of the story generally positive, although sometimes the only humor in a situation is of the might-as-well-laugh-or-else-I’ll-cry variety.

Earlier this year I read two books that I did not review yet, both of which happen to relate to Mormonism.

The one you’ve probably heard of is The Book Of Mormon Girl, by Joanna Brooks.

From the Amazon synopsis:

From her days of feeling like “a root beer among the Cokes”—Coca-Cola being a forbidden fruit for Mormon girls like her—Joanna Brooks always understood that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints set her apart from others. But, in her eyes, that made her special; the devout LDS home she grew up in was filled with love, spirituality, and an emphasis on service. … But as she grew older, Joanna began to wrestle with some tenets of her religion, including the Church’s stance on women’s rights and homosexuality. ….

This book got mixed reviews, and my review is mixed as well. Some parts of the book tell an engaging story, while others veer off into a text book tone. Maybe I fell asleep in the middle of the book, but I don’t understand how she came to be such a feminist after her devout upbringing. The narrative seemed to jump from obedient school child to rebellious college student without much explanation for the transition. Did her family support her liberal views, or was she rebelling against them as well? Despite these gripes, I think it was an enjoyable book overall.

The other one I borrowed from a friend: The 19th Wife: A Novel, by David Ebershoff.

From the Amazon synopsis:

It is 1875, and Ann Eliza Young has recently separated from her powerful husband, Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Expelled and an outcast, Ann Eliza embarks on a crusade to end polygamy in the United States. … Yet soon after Ann Eliza’s story begins, a second exquisite narrative unfolds–a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah. …

Basically, the book alternates between a fictionalized history of the early Mormon Church and a modern-day story. I always have a hard time switching gears between alternating story lines, but these were different enough to keep straight and related enough to benefit from their intertwined format. If you like historical fiction or are interested in the history of the Mormon Church, you probably would enjoy this book.

Given those last two reviews, it may come as no surprise which popular books of 2012 I did not read!

After hearing Lynn Neary’s piece on Friday’s All Things Considered, at least I know I’m not alone. Since I unabashedly adored The Hunger Games, I think I would have to answer here “prude” or “snob” question on the side of prudery.

What was your favorite book of 2012?

Did you read 50 Shades of Gray?

Posted in Book Reviews, Life | Tagged 50 Shades, Book Review, The 19th Wife, The Book Of Mormon Girl, The Dog Stars | 2 Comments

Cranberry Pound Cake

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Coco

I’ve been on a real cranberry kick this holiday season. (Did you see my recipe for sugared cranberries?) When I saw this recipe for Cranberry Cake in the November issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, I thought it would make a nice treat for Christmas morning. Now that I’ve had it, I can definitely recommend it for a New Year’s brunch!

As usual, I made a number of changes (some intentional, some not so), but I will post the original recipe. Continue reading →

Posted in Food | Tagged Cranberry, Recipe | 5 Comments

Tart And Tangy Sugared Cranberries

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Coco

It’s been years since I’ve made sugared cranberries, and after spending an hour rolling cranberries in superfine sugar, I think I remember why! The recipe really is easy, and they are so pretty and tasty the extra time in the kitchen is worth it. These would make a great hostess gift or appetizer for a New Year’s Eve party or New Year’s Day brunch.

I use an old Cooking Light recipe that basically calls for equal parts fresh cranberries, water and granulated sugar, plus superfine sugar for dusting the berries. I wanted enough to give to friends, so I used two bags of fresh berries (about 6 cups of berries). I was afraid my pot wouldn’t hold 6 cups of water and 6 cups of berries, so I cut the water and sugar back to 5 cups each.

Rinse and drain fresh cranberries, picking out any bad ones.
Add water to a large pot, add an equal amount of sugar, and heat over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear. (This may take a long time.)
Bring the liquid to a simmer, but don’t let it boil because that will be too hot for the cranberries.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cranberries.

Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight.

Scoop out the berries and drain in a colander Save the cranberry sugar water to use in cocktails, lemonade or iced tea.

Pour superfine sugar into a dish and roll the cranberries to coat with a light dusting of sugar.

(I found superfine sugar labeled as “caster sugar” in the baking section)

Let the coated berries dry thoroughly (for 1-2 hours) before packing into containers lined with parchment paper.

Aren’t they pretty?

They are great as a festive appetizer, or a garnish for lemonade or champagne!

Posted in Food | Tagged Christmas, New Year's, Recipe | 8 Comments

Knowing The Difference Between Badass And Dumbass

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Coco

When hurricane Sandy was rolling in, I had to get to the pharmacy. On my short drive there, I saw a woman out power walking in the driving rain and thought:

There's badass, and then there's dumbass. Know the difference!

I had to remind myself of the same thing when I took my new Garmin Forerunner 10 out for a test run on December 26.

Garmin Forerunner 10

The Weather Channel App said that it was snowing,

Weather Channel App (snow)

so I bundled up.

Nike Hat Long-sleeved running tops Running Gloves

I walked to my starting point and turned on my Garmin Forerunner 10. It took a bit longer to find the satellite signal than my Garmin 405 usually does, but that could be because it was its first use. Once it was ready, I hit the start button and began my run.

After I turned the first corner, it felt like my face was being pelting with sleet, and it sounded more like sleet than snow. As I started up the first hill, I noticed that the road was a bit slick, although I never lost my footing. As I neared the edge of my neighborhood, I was debating what to do. The precipitation felt wetter and wetter and I could barely see because my glasses were covered with drops of water. To run beyond my neighborhood, I would have to use sidewalks–which were untreated and accumulating a layer of partially frozen slush.

I decided that continuing to run would be more dumbass than badass. There was no reason to risk a twisted ankle–or a cracked Garmin!–from a fall. There was no reason to risk a cold from getting soaked to the skin with icy rain. Since I was keeping my Garmin dry under my jacket sleeve, I couldn’t even see the display, so it wasn’t much of a test run. I opted to head home, running halfway up my hill to minimize the time I would have to spend walking in what had become quite miserable weather!

Another check of the Weather Channel App confirmed what I had learned first-hand.

Weather Channel App (winter advisory)

When I got in the house I realized just how soaked I was. I had to change clothes completely before I could round out my workout time with Jillian.

This DVD jumped into my cart when I was doing some last-minute Christmas shopping. I have several friends who like it–I’ll let you know what I think when I’ve made it through all three levels! After 20 minutes with Jillian, I did my 7 minute plank routine. I had to keep reminding myself of this motivational mantra to finish each 30-second plank.