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Support Sarah!
In random awesomeness, Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is running in the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell 5K Run on November 20, 2011, and is running in my honor!
Last night on Twitter, Sarah mentioned she was considering entering a 5K. I replied that while I’ve volunteered at the run, I’ve never been able to run, since I have arthritis. (More on that in a sec.) And, faster than you can say, “Wham, bam, thank you mam,” Sarah was registered for the run!
Then, came the most important part, the planning of the 5K wardrobe. Of course it had to have LOTS of jingle. Oh! And, the most fashionable of Menorah headwear.
When I was 14, I began to get mysterious pains in my legs. Over the next 4 years, I was diagnosed with pinched nerves, pulled muscles, and teenage-girl hysteria. (Seriously, I had 3 doctors stare me down and say nothing was wrong with me even though I KNEW my legs hurt.) However, when I was 18, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease—an auto-immune intestinal disease, that resulted in my seeing a rheumatologist. (Often, people with a Crohn’s will get a secondary form of arthritis during a flare-up.) Not only did I have Crohn’s related arthritis, I also had another, second form of arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis. (Yes, I seem to have hit the arthritis jackpot.)
One of the best support systems that I found in my 20s was a young adults with arthritis support group. We met regularly for advice, support, and socializing, and volunteered for arthritis-related events, including the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell run.
Over the years, I’ve had 7 surgeries (including a revision on my right hip-replacement this past February), braces, medications, and more scans, tests, and x-rays than you can shake a stick at. The Arthritis Foundation provides research grants, education for people with arthritis and their families, and exercise classes, as well as lots of other incredible programs. You can learn more about them, here.
I’m so touched that Sarah is not only participating in an event that will support the Arthritis Foundation’s efforts, but that she will also be doing it in my honor.
Please support Sarah’s effort in raising money for the Arthritis Foundation.
Run, Sarah, run!
The Hero and the Grovel
Today, I’m talking heroes and grovel scenes at DIK.
Come and tell me about your favorites!
Review: Day of the Dragon
My first ever review at Book Binge is up!
Come on over to see what I thought about Rebecca York’s Day of the Dragon.
Just finished reading…Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
This review cross-posted from Goodreads.
My Goodreads rating: 5 of 5 stars
View all my reviews at Goodreads.
Hunger by Jackie Morse Kessler
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This slim (175 pgs) volume was the hardest, darkest book I’ve read in a long time.
This unflinching tale of Lisa, an anorexic teen who’s selected to be Famine, one of the Horseman of the Apocalypse, took a lot longer to read than I thought it would, because it was hard, at times, to live in Lisa’s head.
With an economy of words, the story paints a vivid portrait of Lisa, and how her life is dominated by the “Thin voice”. The ritual and routine of obeying the Thin voice, and the inevitable guilt and self loathing when she is unable to live up to its warped expectations, is powerful and difficult reading.
In the midst of Lisa’s pain, Death comes for her with a new task–to take up the scales of Famine.
As Famine, Lisa is ripped from her internal drama and thrust into horrors of the greater world. She must find strength within herself to take control of the situation, and ultimately, control of her life.
For all of it’s darkness, Hunger, in the end, is a hopeful one. It doesn’t have a fairytale HEA, but Lisa does come into her own power that helps her move forward with her life.
Jackie Morse Kessler is donating portion of proceeds to the National Eating Disorders Association. Book 2 in the series, Rage, will be out April 2011.
- Jackie Morse Kessler’s site
View all my reviews at Goodreads >>
I’m still alive, but . . .
. . . still no internet service at my new place until next Monday. Currently popping (briefly) online when I can, but won’t realistically be able to post regularly until the end of next week. Also, will be guest posting at DIK next week!
For a (mostly) current list of what I’ve been reading, pop on over to Goodreads.
Stay tuned . . .
People are going to talk…