Weekly Update Y2w43 & BodyGroove Workshop

 My weight has come down since last week - yey!  It hasn't been smooth sailing though, and my weight got even higher before it started to lower again.  And, where I'm alternating sleeping on the sofa, I keep forgetting to weigh myself, so that's why there are gaps in the graph.

I'm not giving up though.  

At the weekend, I did a 2-day Body Groove Workshop.  Back in June (I think), I was meant to be going to Birmingham for a face-to-face workshop with Misty Tripoli, but Coronavirus put paid to that. 
On each day over the weekend were 4 hours of Body Groove dancing, philosophy, meditation and life coaching, with women from all over the world. (Shout out to Bettina and Krista: I wish you both success and happiness in all you do.)

We were taught about the Seven Dimensions of Wellbeing: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Social, Spiritual, Occupational and Environmental.  We were taught that in order to have joy in your life, you need to be authentically you in each of these areas, and we can work towards that in small steps to increase the joy in our lives. 

There was also a key quote that bears repeating:

"You need structures in place that are sufficient to your resistance to succeed."

This is a key thing for me.  You have seen in my attempts of losing weight the past couple of years that my resistance to succeed is strong! I am hoping that now I have a dog, I will be forced to take a daily walk, but this still hasn't happened so far - our puppy hates wearing a collar and a harness, and we've been advised by both the breeder and a dog trainer to go back a stage and generate positive associations with them first, before taking her out.  But, it's taking a long time.  She is now more than happy to sniff and eat treats off them (which she wasn't before), but still panics if we try and lay them on her (not even doing them up).  Unfortunately, there are times when I have to take her out of the house, so am forced to put them on her despite her distress. Back to the point, I haven't yet been going out for daily walks.  But, I have tried to minimise my resistance to going - I've bought myself new boots and a set of waterproofs (incl trousers) so I cannot use the rain as an excuse for not getting outside.

We also looked at ways to bring more playfulness into our lives, and what it is that we truly desire without attaching judgements to those thoughts.  We need to increase connections, both with other people, but also internally.  We need to analyse the judgements we make of ourselves and ask ourselves four key questions, based on The Work by Byron Katie (which I've not read yet, but have added to my wishlist):

1. Is it true?
2. Is it absolutely true?
3. Who do I become because of that thought?
4. In that same moment, who would I be if I couldn't think those thoughts?

I found this challenging because a lot of my judgements about myself are about my need and desire to lose weight.  I am fat - that is absolutely true.  I do need to lose weight - if I want to have DIEP reconstruction after a mastectomy, but if I didn't think I needed to lose weight, I could have reconstruction using implants.  If I didn't align my self worth to losing weight, would I be happier?  What if I didn't keep thinking back to when I was 28 and managed to lose 5 stone (thinking "I did it once, I should be able to do it again"), rather simply accepted this is me now? [For context, I'm back at the same weight I was before I started losing it last time.  'They' say you can't keep the weight off for 5 years, but that's exactly what I did do, before it all piling back on.]  
This is an area that I still need to work on.

It has, also, reignited ideas about becoming a facilitator of Body Groove.  One of my fears is that nobody would want to take part because I'm overweight myself, but others assured me that that shouldn't be an issue, because although Body Groove enables a healthy lifestyle, the purpose isn't to lose weight (though it may be a side effect).  Other fears are around being the centre of attention, and being willing to allow others to see me getting my groove on.  I get embarrassed and self conscious easily, so am I willing to put myself out there and show other people there's nothing to fear?  What if nobody turned up and I was just in a room in a dance studio by myself - I'd find that really embarrassing too!  And of course there are the costs involved, and the added difficulty of covid meaning no more than 15 people at a time, socially distanced apart - can you even groove on the spot?  I don't know.  Much to think about, that's for sure.

A-Z of Fiction Titles

After my success of reading a fair few books by choosing them according to author's name, I am now going to go through my fiction books and read them based on the book's title. 

This time, however, I will not be buying additional books to fill in the gaps.  I still have a few hundred books on my kindle and in my amazon account that I haven't read, so I am going endeavour to get through these without buying more.  (Usual caveat, about if I read the first book in a series and it's absolutely amazing, I probably will finish the rest of the series, but I am getting better of adding books to my wishlist instead.)

So here is my list.  Again, once I have read the books, I will update with a link to my review.

A - Affliction by Scott Medbury

B - Begin Again by Kathryn Shay

C - Chosen by D G Swank

D - The Dark Side of the Sun by Terry Pratchett

E - Ember by Jessica Sorensen

F - Forgotten by Don & Stephanie Prichard

G - Genesis Code by Eliza Green

H - Happiness is a Smoking Gun by Alaine Allister

I - I Spy, I saw her Die by Ian C P Irvine

J - Juliette and the Monday Man Dates by Becky Doughty

K - Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

L - The Legacy of the Key by S L Morgan

M - Mouse Tails by Sonny Collins

N - The Nocturne by Kat Ross

O - Out of a Dream by Rosemary Hines

P - Pancakes and Corpses by Agatha Frost

Q - Quantum by Patricia Cornwell

R - Rift by Andreas Christensen

S - Season of Hope by Dayo Benson

T - Taste by Mary E Twomey

U - Ugly Girl by Mary E Twomey

V - The Vine Witch by Luanne G Smith

W - The Wave at Hanging Rock by Gregg Dunnett

Y - Yesterday by Amanda Tru

God's Will for our Daily Lives by William J Luke

 

The Blurb says:

Chapter one is the Christian's seven phases of spiritual development from insemination to maturity. Chapter two is the Christian's ongoing sacred duty, following maturity. Chapter three to five is the Christian's nourishment [knowledge and understanding] that is required at phase four of spiritual development, in order to progress to maturity. Chapter six is the Christian's supreme authority. Chapter seven is the Christian's defence against failing their sacred duty.

Other books about God's will for daily life consistently say either that we should, keep the ten commandments, live by the new testament letters, or follow divine inspiration. These are the three main schools of thought today, and they are all flawed.

The bible clearly says that we are to do what Christ says, and this book clearly explains it. From the basic phases of spiritual growth, to the controversial issue of sin in a believer’s life, this book clarifies all of God's will for daily life.

In this groundbreaking explanation of Christ's teaching [sermon on mount], you will find God's will clearly defined and explained. You will learn what God requires of every one of us, including: 

• Spiritual development - from acceptance of Christ's gospel through to maturity.
• Sacred duty - from enduring persecution to producing a testament.
• Rightness in life - concerning the Mosaic Law, works of faith, and Christ's Law.
• Goodness at heart - in relation to God, possessions, and people.
• Rightness in God's sight - concerning the teaching of man, of Christ, and of the devil.

This book summarises and collates the words of Jesus, specifically the Sermon on the Mount, and relating it all to the Parable of the Sower. I particularly liked this books version of the Lord's Prayer:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, Lord Jesus Christ.  May your kingdom come and your will be done absolutely upon earth.  Give us all this day our daily requirement of knowledge concerning your will. And forgive us all this day our latest offences, as we forgive all those who repent of having offended us.  And do not let us give in to temptation to live in accordance to what we think or feel is right.  But rather, deliver us all this day from our self-centredness.  For the kingdom of God, the power to forgive sin, and all the glory from our good works, are yours, forever, Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Two other sections of this book that I highlighted are:

Christians who have ignorance or misunderstanding in their hearts concerning God's will erroneously believe that salvation is a gift from God, that salvation is received upon conversion, and that continued unrighteousness (sin) following professed conversion means that either, (1) that salvation has not actually been received, or (2) that salvation will ultimately be lost.  They do not understand that God's spirit of graciousness within a person's heart, and that continued sin following conversion does not necessarily have any bearing on a person's salvation.

And:

Therefore, when praying to God, ensure that your requests are for every member of Christ's army - as per the Lord's prayer - rather than just for yourself and those members that you know of.

As this book is focussed on Jesus's words, it is heavily based in the Bible.  It is not too deep or theological, but neither is it a light read.  I found this book a good book to remind me of the sermon on the mount, alongside my usual Bible reading.

Red, Green, Blue and Wolfen by Hans Erdman

 This is a short story, primarily introducing Tessa Chart the mapmaker.

This is set in the same world as The Gewellyn Chronicles, and so some of the types of beings and interactions are familiar.  However, having only read the first two of the series, some of the givens in this book have almost been spoilers, as in my frame of reference, some things haven't happened yet.

The blurb says:

Tessa Chart, the Mapmaker, has long, beautiful red hair. So does Abilynn, High Princess of the Elves.
When Wolfen, super-werewolves attack the Fairy Circles, the Blue Fairies turn to the Princess for help. But when they mistake the mapmaker for the princess who was raised by the Wolf King, Cormac Mac Art, it could spell doom for the Blue Fae.
They risk ire of the Leprechaun Queen Fillian who rules over the green and blue wee folk alike. It will take a headlong dash across Ireland in Abilynn’s Stutz Bearcat and a Rolling Royce (or something like that), with help from a Drow elf, an assassin-turned-spy, and the Wolf King himself, if they hope to turn the tide and send the Wolfen back where they belong.
Then there is the ever-watchful eye of Fiona, the High Queen of the Magical Folk of Ireland and the Aerielands, the most powerful elf in the entire Nine Worlds, and Princess Abilynn’s mother.
What’s a Princess to do?

This is a very short book (only 39 pages according to Amazon) so it does move at a fast pace.  My preference would be for it to be slightly longer, so we can delve in the world more fully.

For anyone contemplating reading this book, I would recommend that you read the others in the series/world first.

Weekly Update Y2w42

This past two weeks haven't been great, in all honesty.  We've got a dog (yey!) who isn't sleeping much at night.  Touch wood, she is starting to improve, but for the past week both my husband and I have been very tired, so been eating more high calorific foods needing the energy and because we can't be bothered to cook.  

Unsurprisingly, my weight has sky rocketed.  There was even a few days where I totally forgot to weigh myself a couple of mornings after sleeping on the sofa all night.  

I am doing better today, though - I had a small bowl of no-added-sugar granola for breakfast and a chicken and salad sandwich on seeded bread for lunch.  And I plan to make lasagne with courgettes instead of pasta sheets for dinner tonight.  Now it's half term (from dance, if not actually from school yet) so I don't have to rush about here, there or anywhere, so I have time to cook.  

I'm not giving up.  I know I can get below 90kilos eventually, and I hope it's sooner rather than later.

Trinity of the Truthbearer by Hans Erdman

This is book 2 of The Gewellyn Chronicles.  I have previously reviewed book 1 (here) and as a result of my review, the author Hans Erdman got in touch and gave me a copy of the next book to see if his writing has improved. As I was doing my A-Z of authors challenge, I did warn him that it may take me some time to get around to reading it, but as promised, once I finished the challenge I did read it.  
I purposely haven't reread my previous review, as I didn't want in influencing what I thought of this sequel, but I do remember thinking the ideas were good, but it felt like a dream.

This book continues the adventures of Connor Clark, his wife Iolena and adopted daughter Menta Kai, as they form the Trinity of the Truthbearer, and continue Connor's quest of taking The Truth to the 9 Kingdoms.

The blurb says:

BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN IS AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN… OR TWO. Connor Clark is a strong man in body and spirit. But he is nothing without his soulmate, the beautiful Iolena Yaleria, and their adopted daughter, Menta Kai, by his side. It’s a lesson that Connor learns the hard way when he tries to confront the Dark Lord, Declan Dhark, on his own, and almost loses everything worth living for. Admonished by his friend and mentor, the wizard/cleric Padraigh, Connor vows to never split up the Trinity again. But Lord Dhark will not be denied. He will send a team of 20th-century Irish assassins and even a steam-driven tank to try and stop Connor from carrying the Truth to the Nine Worlds. The lies and deception are so strong that even the act of Confession may not succeed in finding the truth. From the Queen of Hevanok, to the pub in Bolandria, to the streets of Gewellyn itself, and across the shimmering portal of the Bridge above the stars, Connor and his Elven wife and daughter race the Dark Lord’s forces to save a child and bring the Truth to the remaining six Worlds, facing new danger and new adventures at every turn. Truthbearer 2: Trinity of the Truthbearer, the exciting sequel to Truthbearer, is the second book in the Journeys of Connor Clark.

I really enjoyed this book.  The pace was good, and it flowed really well.  There's a real sense of following Connor and the Trinity, rather than jumping about from place to place without understanding why.  I would have liked a bit more of a background of Declan Dhark - how did he get the title Dark Lord, and what exactly is his problem with Connor, that has meant altercations in different worlds?  But that could be resolved in subsequent books. 

It did not take me long to read this book, only about a week, which shows it kept my interest.  I am now going to read back my review of the previous book (here) so I can contrast them.

Ok, The strong ideas in the book are still there, so that is good, but as I have said, it is much better paced.  We understand where the characters are going, why, and there is a reasonable length of time for the journeys so it doesn't seem instantaneous or sudden.  There are some new characters introduced, who in turn join the larger family, and the characters we have already met show growth as time goes on.

Previously I said I would not continue with this series, given the improvement from the first book to this one, I will add the rest to my wishlist as I'd like to know whether the Truth can indeed be brought to all the kingdoms.

The Forever Man: Book 1: Pulse by Craig Zerf

 Pulse by Craig Zerf is the last book in my alphabet challenge, and it was a good one to end on!

The blurb says:

His training prepared him for anything. This invasion will test his limits…

American Embassy, London. Master Gunnery Sergeant Nate Hogan stands for integrity. But he’s not equipped to face violent solar flares that decimate the population, plunging survivors into war and chaos. Following a strange compulsion to leave his post for Scotland, Hogan discovers massive radiation from the cosmic disaster has transformed him into a superhuman.

But after a savage army of Orcs arrives in the UK through a rift in time and space, he’s hopelessly outnumbered by the bloodthirsty horde. With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, he embarks on a desperate quest to alter the course of history.

Can Master Gunny Hogan win a one-man war against a powerful foe and prevent the end of humanity?

As I chose this book based on author's name, I hadn't read the blurb until I copied it just now.  I have to say, though, that I don't think this is a good write-up, as by the end of the book, the army of Orcs haven't actually invaded yet...

To me, this is a book of 2 stories, and as yet (probably because they haven't interacted) they are almost totally distinct.  

Firstly, you have the post-apocalyptic fiction: a Pulse of unknown origin, leaving the sky looking like the Northern Lights, has occurred, wiping out all electrical devices.  Cars stop on the motorway, planes fall out of the sky, and humans are plunged back into the dark ages, and with that, a loss of civilisation.  Master Gunnery Sergeant Nathaniel Hogan decides that his best course of action is to leave the American Embassy in London, where he was stationed, and to head north.  On his way, he comes across a private boarding school and stays to help them defend themselves against potential looters and discovers that he is The Forever Man.

This story is amazing.  It is really horrific in places (not graphic, but not suitable for younger teens) as you see the worst of human kind.  There are some characters that restore your faith in humanity too, as they band together to help each other and those less fortunate than themselves.  Some of the characters are a bit stereotypical - Americans who think they'll solve the pulse after a day or two, an Irish priest who likes his drink a bit too much... and it annoyed my unnecessarily that one of the character's name is spelled wrong (I can understand it, because I imagine a lot of people don't realise it's pronounced Keeva, but I daresay that Irish travellers would actually spell the name Caoimhe), but tbf, that is me nit-picking.

Secondly, you have the story of aliens: Stereotypical grey, humanoid aliens are in a war with an Elven army, when the Life Light disappears.  The Life Light is the source of their magiks (sic) so they determine that they need to pack up and follow the Life Light across the universe, as they have many times before. The realise the Life Lights have moved to Earth, so gather together their army of Orcs and Trolls and prepare to invade Earth.

This story is just a bit random.  I get, from the description, that this book is meant to be "genre-bending", but these two stories are so separate, I feel that they should be separated.  What species are these aliens? Why are they in a war with Elves? Why are they using Orcs and Trolls and other created creatures?  As none of these questions are answered, I feel that this first book could have not mentioned the aliens at all, and it would be better.  Or, because you want to introduce them before the second book, maybe an epilogue introducing the aliens and the start of their journey to Earth.

Overall, I have really enjoyed this book, and I have added the rest of the series to my wishlist.  I want to find out what happens next to The Forever Man, and see whether he helps many other people.  This book hints at his destiny (and the blurb says he is to go up and fight against the invading aliens) so I do want to know what happens next. 
I just need to get through the majority of the unread books on my kindle first.