The Magic Room (review).

Some books grab and hold your attention from the first sentence to the last. Others seem eh and get better with each chapter until you simply can't put them down.

And still others make you think they are changing from eh to attention-holding but they never do.

I just finished reading The Magic Room by Jeffrey Zaslow, for the BlogHer Book Club review program, and the poor book was decidedly in that last category.

It wasn't a bad book -- far from it. It was just . . . a little disappointing.

The Magic Room carries a subtitle "A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters" but that doesn't really say anything about the book. I found the subtitle completely misleading. Instead, Zaslow's book is a statistic-heavy look at the societal trends surrounding marriage, the wedding industry and, sorta love. Using the backdrop of Becker's Bridal, an independent bridal shop in Fowler, Michigan, Zaslow shares the stories of several different brides along with the stories of the stores owners (current owner, Shelley, the previous owner, her mother, and the founder, her grandmother).

Zaslow has an easy story-telling style and the stories he shares from the different brides he profiled in the book are interesting -- there's a bride who has been saving her first kiss for her wedding day, another who suffers from Rheumatic Fever and never thought she would find someone to marry because of her debilitating illness -- but they don't work 100% well in this book. The stories are chopped up and only shared in bits and pieces throughout the book.

And let's get back to that subtitle: "A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters." That's not the story  of this book. Zaslow spends a lot of time discussing the marriage industry and how it has changed over the past 80 or so years. The success of a small independent shop in the mid-West is certainly remarkable in a time when brides go to mega retailers like David's Bridal for inexpensive dresses or hunt online. He also spends sharing statistics about divorce rates, marriage age trends and the like. It was all good information, but it was not a  "A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters." A story about marriage in America, maybe, but that wasn't the subtitle.

It's too bad. A subtitle like that does nothing to make a mom of two boys want to pick up the book. So, in a way, the publisher probably knocked the book off the list of a bunch of potential readers. Oh, well.

All in all, I'm glad I read the book and I think that those who are interested in weddings and marriage and who go all gaga over shows like "Say Yes to the Dress" and "Bridezillas" and whatever else is out there would probably enjoy the book. If that's you, pick up a copy! I just found that every time the book was moving out of the eh category, it fell right back in.

Thanks for reading my totally non-running review today. More running this weekend -- got a half marathon coming up. Yikes!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

~ Felice




Review disclosure: I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review but all opinions expressed are my own.

Give it up for the Strong Running Mamas!

Almost two years ago, early on in my second pregnancy, I started a running group to help non-runners become runners and train for a 5K. I've gushed about the group here and there and, honestly, it was a terrific experience. In celebration of their accomplishment, I made up some bracelets for them (and the other rocking mothers who helped with the group).

The bracelets said, "Strong Running Mama" on them because that's what those women had become.

A year later, I started a little Facebook group called Strong Running Mamas and the group has grown from the original dozen or so to almost 50!

These women rock! We support each other, run together, motivation one another -- it is awesome. I love it.

So, I had this idea. You know how people say that if you put something "out there" to the universe, it will happen?

Well, I asked each of the Strong Running Mamas to give me their numero uno goal for 2012 and they did. My idea? I'm going to put their goals "out there" and ask you all to support them as they work to achieve them. I figure, I put their goals "out there" for them, you guys wish them some luck, the universe responds and viola! the Strong Running Mamas accomplish their mighty awesome goals in 2012!


Should work, right?

YEAH!

So . . . the goals. Now, not all the Strong Running Mamas gave me their goals, but a bunch did. Please, friends, read these goals and help me give them some support!

(You can click on the image to enlarge it.)

Awesome running goals, huh?

Leave a comment, send me an email (I'll pass the love along), or just wish the Strong Running Mamas good luck in your mind (or out loud, if you prefer) -- whatever you want. Just help us get the good vibes going for their 2012 goals!

Throughout the year, I plan to check in and see how everyone is doing and I'll let you guys know how the Strong Running Mamas are progressing.

Thanks, friends. Your support will be greatly appreciated!

And, if you believe in karma, you're sure to get something in return ;-)

Have a great day, all!

~ Felice

Testing . . . 10 miles . . . testing.

My Christmas Eve 10-miler wasn't just a fun little run with friends. It was also a test. I wanted to see how my knee/hammie/calf would hold up while running what will be the midpoint of my long run pace when marathon training begins (next week!).

There were 7 of us who set out in the 18 degree weather Saturday morning. Days before the run, I let the group know that I was looking to run the 10 miles at a 9:30 pace and, fortunately, Melissa said she'd be happy to run with me. The group started together and we went through the first mile in about 10 minutes. Toward the end of that mile, Melissa and I found our groove and we ended up running together -- just the two of us -- for the rest of the way.

Melissa was a great partner! We chatted about tons of stuff and just seemed to fall easily into a good rhythm. I looked at my watch for the first time around 5.5 miles and quickly did some math that reassured me that we were running at the right pace. Although we may have been running the right pace, apparently, I wasn't running the right route.

When we were around 8.5 miles into the run, I noticed that something was wrong. We were probably a half mile away from where we had started, which was also the end of the run. Yup, I had made a wrong turn and figured I was probably meant to go straight at the last turn. So, we doubled back and looped around and ended up finishing the run with 10.10 miles covered.

And . . . we didn't even walk up the last hill, which, is one steeeeeeep, tough hill. Especially because we hit it at about 9.75 miles into our frigid run. We powered through, plenty happy once we hit the top, even happier when we hit the slight downhill that led us to the parking lot and end of our run.

After the run, Melissa and I walked to cool down, which ended up making us freeze so we huddled in my car and waited for the others, who all had great runs, too!

All in all, even though (or maybe because?) it was so cold, it was a super run. Our pace? 9:36 for the 10.10 miles. I wanted 9:30 and pretty much got it. The best part is that my leg felt (more or less) fine the whole way and the pace felt very, very comfortable. Just what you want for your long run, right?

Yeah. Test, passed.

Today, my almost 5 mile run was a different story. Sluggish. But, you know, it's the day after Christmas and I certainly indulged in the Christmas goodies. So, a sluggish run? No big deal. It happens.

I'm a little less thrilled that my knee/hammie/calf hurt a little while I was out there today, but the pain was never awful so I'm not going to get too worried. At least not yet.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

~ Felice

Five things Friday.

1. Two days until Christmas! Exciting times -- Conal has never been as in to the whole season as he has been this year. He's anxious for Sunday, but he's enjoying all the build up as he waits. He loves wrapping presents, helping me bake cookies and other goodies, and decorating. The season has been lots of fun this year.

2. Unfortunately, it has also been plagued by some illness and injury. (Not me this time!) Conal came down with strep throat last week (yuck!), a painful rash this week (double yuck!), and then he fell off his new big boy bed last night and smacked his nose on the sharp corner of a wooden chair (I'm going to jump right to quadruple yuck for that one).

Today, my little guy has a badly bruised, slightly swollen, potentially broken nose.

Yeah . . . 


3. Although he had to miss a few days of pre-school last week, including caroling day, Conal was well enough to enjoy his breakfast with Santa on Monday:

and take part in the class play on Wednesday. It was cute. Trust me.

4. My Christmas shopping is officially done! As of yesterday.


I know . . . slacker . . . I know.


5. My power of praise will be tested out in tomorrow's 10-miler. There are 9 of us heading out tomorrow morning and I can't wait to run with such a great group of wonderful women!!


Merry Christmas, everyone. Thanks for stopping by!


~ Felice


PS: I have a quickie little giveaway going on over HERE.