Category: books

Book Review**Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

by Ariana Peters, posted in books

I know I am SUPER late jumping on this bandwagon but I finally read the book (the movie is in my Netflix queue).

This was NOTHING like what I thought it was going to be, I had an idea about the book from whisperings from other people and the movie posters and stuff but it was nothing like I thought it was going to be at all.

I didn’t think it was an incredibly fast-paced book but I was still enthralled with it. It is a longer book and well written. I actually really enjoyed it. I started to read the 2nd book right away but had to stop because I was getting board with the characters, also because it doesn’t really pick up where it left off which bugged me; eventually I will pick it back up and we’ll discuss it then.

If you haven’t read it I recommend reading it, I would say this is a middle of the road book, it’s not fun smut or chick-lit but its not super intense classics like book. You want to pay attention but you can walk away and come back to it pretty easily.

January Monthly goals

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, healthy lifestyle, House/dating/life, school/studying, training

January

The goals for the year broken down for this month:

Blog at least 3 times a week- so I need a minimum of 14 blog posts including January 31st

PROPERLY train for and run a half, full and ultra marathon- half marathon training is up first, the minimum number of miles I need have run this month to keep up good training is- 60 miles

Revamp my diet and STICK TO IT!!!! –

Breakfast-juice and muffin or toast and coffee (I dropped my muffin this morning, sad face, so leftover slice of pizza and juice it is!)

Midmorning snack– Slimfast or smoothie

Lunch– Soup or salad

Dinner– Anything I want as long as it is make at home

After dinner– tea or hot chocolate , popcorn is ok too

 

Get A’s in all my classes this year- Keep a running tally of my % in my class(es)

Drop two clothing sizes, go from a 10 to a 6 –Stick with the aforementioned meal plan and marathon training and I should be golden

Stop overspending!!!! – I am not keeping any forms of payment on me at work so that I cannot pop next door to the little market whenever the desire strikes and I only get to eat out once this month so I better choose well.

Take a few minutes every day to sit in quiet reflection, meditate, and do something spiritual –I have a 5 line a day little diary and a 366 day devotional I am starting to use. (the first of the year was about setting your intention for the year and sending it out into the world, my intention this year is FOLLOW THROUGH!!! I am terrible about this)

Continue to work on and grow my relationship with Brandon – we need to get out and do something every week, we currently have Thursday evening through Sunday morning together and I don’t want us to just sit on the couch the whole weekend so my goal is at least one outing a weekend (they just need to be free outings lol)

Read 1 non-school book a month- I already met that goal this month ( I read online yesterday because work was dead) so let’s see if I can squeeze in a second one before school starts.

2 weeks until school starts

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, school/studying, Uncategorized

ARG!!! So frustrating! I am only take the 1 class this quarter, its $467 and some change and I can’t enroll in a payment plan!!!!! I set aside some money so yes I can pay for it in one chunk but I didn’t anticipate the book, lab manual and access code I need together all costing almost as much as the class! I need to find another $305.

The most frustrating thing about school is the cost and no I do not qualify for any financial aid since I already have a bachelors degree. Once I am accepted into a Nursing program it is a different story but currently I can get nothing. I hate feeling like I am getting penalized for not knowing what I wanted to do at 19 years old after my dad died and my whole life and life plan was turned upside down (we wanted to open a bakery and café together). I kept going forward on the plan I had set with him because at the time if you were over 18 and wanted to keep your parents insurance you had to be enrolled in college full time so I kept going and got my degree. I now know what I want to do in life and it feels like it is 10x harder to achieve it. I am starting back at the bottom except that now I have more bills, more debt and more responsibilities on top of school. I don’t want to complain, there are people out there who have it much worse and much harder than I do, it is just frustrating. Ok rant over.

Now I need to figure out where to get that extra $300 from.

I’ll check back in next week and hopefully let you know my book and class have been paid for and that I am all set to start the quarter.

Layout of the blog.

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training, travel

I hate being inconsistent. I really want to get to a consistent place with this blog where you can count on posts certain days and on certain subjects. I think I have come up with a schedule that works for me.

Mondays– Monday motivation- All things fitness centered, checking in on workouts and races, pics of food, hiking and all that good stuff.

Wednesdays– House stuff- house hunting, hopefully after we a house fixing it up and gardening and planting and all that jazz

Fridays– school stuff- everything related to school, studying, classes, frustrations, nursing school stuff, fun facts and so much more

Those will be the main weekly points, then above that my goal will be to post a book review at least every OTHER week (if I can get through a non-school book a week that would be awesome but I am not going to over stretch myself)

Other above and beyond things will be any traveling posts or fun things that happen. These will not be on any regular basis (unfortunately, I don’t get to set a traveling schedule hahahahaha it will be as time and budget allow.)

Is there anything else you want to hear about or talk about?

Let me know!

Book Review**Escape by Carolyn Jessop

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, healthy lifestyle

Image result for escape by carolyn jessop(Image from Google)

Holy wow I thought this was an amazing book. I knew a little about FLDS and of course we’ve all heard of things like Waco and Warren Jeffs butt to hear a first hand account is so intense.

I have also wondered how people let themselves get into situations like this so it was good to read one and realize that most are born into it and that the adults who did choose it, usually chose something very different in the beginning then it ended up slowly becoming something different.

It is devastating to learn how trapped these people are and how few if any lifelines there are for them to escape and yes escape is a true description, you cannot just walk away.

Overall just an amazing read, I highly encourage this read no matter what you believe in, it is very interesting.

*Just because I said I didn’t know much about FLDS does not mean I think all FLDS people or communities are like this. If CONSENTING ADULTS want to be polygamists more power to them. I just found this to be interesting and informative about one person’s journey.

 

 

Book Review**The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, healthy lifestyle

Image result for the girl with the seven names (image from Google)

Oh man, just like the last book, Lilac Girls, this was sometimes very intense but so good. I only knew the vaguest things about North Korea and now I feel like I know so much more. I always wondered how dictators got away with things and now I know a little better. They keep their people ignorant.

The struggles that she and her family went through are amazing. The strength and courage all the defectors show is amazing. I found this to be a thoroughly interesting story.

Book Review**Good Christian B*tches

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, healthy lifestyle

Did anyone watch this TV show? It only ran for 1 season, if that? I thought it was funny though. Now that I have read the book I want to see if I can find that 1 season anywhere and compare it.

This book was pure chick lit, very little substance as far as I am concerned. It was actually kind of an infuriating read, the women in the book, the b*itches, were horrible and so unchristian which I get is the point of the book but the main character just laid down and took it for so long it drove me CRAZY!

This is definitely not a book I would read a second time and I don’t feel the need to recommend it to anyone. I also felt like the ending was very rushed, there was this big build-up then a jump to the finish.

A positive of the book was the development of the mother-daughter protagonists, I really enjoyed that and thought it was sweet.

All in all, I hate to say it, but don’t waste your time. The few episodes of the TV show are much funnier.

Book Review**Die Again by Tess Gerritsen

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, healthy lifestyle

I love Rizzoli and Isles books so any one of them I read I would generally give it a good review hahaha. I particularly liked this one though and maybe because it was a little different. It jumped back and forth between past and present letting the story unfold slowly and I really liked that. It also took a story that took place on safari in Africa (the past part of the story) and tied it to present day Boston with Rizzoli and Isle. I think that aspect brought a little more depth to the book in my opinion or maybe it just made it more interesting. Either way I enjoyed the book a lot.

Tidbits from the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in books, food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

And with that we are almost 1/2 through the quarter and are about to say goodbye to April!

School this week was ok. I skipped chem class on Monday, I was in a bad head space and needed to chill.

I relaxed with the puppy and watched some TV.

I am not feeling as dedicated this quarter though, probably because I am working full time as well which is a big adjustment.

I discovered this which tastes way too good and is probably going to kill me. I am slowly getting used to my new schedule, but by Wednesday night I am so wiped out.

Tuesday I got a little food prep done, mini frittatas

 

Which make 2nd breakfast/early lunch a breeze

Pretty delicious and ready in less than 5 minutes!

I also broke down and spent $35 on a magic bullet, protien smoothies are a great start to the day!!!

Then I had some pizza and salad, balance right?? Hahahahaha

I also went for a little walk outside with the roommate then jumped on the treadmill.

I need to start yoga again. My lower back is killing me and I think its pinching a nerve in my leg.

What I am currently listening to:


It is SUPER interesting, at least I think it is.

Friday it was pretty nice weather so after lab the BF and I did a little 4 mile hike! And before we left he made pot roast, threw it in a cast iron pot and let it cook on low until dinner time…….so good!!!!!!