In my quest to help myself manage perimenopause while continuing to build healthy habits, I came across a book, The Galveston Diet by Mary Claire Haver, MD. I went on her website and discovered “The ‘Pause Life”, her blog and online community for all things related to menopause and women’s health.
While checking out the resources on “The ‘Pause Life”, I came across the four-week “Belly Fat Challenge” and decided to try it. Instead of jumping straight into the Galveston Diet, I’m using the month of May to do the challenge. Until then, I’m slowly adjusting my diet to include more fiber, continuing to limit my sugar, and planning how to get the amount of exercise I need to complete the challenge.
I’m also considering adding restorative yoga and meditation to my evening routine since the challenge also calls for reducing stress. Doing those activities might also help with my sleep issues, but even if they don’t, neither is harmful so it’s worth trying.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
My shelf is down a book to 1101. I finished several books during the readathon on Saturday, but I also discovered a bunch of books on my shelves that had not been added to my Goodreads.
This week’s books:
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson – KEEP. This book is one of those that I would accidentally buy a second copy if I didn’t have Goodreads to tell me I already own it.
Alcatraz from Inside by Jim Quillen – KEEP. I bought this and the following books while I was visiting Alcatraz.
Bird Man by Jolene Babyak – KEEP. The book above mentions daily encounters with the “Bird Man,” and this book is written by someone who lived on the island and knew Robert Stroud.
Acatraz Believe it or Not by T.C. Bakker – KEEP. I mostly got this one just for fun.
Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell – KEEP. I want to read this book because of the title. I don’t know why, but I love it. Hopefully, I’ll enjoy the book as much as the title.
My want-to-read shelf is steady at 1101 books. I thought I might get rid of several books this week, but was wrong. I think I’ll keep all of the books in the next post, so we’ll see if I’m wrong again.
I began looking at all of the symptoms I’ve been dealing with for the past couple of weeks. While stress is a contributing factor, I’m thinking that I might be in perimenopause. I started considering this when I started having night sweats, so I checked out a book about it from the library. I discovered a whole bunch more symptoms I had been having that I didn’t realize were also signs of perimenopause.
To help me track my symptoms and figure out what triggers them or makes them worse, I found a free app called Balance. I linked to their website because there’s another app with the same name but for mindfulness and meditation.
Take the first 5 (or 10 if you’re feeling adventurous) books
Read the synopses of the books
Decide: keep it or should it go?
My shelf is up to 1102 books yet again. Over the past few weeks, I’ve finished a couple of books but bought a couple and added a couple to my wishlist.
This week’s books:
Cynicism from Diogenes to Dilbert by Ian Cutler – KEEP. I was drawn to this book out of interest in learning more about Greek Cynicism and modern Cynicism, particularly in pop culture.
Virginia Woolf by Quentin Bell – KEEP. I know a little about Woolf’s life and would like to learn more about her.
Howl and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg – KEEP. This is mandatory reading for anyone wanting to understand the Beat Generation, and it’s such a short book that I don’t know why I haven’t read it already. I bought my copy at the bookstore that originally published it, City Lights Books in San Francisco.
The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene – GO. I’m tired of love stories set during WWII.
Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf – KEEP. I’ve had difficulty getting into and reading older novels, such as Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist. I wonder if my increased use of technology, especially social media, might be the cause. I’m interested to see what Wolf has to say about it.
My want-to-read shelf is down to 1001 books. Though I’m not certain, I might let go of several books in the next post.
“Building the Book Fort” is a weekly post where I track my bookish life.
Currently Reading:
A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide by J.K. Rowling
The Right to Arm Bears by Andrew Seiple
Finished:
Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke
Total pages read this week: 528
Total books read: 18 of 80
TBR: -13 (Goal is -36)
“Life happens when you’re busy making plans” is the story of my life lately. I’ve had to overhaul my budget to help my daughter as much as possible without hurting my financial situation and I found out from my boyfriend that we might be moving back to Texas early next year, much sooner than we had originally planned. What does this mean for my bookish life? I won’t be buying hardly any new books in any format for the foreseeable future. I’ll also shift my focus from reading my ebooks to culling and reading my physical TBR. Thankfully, Dewey’s 24-Hour #Readathon is next weekend.
What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!
The antibiotics I was on after getting my wisdom teeth removed messed me up, and, judging by the dreams I’ve been having, the stress of dealing with my daughter’s situation didn’t help.
Since this post covers two weeks, I’ve listed each week’s totals separated by a “-” for each thing I track.
“Building the Book Fort” is a weekly post where I track my bookish life.
Currently Reading:
A Mindful Year by Dr. Aria Campbell-Danesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan
10-Minute Digital Declutter by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
Vinyl Resting Place by Olivia Blacke
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide by J.K. Rowling
Finished:
The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg
Total pages read this week: 405
Total books read: 17 of 80
TBR: -12 (Goal is -36)
With all of the family drama, me recovering from having my wisdom teeth removed (the antibiotics did a serious number on me), and my boyfriend going on another trip, I retreated from the real world as much as possible and immersed myself in all things Harry Potter. I watched all the movies, listened to Wrock music, and started the books again. I also played “Hogwarts Legacy,” and will continue to play it this weekend since I’m nearly done with the game.
What are you reading? Let me know in the comments!
