Duly Noted

Over the next year or so, I will randomly publish a post that focuses on an aspect of my growing library and reading list. My Library, Volume I: Female Memoirs and Biographies I've always loved to read.  Many a summer afternoon has been spent reading a book from beginning to end, always in a sunny spot with a soft breeze coming through.  My taste in books hasn't changed much since childhood.  The criteria has remained steadfast; my favorite books have at least one strong central female character who overcomes challenges using her intellect and innate sense of creativity. Even as a young reader, many of these books were non-fiction.  By age 10, I had read every Jackie O. biography in the Wauwatosa Library. I was also obsessed with Caddie Woodlawn, a real Midwestern heroine ala Laura Ingalls.   So naturally, many of my current favorite books are true accounts of female life. Most of the books below I have read more than once and sometimes  successively after just finishin

After completing my fair share of road races and a handful of trail races, I know where my heart is when it comes to running- in the woods.  There is not a doubt in my mind.  I love the single track; my eye is on the path as I leap over roots and slide down mossy rocks.  My heart sings when the trail opens into an endless field of wildflowers and long grasses.  As my friend Rebecca put it yesterday at Afton, it is like we're kids playing again. Yesterday, my running buddy Rebecca and I completed the Afton 25k Trail Race.  Rebecca wrote a wonderfully descriptive post (with photos!) about the event here: Miles and Laurel: Afton Trail Run race report .  It's definitely worth a read if you're interested in learning about the joys of this particular event (and how much fun we have on the trails together!). As soon as I finished this race, I was ready for another.  Additionally, I am interested in the 50k option. I couldn't believe the amount of energy I still had at the fini

After completing my fair share of road races and a handful of trail races, I know where my heart is when it comes to running- in the woods.  There is not a doubt in my mind.  I love the single track; my eye is on the path as I leap over roots and slide down mossy rocks.  My heart sings when the trail opens into an endless field of wildflowers and long grasses.  As my friend Rebecca put it yesterday at Afton, it is like we're kids playing again. Yesterday, my running buddy Rebecca and I completed the Afton 25k Trail Race.  Rebecca wrote a wonderfully descriptive post (with photos!) about the event here: Miles and Laurel: Afton Trail Run race report .  It's definitely worth a read if you're interested in learning about the joys of this particular event (and how much fun we have on the trails together!). As soon as I finished this race, I was ready for another.  Additionally, I am interested in the 50k option. I couldn't believe the amount of energy I still had at the

A month into Summer with a capital S (cause Summer is for real for teachers), I have had a fair amount of hours to pick apart and contemplate my dependence on staying "busy."  You might just say I stayed busy stressing about my lack of busyness.  (I know this will tickle more than a few of my readers who I tease about their dependence on busyness.  Let's just say this comes from a place of understanding.)  My stress naturally led into some soul searching.  If my schedule is not full...If I am not working full time...If I don't know what the day has in store...If I don't have a plan...Well, what then?  Who am I?  What's the point?   On Sunday evening, my eye caught The New York Times headline, "The 'Busy' Trap. "  Author Tim Kreider argues that busyness is an "existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness."  He claims that people stay busy "because of their own ambition or drive or anxiety, because they're addicted