What the heck am I reading?

I've been in bed at 8 pm every night with a book. I'm starting to miss TV, but I have a date with myself and an ironing board and non-stop HGTV on Thursday. So, what is keeping me reading in bed every night? Well, I have those textbooks to read, of course. And also:


How do I love this book? Let me count the ways...hmmmmmmmmm. Well...I love it, the YA (young adult) fiction. Also, the story is simply amazing. It is a fantastic tale of friendship and courage and making things happen. It's also about how a journey can be more rewarding than the destination. I liked it so much that I'm reading it to the wee folk.

And, for my next pick (do NOT make fun of me):


Yes, I'm still concerned that I'm going to be stupid in school. And no, the 3.87 GPA that I had the last time I took a swing at graduate school does nothing to help assuage my fears. I feel very not smart. Maybe this will help.

And last (and definitely the juiciest):



This is the second book in the series. I read the first in June. An endlessly entertaining epic adventure.

So, how about you? What are you reading?

You Mean I Can't Just Buy a New Brain on Ebay???

Darnit. Even though I've spent a lot of time wishing I had a better one, this hunka hunka grey jelly is going to have to do.

It's a shame, really, that this brain mostly thinks about food and cute sweaters. That's all well and good, of course, but I have graduate school to think about and, unfortunately, cute sweaters are not involved (merely incidental...or accidental, as is my usual case).

I guess, instead of envying other, better brains, I think I should try to train the brain I have. It did pretty well for me in college. Can I bring it back up to that level? If not, that leaves me with only very complicated and Frankenstein-like options

I'm very worried that I can't make it happen. The poor brain has atrophied. Major atrophied. It has been subjected to lack of sleep and hormones and the stress of soothing crying babies and the ridiculousness of trying to reason with bothered toddlers. It has been stimulated by caffeine, pickled in wine and sedated with endless episodes of What Not to Wear (psst...the answer is, "everything in my closet").

But yet, I enroll in an MA program. Am I just ASKING for trouble???

So, this week I started a program focused on healing the brain. I got more sleep. I cut down on the caffeine (only 2 pepsi max in the morning plus one cup of coffee). I started taking Omega 3. I finally remembered to buy that book about memory. I bought flax seed oil (and I cooked these delightful treats that my children hated and I loved ("Good!", I said, "More for me!")).

Will it all work?

I have no idea, but here's a current status report...

The Omega-3 chewables gag me and have upset my delicate little system which was quite happy with the status-quo of chocolate and cheese (and coffee and soda, of course). Getting more sleep is great, but not always an option with one frequent-nightmarer and a sleepwalker (who actually will go outside) among us ... not to mention my own wacky sleep habits (yeah, I walk and talk in my sleep too...it's a Peterson thing). Cutting down on the caffeine is workable and I'll try to remember to read the memory book (if I can remember to remind myself, that is).

I guess time will tell. This morning, I was reading Laini Taylor's blog where she writes about working with the brain you have instead of wishing for a better one. Inspiring words, to be sure.

However, I am comforted to know that there is always that Frankenstein option [thunder booms in the background].

Ugh! When Will I Ever Update This Thing????

I'm brewing something and it's taking all my darn blogging time. I'll give you a hint...Master's Degree. Oops! Did I give it away?