Alphabet Readers

This year I've been participating in the Alphabet Readers group, where you aim to read books that start with the letters of the alphabet... either by Titles, or by Authors, or both. I chose to do both. :o)

So, here's how I'm doing so far....

(Last updated: October 11/06)

BY TITLE:

A - "A Third Testament" - by Malcolm Muggeridge (done: Feb.7/06)

B - "Blah, Blah, Blah" - by Bayard Taylor (done: Sept.3/06)

C - "Complete Idiot's Guide to the Reformation & Protestantism, The"
- by James S. Bell & Tracy Macon Sumner (done: Oct.2/06)

D - "Devil's Heiress, The" - by Jo Beverley (done: Sept.1/06)

E - "Everything's Coming Up Josey" - by Susan May Warren (done: June 1/06)

F - "Finding Anna" - by Christine Schaub (done: Feb.5/06)
- "Fit for Life" - by Harvey & Marilyn Diamond (done: July 7/06)

G - "Gone With the Wind" - by Margaret Mitchell (done: Jan.22/06)
- "Gathering Place, The" - by Becca Anderson (done: May 27/06)
- "Girl in Hyacinth Blue" - by Susan Vreeland (done: Sept.14/06)

H - "Hadassah Covenant, The" - by Tommy Tenney (done: Apr.20/06)
- "Heart of Christianity, The" - by Marcus J. Borg (done: Sept.9/06)

I - "Intuitive Eating" - by Evelyn Tribole, Elyse Resch (done: Aug.1/06)

J

K

L - "Lazarus Trap, The" - by Davis Bunn (done: Jan.5/06)
- "Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe, The" - by C.S. Lewis (done: Feb.22/06)

M - "More Jesus, Less Religion" - Stephen Arterburn (done: Aug.28/06)

N - "New Kind of Christian, A" - Brian D. McLaren (done: Aug.27/06)

O - "Overcoming Overeating" - Jane R. Hirschman, Carol Munter (done: Mar.10)

P - "Procrastinating Child, The" - by Rita Emmett (done: Apr.17/06)

Q

R - "Rekindled" - by Tamera Alexander (done: Feb.27/06)
- "Rachel's Prayer" - by Leisha Kelly (done: Apr.25/06)
- "Ragamuffin Gospel, The" - by Brennan Manning (done: Aug.19/06)
- "Relentless" - Robin Parrish (done: Aug.24/06)

S - "Stolen Lives" - Brian Reaves (done: May 22/06)

T - "Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates" - Jill Fleming (done: July 13/06)

U

V - "Velvet Elvis" - Rob Bell (done: Aug.11/06)

W - "Who Needs Decaf?" - Tanya Michaels (done: Mar.16/06)
- "Why Weight?" - Geneen Roth (done: July 19/06)
- "Win the Weight Game" - Sarah, Duchess of York (done: July 19/06)

X

Y

Z - "Zelda's Cut" - Philippa Gregory (done: Oct.11/06)

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By AUTHOR:

A - Alexander, Tamera (Rekindled - 02/27/06)
- Anderson, Becca (The Gathering Place - 05/27/06)
- Arterburn, Stephen (More Jesus, Less Religion - 08/28/06)

B - Bunn, Davis (The Lazarus Trap - 01/05/06)
- Bell, Rob (Velvet Elvis - 08/11/06)
- Beverley, Jo (The Devil's Heiress - 09/01/06)
- Borg, Marcus J. (Heart of Christianity - 09/09/06)
- Bell, James S. (CIG to The Reformation... - 10/02/06)

C

D - Diamond, Harvey & Marilyn (Fit for Life - 07/07/06)
- Duchess of York, Sarah (Win the Weight Game - 07/19/06)

E - Emmett, Rita (Procrastinating Child, The - 04/17/06)

F - Fleming, Jill (Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates - 07/13/06)

G - Gregory, Philippa (Zelda's Cut - 10/11/06)

H - Hirschmann, Jane R. (Overcoming Overeating - 03/10/06)

I

J

K - Kelly, Leisha (Rachel's Prayer - 04/25/06)

L - Lewis, C.S. (The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe - 02/22/05)

M - Mitchell, Margaret (Gone With The Wind - 01/22/06)
- Muggeridge, Malcolm (A Third Testament - 02/07/06)
- Michaels, Tanya (Who Needs Decaf? - 03/16/06)
- Manning, Brennan (The Ragamuffin Gospel - 08/19/06)
- McLaren, Brian D. (A New Kind of Christian - 08/27/06)

N

O

P - Parrish, Robin (Relentless - 08/24/06)

Q

R - Reaves, Brian (Stolen Lives - 05/22/06)
- Roth, Geneen (Why Weight? - 07/19/06)

S - Schaub, Christine (Finding Anna - 02/05/06)
- Sumner, Tracy Macon (CIG to The Reformation... - 10/02/06)

T - Tenney, Tommy (Hadassah Covenant, The - 04/20/06)
- Tribole, Evelyn (Intuitive Eating - 08/01/06)
- Taylor, Bayard (Blah, Blah, Blah - 09/03/06)

U

V - Vreeland, Susan (Girl in Hyacinth Blue - 09/14/06)

W - Warren, Susan May (Everything's Coming Up Josey - 06/01/06)

X

Y

Z

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I'm leaning more towards finishing my Titles list, as I have more of them checked off, and I can't finish both lists before the year's end.

What Should You Study? Quiz

Your Learning Style: Personal and Passionate

You are very flexible and curious about the world. Human understanding is very important to you. You Should Study: Anthropology Architecture Art Art history Art therapy Classics Counseling Foreign Languages and Literature International Studies Linguistics Literature Psychology Sociology Teaching

What Should You Study?

What Is Your Religious Philosophy? Quiz

You are a Believer

You believe in God and your chosen religion. Whether you're Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Hindu.. Your convictions are strong and unwavering. You think your religion is the one true way, for everyone.

What's Your Religious Philosophy?

What Is Your Love Style? Quiz

Your Love Style is Agape

You are a caring, kind, and selfless partner. Unsurprisingly, your love style is the most rare. You are willing to sacrfice your world for your sweetie. Except it doesn't really feel like sacrifice to you. For you, nothing feels better than giving to the one you love.

What's Your Love Style?

What Temperment Are You? Quiz

You Have a Phlegmatic Temperament

Mild mannered and laid back, you take life at a slow pace. You are very consistent - both in emotions and actions. You tend to absorb set backs easily. You are cool and collected. It is difficult to offend you. You can remain composed and unemotional. You are a great friend and lover. You don't demand much of others. While you are quiet, you have a subtle wit that your friends know well. At your worst, you are lazy and unwilling to work at anything. You often get stuck in a rut, without aspirations or dreams. You can get too dependent on others, setting yourself up for abandonment.

What Temperment Are You?

PS...Yes, I've gone Blogger Quiz crazy! LOL... There are more to come!

What Season Are You? Quiz

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

What Season Are You?

Miscellaneous Images

Did you know...?

...I am now logging my food on a new blog! If you care to read it, it can be found here. This is being done to keep myself accountable... If others are reading about what I eat, I'm more likely to think before I put food in my mouth -- "do I really want to have to report this?"

Enjoy!

Weight Loss Groupie...

I've recently been searching out more about the Intuitive Eating method of weight loss, and trying to find more inspiration and motivation in my own personal journey to release my excess weight.

I've come across some really inspiring websites, and I've joined some new groups. I've even created my *own* Intuitive Eating Support group! (and it's already got 12 members, in just 3 days!)

But, I'm afraid I've run into some *issues*, too.

I joined a particular weight-loss group that was based off of a book I'd read on the subject of Intuitive Eating. Some parts of the book I'd disagreed with, some parts I thought were fantastic! So, this group seemed like a good place to glean more information, and more "fresh ideas" on how to apply Intuitive Eating in my life (especially since I've kind of been lagging in that area, lately -- struggling to get back "on track").

I was wrong...

The group apparently *only* allows you to talk about *their* way of weight loss ... you cannot, in any way, mention ANY other weight loss program or "diet". They even went so far as to say that my current NON-DIET program, Thin Within, is a "diet" -- it's NOT a DIET ... it's a lifestyle change! It's listening to your body's cues of hunger/fullness & legalizing ALL food! (How is *that* a "diet"?)

They also were quite rude to me about it. :-(

So, after realizing that the group was not for me, I said "goodbye" and left. But, apprarently I'd caused such a stir in the short time I was there (2 days) -- JUST by mentioning Thin Within, and Intuitive Eating -- that I've been permanently BANNED from the group ... even if I were to wholeheartedly take up their approach!

Can you believe that?

I was pretty shocked and flabbergasted.

I understand why they don't want to talk of other approaches ... I kind of understand, anyway. They're trying to keep their focus. And, that's good. But, to not allow ANY other *ideas* seems a little strict & "cultish", if you ask me. They say I was "shoving my ways" down their throats, but I hardly believe that. I wouldn't do that. SURE, I get really excited about "Thin Within", and so I tend to really promote it, but I'd never say "it's the ONLY way to lose weight".... I'd say it makes a lot more sense than other programs, and I'll tell you that studies have shown that diets have a 95% failure rate ... but I won't tell you that you can't do another program, or that other programs are "bad" ... especially if they're working for you! It's a FREE COUNTRY, and you can do what you want!

... but Intuitive Eating --"Thin Within", specifically-- is what works FOR ME. That's all that I had tried to say on that group.

And, personally, they really should send out a "warning" letter to pending members that NOTHING ELSE is to be mentioned ... they should say "this is what we allow, and this is what we don't allow"... "join at your own risk". LOL

Another thing that bugs me is that they called Thin Within "creepy".... They don't get it, though. The term "Thin Within" is to -- in my mind -- relate to the decluttering of yourself as you get rid of the negative diet mentalities, and the old condemnations of yourself for the way you've "behaved" where food is concerned. You're undoing years of "garbage" thinking -- stinkin' thinkin'! -- and you're letting God transform you from the inside-out! That's not "creepy" ... that's FREEDOM! :o)

I pray that those ladies will have success in their efforts ... I really do. I just am sad that they have to be so hurtful to anyone whose "methods" are "different"....

...as the saying goes, "PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS AFRAID OF WHAT'S DIFFERENT". :-?

Mom ... (plus: *update*)

Mom's in the hospital. :-( My sister called this morning --very early!-- and told me that mom had had a mini heart-attack. Sis asked for a ride to the hospital (Mom went in the ambulance, of course).

So, off we went. Got sent back home not even an hour later. Mom is doing okay. She's had blood tests that have shown no damage to her heart (praise the Lord), but they're keeping her for the day to run more tests and to keep an eye on her.

If you pray, please send up prayers for my Mom. :-? Thanks.

---

Mom's okay. As it turns out, she did NOT have a heart attack... She's got a hiatal (sp?) hernia & gastrointestinal reflux... When the two act up at the same time, it can mimmick a heart-attack... So says her doctor, anyway. Apparently a lot of people end up in the ER because of this problem. :-?

Praise God, though, that Mom's okay. :-?

Weight Loss

I'm frustrated... my scale keeps going up 'cause my willpower is nil. I'm not supposed to rely on willpower, anyway. But, I still have been. And it's not working.

I'm tempted to try the Weight Watchers method, just for a week, to see if it'll jumpstart my weight loss, again. If I count Points, maybe I can get the scale to start moving "down", and then maybe I can go back to Intuitive Eating...

I don't want the legalistic diet rules. I know I can't follow that for life. It won't work. I've tried it before, and it's too complicated.

But, maybe for a week?