Movie Review - Christmas Story (Joulutarina)

From Finland comes the somber, touching and memorable origin story of Saint Nicholas.  We know Santa to be a character of great generosity and love, but we generally don't think about his possible childhood.  Christmas Story or Joulutarina does a masterful job in spinning this tale. 

Hundreds of years ago, Nicholas is orphaned and cared for by many in his northern village. He changes homes once a year on Christmas Day.  Eventually he begins sending homemade toys to the children of the families who have cared for him over the years.  At age 13 he's taken in by a grumpy outsider named Isaac, who seems to have no love or compassion in his heart for children.

Under Isaac's care Nicholas becomes quite the carpenter, and they eventually become as close as kin. He continues giving gifts to children around the village, all the while doing it anonymously.  Then the year comes when he begins sharing toys with children from outside his village. He has a desire to bless children not only in his village, but far beyond.

There are other touching plot details that give this story depth and meaning never seen before in the Santa mythology.  I've omitted these details so that you may enjoy them as I did.

In addition to the excellent writing, the film features beautiful cinematography and an excellent soundtrack.  Although filmed in a Scandinavian language, the voices have been dubbed over in English. Some of the English-language voice actors are John Turturro (Transformers), Michael Badalucco (The Practice) and Noah Emmerich (Cellular).  If you’re like me and you also enjoy captions, none are available on the DVD.  However, I was able to engage the Closed Captioning feature on my TV.

Parents:  This film has been approved by The Coalition for Quality Children’s Media and The Dove Foundation for quality family entertainment.  The content does not include any sex, nudity, gore or profanity.  There’s not really any violence, although the Isaac character does shove young Nicholas’ head down onto a dusty table in one scene.  He also names him “Brat” at the beginning of their relationship. Those initial scenes with Isaac might be a bit disturbing for very young children, as he’s a bit harsh with Nicholas. The element of dishonesty when it comes to Santa’s identity is also a minor issue.  Pairing these and a few other intense (but not terrible) thematic elements with very few incidents of smoking, and the movie has earned a ‘PG’ rating. 

The running time of the film is about 70 minutes, and there is a 20 minute featurette in the Special Feature section.  This piece is not overdubbed and you’ll need to read the subtitles.

While there aren’t many moments of levity in this film, I would not characterize it as depressing.  It’s a rich tale, one that should have been told years ago.  The power of love, compassion and sharing is evident, transforming the lives of those in Nicholas’ life.  Hopefully many will emulate Nicholas, loving the unlovable and even sharing blessings with those who haven’t been a blessing.  Truly, the message of unconditional, grace-filled love is at the very core of the true meaning of Christmas.

ZFAUF59TNSEM 

Update on Giveaways - Win Some Great Books!

Same entry from a few days ago, but with new info!

There are lots of great giveaways going on in the blogosphere these days, and I thought I'd take some time to remind you of a few in particular:

•  TJ at Book Love Affair is giving away a copy of Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan. Contest ends 12/4.

Here's the link:  http://www.bookloveaffair.com/2009/11/giveaway-scott-westerfeld.html

• Jessica at A Booklover's Diary is hosting a big giveaway, with lots of books to choose from and an Amazon.com gift card!  Contest ends 11/30.

Here's the link:  http://abookloversdiary.blogspot.com/2009/11/its-time-for-giveaway.html

• Jessica at Book Bound is celebrating her 100 followers (I was #102!) by hosting a contest to give away free books from The Book Depository.  Contest ends 12/18.

Here's the link:  http://b00kbound.blogspot.com/2009/11/100-followers-giveaway.html

• The Bookologist is hosting a Putnam Palooza, giving away three books to one winner! Contest ends 12/17.

Here's the link:  http://the-bookologist.blogspot.com/2009/11/contest-putnam-palooza.html

• Robby at Running for Fiction is hosting a contest for the YA book of your choice.  Contest ends 12/1.

Here's the link:  http://runningforfiction.blogspot.com/2009/11/contest-contest-contest.html

• Tanya at Starry Eyed Surprise has a giveaway for Decoding the Lost Symbol.  The contest ends 12/1.

Here's the link: http://starryeyedsurprise24.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-and-giveaway-decoding-lost.html

• Alessandra at Out of the Blue has a giveaway for the Book Depository book of your choice, up to €12 ($17.77) in value.  Contest ends 12/6.
  

Here's the link: http://alessandrasplace.blogspot.com/2009/11/giveaway-book-of-your-choice.html

• Life After Jane has a collection of books up for adoption.  Enter to give these books a good home: 

Here's the link:  http://lifeafterjane.blogspot.com/2009/09/no-kill-book-shelter-opens-today.html





Don't forget to check out my sidebar giveaway section as well.  It's down the page on the left.  Others are ending soon, so enter while you can.

Good luck!

Book Review: Winter's Child by Cameron Dokey

 From the back cover:

Free-spirited Grace and serious Kai are the best of friends. They grew up together listening to magical tales spun by Kai's grandmother and sharing in each other's secrets. But when they turn sixteen and Kai declares his love for Grace, everything changes. Grace yearns for freedom and slowly begins to push Kai -- and their friendship -- away.

Dejected Kai dreams of a dazzling Snow Queen, who entices him to leave home and wander to faraway lands. When Grace discovers Kai is gone, she learns how much she has lost and sets out on a mystical journey to find Kai...and discover herself. 

Although I'm familiar with many of Hans Christian Andersen's stories, I've never been acquainted with "The Snow Queen".  I've loved many of his fairy tales, from "The Little Mermaid" to "The Emperor's New Clothes." Unfortunately, Cameron Dokey doesn't give me much motivation to pursue the Snow Queen story in her retelling, "Winter's Child".

Using many, but not all of Andersen's original elements, Dokey didn't draw me into this fictional world very well.  Never once did I find myself getting lost in the story.  It was difficult to get immersed in the world of the Winter Child, especially when the story kept shifting it's perspective between the three main characters. This may have been a writing device that Andersen used, but it doesn't work well here. Cameron's writing is quite weak and forgettable. If I needed to put the book down, upon returning to it I frequently forgot where I was in the story.

I understand this is a YA book, designed for 9-12 year olds, but this 38 year-old has read many YA's in recent years that are of much higher quality than this one. It's a small paperback, printed on cheap paper that hearkens back to fluffy romance novels, without all the tawdry romance. The story is harmless and sweet, but if you have other quality novels on hand, don't waste your time with this one.



This book was provided by the Amazon.com Vine reviewers program.  You can also find my review on their website.

Find this and other review links on:    

Winners! Prizes coming your way!

And now, here are the winners of my first two giveaways on The Calico Critic, chosen by Random.org:

The winner of the Hunger Games T-shirt and commemorative Mockingjay pin is:

Heidi of The Black Cell!


The winner of The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview is:

CelticLady of Blog O' The Irish!


Ladies, I'll email you and will look for your mailing information soon.  Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who entered the contests.  This was my first time doing these, and it was really enjoyable.  I look forward to doing more reviews in the future.  Coming up soon:  A $10 gift card giveaway-- don't forget to vote for your favorite in the sidebar!

Kreativ Blogger Award!

I'm so excited! The Calico Critic has received its first award, presented to me by Katy Freeland of A Few More Pages, who has been enjoying the blog.  And according to her blog post, I'm to list 7 of my favorite things and also pass this award on to seven deserving bloggers.  So here are seven of my favorite things (not people), keeping in mind that they're in no particular order and I haven't listed ALL of my favorite things in life (including THE favorite thing, which will remain unpublished).

1.  The sound of my 4 year-old's laugh

2. Chocolate chip cookies

3. A really good book that's hard to put down!

4. The book-blogging community

5. My local public library - it's wonderful!

6. Sunday afternoon naps

7. Music that carries me away

And here are some of the bloggers that I've been enjoying lately (among others!):

Cym @ Cym Lowell's blog

Laurel Ann @ Austenprose

Grace @ Books Like Breathing 

Vic @ Jane Austen's World

Bridget @ Readaholic

Amy @ Passages to the Past

Monica @ Monica Fairview, Author

Katy, thanks so much for giving this award to me-- you made my day!

Book Review and Giveaway: The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview

Okay, I have to admit it.  I'll read just about any novel that's Jane Austen themed. But this one had me particularly intrigued, because I love the Darcy character and in addition to that, I loved the cover art. If only all good books could be determined by the quality of the cover art-- it would make things so much easier!

Monica Fairview's The Other Mr. Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice sequel, speculating on the days following the marriage of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet.  As we recall in the first story, Charles Bingley's sister Caroline had eyes for the dashing and well-bred Darcy.  Despite her flattery and hopes, the man of her dreams chooses to wed Elizabeth, a woman for whom she has held no high esteem.

Enter Mr. Robert Darcy, Fitzwilliam's American cousin.  In town to attend the wedding, he accidentally witnesses the presumed private meltdown of Caroline, distraught over her shattered dreams to wed Darcy.  Embarrassed that he witnessed her in such a vulnerable moment, she quickly comes to resent him.  It's very reminiscent of a moment between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind.  And so begins the dance that is their relationship, culminating in an ending that Caroline herself never would have thought possible.

The Other Mr. Darcy was very enjoyable to read.  Monica's style of writing is elegant and true to the culture of the times.  I gained some new vocabulary words in the reading of this novel! Yet at the same time, it was unstilted and entertaining.  There's humor, suspense and of course, romance.  While some of the plot choices made some of the outcomes obvious, it was still a fun ride, seeing where Ms. Fairview would take the characters.

It did take me some time to accept this particular incarnation of the Caroline character, though.  She was so haughty in Pride and Prejudice, and there were times in this story when I found some of her amiability to be a bit unbelievable.  But the benefit of this comes in the redemption of the character, for whom most Prejudice fans have held contempt.  In anycase, Her sister Louisa does a great job of handling the haughty attitude for her.

I highly enjoyed the character of Robert, for he had all the traits of a Darcy without the stiffness of Fitzwilliam.  With his dark, wavy hair and blue eyes, I imagined Patrick Dempsey as an actor who could portray him.  He was earnest and dashing, while still retaining the airs of a proper Bostonian gentleman. 

And on a philosophical note, a line near the end of the book really touched my heart. To paraphrase it without giving anything away, Robert says, "We cannot know where the eye of God lies, but if we stood where He stands, things that seem to be lop-sided to us would be absolutely perfect."  An excellent message to take away after reading a highly enjoyable book.  Thank you, Monica.

Thanks also to Sourcebooks and Grace at Books Like Breathing for hosting the initial giveaway for this book.  I enjoyed it very much, but now I'm going to pass it on to another lucky reader!  Don't worry, I've handled it with care and it's in good condition.

Giveaway Rules

• One winner only
  
• US addresses only, will be shipped Media Mail
  
• Become a follower of the blog (or remind me of your current follwer status)
  
• Leave a comment below, including your email where I can contact you should you win.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, November 14th
  
• I will email the winner, and if I haven't heard from you in 48 hours, I will pick another winner.
  

For bonus entries now that you're a follower... be sure to mention the ones you've completed in your comment:

• Tweet about the giveaway, and be sure to give me your @Name where you posted the Tweet
• Follow me on Twitter:  @LHartness
• Post or sidebar about the giveaway on your blog
• Follow the blog on Networked Blogs

Good Luck!

Movie Review - Every Little Step

When I was a young schoolgirl in the 70s, I attended a touring performance of A Chorus Line in Atlanta. I marveled at the glitz, glamour and choreography of the show.  Thankfully, most of the adult issues flew right over my head. Not too long ago I watched the movie A Chorus Line with Michael Douglas, so the story was once again fresh in my mind.  Tonight I watched the documentary Every Little Step, which chronicles the history of A Chorus Line and it's revival to the Broadway stage a few years ago.

For the first part of the film, the focus alternates between a retrospective of the show's creation and the current audition process for the new live performance.  We learn about the drafting of the script from tapes of an actual meeting of Broadway performers.  We meet some of the new candidates and learn a bit of their backgrounds. The tedious and sometimes agonizing process that the casting directors go through to make their choices is revealed. Original cast mates share their stories of struggle and joy.

As the film goes on, more of the focus is trained upon the current actors and their stressful audition process.  Every one of these performers is incredibly talented; it's hard to see some of them get cut.  And sometimes it's surprising to see who's finally chosen for certain parts. It all finally culminates with the finale, with the ultimate cast choices on stage in their golden glory.  The film is A Chorus Line brought to life.  The original was drawn from experiences now almost 40 years in the past, and this new documentary shows that the story still holds.  Very enjoyable.

**********************************

On a side note, for parents:  This documentary was rated PG-13 because of the content and language.  The F-bomb is dropped several times, more than is usually allowed in a PG-13 movie.  These moments are mostly due to the Chorus Line script that the candidates are quoting. And of course there's the T&A song Dance: Ten; Looks: Three with some colorful content.  I think if my parents had known about this content when I was a kid, they never would have let me go.  But somehow I came out unscathed!  Still, it's worth waiting until your child is ready to show this one.

But certainly for all you Broadway and A Chorus Line fans, this is a must-see.  It would also make for educational viewing for those who are even considering a run at the Great White Way.   It's all worth it if you've got the chops, can do the work and make the cut!

Giveaway - Catching Fire T-Shirt and Mockingjay Pin

Thanks to the folks at RevolutionSF.com, I won a nice Catching Fire prize pack (read my review here), including a commemorative T-shirt and pin.  In an effort to get the word out about my blog, I'm offering up the shirt and pin as a giveaway on November 15th!  The shirt is a medium youth size, not a standard medium.

Here are the contest rules:

• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, November 14th
• Open to U.S. addresses only
• Make sure your posted comment includes your email address so that I can contact you on Sunday the 15th.  Should you win, you'll have 48 hours to respond before I pick another winner.

Ways to earn entries:

• Leave a comment with your email (1 point)
• Follow the blog by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (2 points)
• Follow the blog on Networked Blogs (1 point)
  
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (1 point)
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter; be sure to use @LHartness and the website URL in your post (You may use this shorter URL:  http://09f6baf0.qvvo.com ). You may do this once a day between now and November 14 (2 points per day, notify me each day that you tweet)
• Blog about the giveaway, and be sure to give me your URL (2 points)

And just as a reminder, this giveaway is for the shirt and pin only.  I do not have a copy of the book to give away at this time.  However, if I receive one I will certainly host a giveaway for that as well!


Good luck!

Giveaways - Ending this week, enter soon!

You've only got a few more days left, but if you'd like to enter to win a free copy of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol, head on over to The Book Resort!  Here's the link:

http://thebookresort.blogspot.com/2009/09/win-copy-of-lost-symbol-dan-brown.html

You have until midnight on October 31 to enter. 

Next, Booking Mama is offering a copy of Sara Angelini's The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy.  Julie wants to know what your favorite Jane Austen novel is, and the deadline for this giveaway is Friday, October 30th at 11:59 p.m.

Here's the link:  http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/2009/10/guest-blogger-sara-angelini-giveaway.html

Good luck to all!

Massive Giveaway!

Head on over to http://teensreadandwrite.blogspot.com  to enter their massive, multi-winner giveaway!  You get your choice of books from their stash and can even make suggestions for other books as well!

New Discovery: Find book sales in your area!

Are you looking for the latest book sale in your area?  There's a new website devoted to listing book sales from around the country.  Listings are free for Friends of the Library organizations and other non-profit groups, and those are the best sales to attend!

Pass the word, and check out the site!

http://www.booksalemanager.com/

Book Review: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Not too long ago I saw a movie trailer for the upcoming Lightning Thief, coming to theaters in February 2010. Knowing it was based on a YA book, I thought I'd check it out.  Unfortunately, while I'm looking forward to the movie, I wasn't as enamored with the book as I thought I'd be.

The Lightning Thief is written in the first person, from the vantage point of Percy Jackson, young 6th grader in New York.  Over the course of the story he discovers that he's actually the son of the Greek god Poseidon.  His mortal mother has always kept this fact from him and has taken great measures to keep him safe from Poseidon's enemies.  Percy is eventually drawn into a fantastic, mythological-yet-real world of Classic gods and monsters, taking on a quest to prevent a massive war amongst the gods.

While many fantasy tales take on familiar themes that have been told time and again throughout the course of history, I found this one to be a little too derivative.  The similarities to the Harry Potter books were so many I eventually quit counting them all.  I almost felt like this author was simply telling his own Potter story and just changing a few of the basic tenants around.  Like Harry, Percy was informed several years into his life that he was special.  The notion of half-blood people (one parent "normal", the other wizard/god) is an important point in both novels.  Harry and Percy have been living with one or more guardians who despise them. Both boys go off to a special school/camp for kids like themselves. There they train and learn the lessons of being who they are.  There are separate houses dividing up the students into separate types of groups.  Harry's got a magic wand, Percy has a magic sword.  Both boys fight beings that would normally be too overwhelming for their abilities and they overcome.  I could go on , but the point is made.

However, unlike Potter, this story wasn't able to get me to suspend disbelief in the reality of the tale.  I can believe there's a Hogwarts School of Wizardry.  I can believe there's a magical land of Oz and that Superman can fly.  These stories have a way of getting me to believe their realities within the confines of their stories.  But for some reason, I frequently was drawn out of the story in Thief and just couldn't accept its premises. Monsters in the St. Louis Arch? The entrance to Olympus in New York and the entrance to the underworld in California?  Riordan gives reasons for these locations, but I still couldn't buy it as a reader.

Having said all that, I still enjoyed the story enough to finish the novel.  There were many chapters that ended with cliffhangers that compelled me to keep reading.  While I couldn't buy the premise of the story, I still wanted to know what happened.  Ultimately, I was entertained and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie as well.

Whether I'm going to read the other books in Riordan's series is a question I haven't answered yet.  I might give Book 2, The Sea of Monsters a shot, if for no other reason that I know it'll be a somewhat fun (if unbelievable) read.

Pendragon's Banner - More Chances to Win!

Here's some more giveaways for Pendragon's Banner.  Check 'em out!

Enchanted by Josephine Blog:

http://enchantedbyjosephine.blogspot.com/2009/10/author-guest-post-pendragons-banner.html


Found Not Lost Blog:
http://retwt.me/X7yl


He Followed Me Home...Can I Keep Him?
http://hefollowedmehome.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-blog-tour-giveaway-for-pendragons.html


Readaholic
http://bridget3420.blogspot.com/2009/10/blog-tour-pendragons-banner-by-helen.html

Book Review: Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

A while back I became intrigued with Suzanne Collins' new books based on a Time magazine article.  I ran right out to my local public library and scooped up the hardback and the audio book of The Hunger Games to use in the car while driving (I spend many hours a week in my taxi/mininan).  It took me a few chapters to fully get my head into Collins' post-apocalyptic world, but once I did, I was hooked.  As you may or may not know, The Hunger Games ends with quite the cliffhanger.  Having forgotten that it was Book 1 of a trilogy, the last page left me almost in pain, wanting more.

I immediately went on to as many blogger websites as I could to enter to win a free copy (ARC, new, used, I didn't care!) of Book 2 in the series, Catching Fire.  After entering about 3 dozen sites, I managed to actually win a copy off of RevolutionSF.com in their giveaway.  Thanks Joe!

The book came a few weeks later and I began reading it as soon as I could.  This time I didn't require a few chapters to get immersed in Collins' world.  It was full speed ahead, picking up the story from where it left off in Hunger Games.  While I finished this novel quicker than I finished most, it wasn't quite as intoxicating as Book 1.  I'm sure this is normal for the "middle child" of trilogies, so it was to be expected.  Still, I enjoyed the character development, plot and the new challenges faced by Katniss, Peeta and others.  There are some interesting reveals near the end of the book, but the cliffhanger isn't quite as torturous as the one in Hunger Games.  I'm definitely looking forward to Book 3, but I'm not squirming in my seat as I was last time.

If you enjoy Young Adult novels like Harry Potter and movies like Star Wars, this series might be for you.  While it is designed for the YA audience, I'm not sure when I'd let my boys (now age 4 and 9) get into it.  While there's no sex, there is an implication that a character has become pregnant by another competitor, and there's certainly a bit of violence.  This is the nature of the topic, as it's an arena competition wherein there can be only one (or two!) living victors.  While my elder son has the capacity to read at this level (and it's recommended for Grade 7 and up), I'll definitely wait until he's well into his teens before mentioning the series to him.  This is no Harry Potter.

Overall, an enjoyable read, and I eagerly await Book 3 in the series.  You'll certainly find me trolling the blogs, entering as many times as I can in hopes of winning that one, too.  Or at least putting it on my Amazon.com Wish List in hopes that it'll be a Birthday/Mom's Day/Christmas/Arbor Day gift!

Giveaway - Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick

Head on over to Passages to the Past to enter to win a free copy of Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick.  Here's Amy's post, just copied over.  In order to enter, go to:

http://www.passagestothepast.com/2009/10/giveaway-pendragons-banner-by-helen.html

 

 Giveaway: Pendragon's Banner by Helen Hollick

When it rains, it pours!!!  I have yet another giveaway, this time from my favorite publisher, Sourcebooks.  They are offering 1 copy of Pendragon's Banner (Book 2 of The Pendragon Banner trilogy) by Helen Hollick.

SYNOPSIS: Pendragon's Banner is the second book in Helen Hollick's exciting King Arthur trilogy, covering 459-465 A.D. This is not a fairy tale or fantasy. There is no Merlin, no sword in the stone, and no Lancelot. This is the most accurate Arthurian legend ever written, based on historical evidence and meticulous research.

At age twenty-four, King Arthur has the kingdom he fought so hard for and a new young family. But keeping the throne of Britain—and keeping his wife and three sons safe—proves far from easy. Two enemies in particular threaten everything that is dear to him: Winifred, Arthur's vindictive first wife, and Morgause, priestess of the Mother and malevolent Queen of the North. Both have royal ambitions of their own.

In this story of harsh battles, secret treasonous plots, and the life-threatening politics of early Britain's dark ages, author Helen Hollick boldly reintroduces King Arthur as you've never seen him before.

Read my review of The Kingmaking (Book 1)

Read my interview with Helen Hollick

Giveaway 411:

* Giveaway ends on October 28th. Winner will be announced on October 29th.

* Open to US / Canada entries ONLY.

* For 5 additional entries sign up as a follower; if you already are a follower you will automatically get this.

* For another additional one entry: post, sidebar, facebook or twitter about this giveaway.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!   Remember-- to enter to win, go to:

http://www.passagestothepast.com/2009/10/giveaway-pendragons-banner-by-helen.html

******************************************************************************

And here's ANOTHER giveaway!  Check it out at Historially Obsessed: 

http://historicallyobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/10/giveaway-pendragons-banner-by-helen.html

Workout Review - 10 Minute Solution with Michelle Dozois

Once again faced with a busy schedule, I chose 10 Minute Solution: Carb & Calorie Burner as my workout DVD choice on Wednesday. Michelle Dozois presents, featuring 5 separate mini-workouts, all about 10 minutes in length. You have the option of doing as few or as many segments as you like.  There's even a programming feature wherein you can select which tracks you'd like to do in any particular order. Michelle is a fun and motivating instructor, prepping you for each move in a systematic way. None of the moves are overly technical, but it's also fun and challenging. I'm glad there's plenty of strength training mixed in with the cardio, so I don't have to do a separate weight training routine.

Here's the breakdown of the tracks:

1. Slow & Steady Burn (9:51) - This one is great to do first, warming you up and then getting your heart rate up to training level.  The moves are fun and comfortable.
2. Carb Killer (9:46) - If you enjoy the punching and kicking of kickboxing, this one's for you. A couple of moves were a bit challenging for me, but overall it was very doable and fun.
3. Power Blast (9:47) - If you're ready to pump it up and really get your heart rate going, this is it. There's lots of plyometric moves, jumping and movement. It's fun, but a couple of times I had to modify the moves to keep up.
4. Interval Burn (9:51) - This track is Bootcamp-inspired, which is not usually my thing.  But it was manageable.  One move (the Mountainclimber) is really tough for me, so I had to cheat a bit and get my tush in the air.  This one's good, but I'll have to work on it.
5. Metabolism Booster (9:49) - Strength training is the main theme of this track.  Michelle uses moderate weights (I used 6lbs.) to build lean body mass to burn calories all day long. It's great to do at the end, as there's less full-body movement.

Be sure and do a little stretching after you're done, as there's not alot of time to fit that into each track.  There is some, but I needed a little more when I was done.

Because of time constraints, I did tracks 1, 2 & 4 on Wednesday and then 1, 3 & 5 on Thursday. These weren't long workouts, but I definitely broke a sweat and did my body some good. And it was fun!

Movie Review - The Proposal

Thanks to a free code from Blockbuster Express, I rented The Proposal tonight.  I wasn't expecting anything extraordinary, but I like Sandra Bullock and most romantic comedies.  This one turned out to be quite a dud. There was nothing unpredictable about it, the lead actors had little chemistry, and I had a hard time accepting Sandra as some kind of corporate dragon lady.  There was a ridiculous (and supposedly funny) strip tease scene that I just fast-forwarded on through. I think the thing that I most enjoyed about the movie was Sandra's corporate fashion style-- I loved the pencil dresses and her hair.  But that's not enough to recommend a movie. Don't accept this Proposal. Move on to something else.

Monday's (and Tuesday's!) Workout

Yesterday I didn't have alot of time to work out, but I needed something effective. I'd done the Firm's Power Half Hour once before and thought it would be a good choice for Monday.  Boy, was I right! It's a tough but fun routine that goes by in a flash. It's been months since my first run at it, and I clearly hadn't mastered the steps.  Since it's only 30 minutes, lead instructor Emily Welsh can't really take alot of time in transitioning between moves.  And for some odd reason, I felt like the music wasn't in sync with the steps during the first few minutes of the DVD. So needless to say, my performance yesterday could have been better. I got a good workout, but in missing some of the steps, I felt like it could have been better.

Today I was faced with the same time-crunch dilemma, so I did something I never do: The same DVD workout two days in a row! I've got hundreds of videos, so I try to do something different every time.  But I decided that I wanted to try to master those steps a little more!  So off we went, and I did much better this time!

Emily leads 2 other castmembers in a fast-paced, aerobic and strength training routine. She does a few minutes of warm-up, some cardio, then weights, alternating until the end when she does some core work before the cool-down.  It's a total-body mix. I was impressed with the standing abs work that we did-- very innovative and not like the usual crunches on the floor. Some of the cardio was a little too difficult for me, but castmember Kelsie Daniels always provided an easier option for us beginners.

Overall, this one's a good one and I hope to do even better on it the next time around-- but not tomorrow!

The Other Mr. Darcy - Giveaways on more book blogs!

If you'd like more chances to win a copy of The Other Mr. Darcy, check out even MORE book blogs hosting giveaways that I found today!

http://trinsnook.blogspot.com/2009/10/may-i-introduce-monica-fairview.html#more

And also on:

http://www.theburtonreview.com/2009/10/giveaway-guest-author-other-mr-darcy-by.html

And another!

http://bibliophile23.wordpress.com/

Today's Workout - Strong Bear

Since yesterday's workout was WHFN's Fast Cheetah, I did the recommended companion Strong Bear today.  While SB has less of the "fun" factor found in FC, it's quite effective and a perfect pairing.  The lead instructor is Keli Roberts, a renowned fitness professional originally from Australia.  Her accent and highly professional attitude contribute to the strength and confidence that she imbues.

The routine is almost 56 minutes, and you’ll need a 14” step, a tall dowel or chair, light weights (I used 4 lb), medium weights (I used 6 lb) and heavy weights (I used 8 & 10 lb). A floor mat/carpet would be good for the floor work, and she also recommends ankle weights if you need an additional challenge.

Increased challenges are not what I needed today!  While only 8 minutes are officially attributed to true cardio on the packaging, I had plenty of sweat and a rapid heart rate through much of this mostly strength training routine.  Many of my muscle groups were worked to exhaustion, and I had to modify the moves to keep up.  She frequently recommends modification and doesn’t project an expectation that everyone can do every move.  Many positions are new ones that I’ve never seen before and require decent effort in a short amount of time. I enjoy doing these new takes on old standards; it keeps it interesting.

My only quibble with Keli is that I wish she would give a bit more time during transitions.  I frequently had to rewind the DVD to get set up.  I also noticed several of her cast members having the same problem.  But with the convenience of DVD, this isn’t a big deal.  It also gives me a chance to pause and rehydrate.

Overall, a great workout that touches on every part of the body.  I’m ready for a nap!

Today's Workout - Fast Cheetah

After seeing myself on camera yesterday, I'm feeling particularly inspired to burn off some body fat as soon as possible!  That being said, it's been a crazy week and I wasn't in the mood to work out at all.  So, how can I combine a fun, effective workout that has little "dread factor"??  Go for a WHFN (Women's Health & Fitness Network) DVD!  Today I chose Fast Cheetah, which is based on a cousin Fast Cheetah workout done a few years ago by FitPrime.  I wasn't disappointed!

Lead instructor Heidi Tanner gets you warmed up, and then Kimberly Spreen takes over for quite a while.  Kim does a mix of cardio and strength training, using a 14" step and light (I used 4 lb.) weights.  The music is enjoyable and I definitely got a good sweat going.  Thankfully my kids interrupted me a few times so I could have an excuse to towel off!

Heidi returns to do pilates/yoga/core work.  She uses the 14" step and one yoga block.  Her segment was also challenging, but still very enjoyable.  She ends with a nice stretch, and I felt great after 48 minutes of Fast Cheetah!

For those of you who are fans of The Firm, you'll recognize Heidi Tanner (lead), Tamela Hastie (castmember), and other castmembers who've been in past Firm videos.

These videos are high quality and I always enjoy doing them.  And as a 38 year-old, I appreciate the fact that the women have real bodies and we don't spend a ton of time jumping around in class.  They have other effective ways of getting cardio in!  There are a few plyometrics, but nothing excessive.

Give Fast Cheetah a try, and for a companion routine, do Strong Bear at your next workout!

Rockin' Giveaway - Lady Vernon and Her Daughter

Check out the Historically Obsessed blog!  Lizzy's got a nice giveaway of Lady Vernon and Her Daughter. Here's the link:  Historically Obsessed  And I've copied a few details below:

Rockin' Giveaway Lady Veron and Her Daughter by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

Hi all I have got a sweet giveaway for you all courtesy of Crown Publishing. The giveaway is for TEN copies of Lady Veron and Her Daughter by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway. It is a new historical fiction that is due to hit book store October 6Th in hardback.

Yes I did say TEN copies, crazy I know but I knew everyone would have a fairly good chance at winning a copy. The TEN winners will receive a hardback copy of this beautiful book. Sorry but this one is for the US & Canada only. Contest will end on October 9Th at midnight.

Rules
* For 1 entry leave me a comment with a way to contact you.
* For 2 entries follow my blog. If you already do, thanks, and please let me know in the comments. You're eligible for the extra entry as well.
* For 3 entries blog or tweet this giveaway to spread the word.

*******************************************************************************
Sounds like a nice contest!  Head on over to Historically Obsessed to win. You've got until October 9th!

Movie Review - The Brothers Bloom

While I'd never want to be a victim of a con game, I love con movies.  Ocean's 11, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and the like.  If you enjoy them as I do, check out The Brothers Bloom, recently released on DVD.  It didn't make a huge splash at the box office, but no matter.  It's quirky, funny, poignant, sad and sweet at the same time.  Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody and Rachel Weisz are a great team and weave quite a tale. I also enjoyed the performance of the virtually mute Bang Bang, played by Rinko Kikuchi.  She provided much comic relief and was hysterical in her own quiet way.

The movie got a PG-13, easily explainable by (I think) one incidence of an F-bomb, and two characters sleep together (although it's not really shown).  And there's some blood, from mostly fake wounds during their nefarious con jobs.  So, not exactly for my parents and young kids, but certainly fine for adult con-movie fans.

The Other Mr. Darcy - Giveaway on Abibliophile.com

Here's another giveaway opportunity for The Other Mr. Darcy, found on Abibliophile.com:

http://www.abibliophile.com/?p=1902

Plus a nice article by author Monica Fairview.  You have until 5pm on October 9th, 2009.  Happy entering!

Giveaway - The Other Mr. Darcy

I love what I call "Jane Austen Spinoff Novels".  These are books that are sequels, prequels and otherwise speculations on the characters in Jane Austen stories.  Here's another opportunity to win a copy of a spinoff, The Other Mr. Darcy, found at My Victorian Books:


http://myvictorianbooks.blogspot.com/2009/09/interview-with-monica-fairview-giveaway.html

And to read about the featured book in an earlier post on My Victorian Books, I've copied it below:

The Other Mr. Darcy / Review

Author: Monica Fairview
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 140222513X


My Review:

Caroline Bingley is overwhelmed and heartbroken over the marriage of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. But soon, at a very awkward moment, a mysterious gentleman enters her life--Mr. Darcy's cousin from America. Tension immediately follows between the two as Caroline shows contempt for her American acquaintance. Although, Robert Darcy falls in love with Caroline, their worlds are very different and far apart.

This book is so elegantly written, the reader would think they are reading Jane Austen. I knew from the very beginning this was going to be an excellent book and I wasn't disappointed.

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Again, here's the link to the contest, and an interview with Monica Fairview, author.

Book Review: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

A few years ago, a college student I was meeting with recommended a little book called Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Her opinion of it was so high, I picked up a copy and gave it a try. I've never gobbled up a nonfiction book so fast. Donald's perception of the human and Christian experience was riveting and resonant with many of my own beliefs (some of which had been unspoken).

Flash forward about 6 years, and I've been given the opportunity to receive an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Miller's latest book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. I'd been following Donald on Twitter for some time and have noted his writing-in-progress tweets with some anticipation. So my ARC from the Amazon.com Vine Program was a truly appreciated.

While I didn't take in Million Miles as ravenously as Jazz, I still enjoyed it. Miller perceives our lives as individual story lines, all flowing in the great Story that God is telling. We are not mere spectators to God's narrative, we are all participants. The question is, what kind of story are we going to tell? The world aches for good stories to witness, good stories to repeat to others. And of course, the best and most interesting stories are ones that have obstacles to surmount, challenges to overcome.

While on some level I agree with Miller on this point, on another it's hard to swallow. I've had a measure of pain in my life, and while no one would call my story a tragic one, there have been times when I've questioned why God has put me in the particular storyline He's written. It's very hard to accept the "pain makes life more interesting" notion when you're in the middle of a quagmire.

Having said that, I've had days when I've positively resonated with God's purpose for my life, days when the joy was so great I could almost hear it. It is in those times that I've felt a part of a greater story, and one in which I love to have this role. I only hope and pray that when I look back during the epilogue, that I, those around me and the Father above will have enjoyed what they've witnessed. As Miller discusses, it's a long climb up the mountain, but the view from above will be so glorious.

For more information on Donald Miller, go to http://donmilleris.com/ or follow him on Twitter (donmilleris)

Book Giveaway!! Lady Vernon and Her Daughter

Check out this book giveaway, found on the reading blog Passages to the Past:


YOU MUST GO TO Passages to the Past TO ENTER!!

MassiveMassive Giveaway! 10 copy giveaway of Lady Vernon and Her Daughter: A Novel of Jane Austen's Lady Susan

Courtesy of the unbelievably generous Crown Publishing, Passages to the Past has 10 copies of Lady Vernon and Her Daughter: A Novel of Jane Austen's Susan by Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway!!

Who loves ya baby?  Crown Publishing and me, that's who!!!

SYNOPSIS:  Jane Austen’s novella Lady Susan was written during the same period as another novella called Elinor and Marianne–which was later revised and expanded to become Sense and Sensibility. Unfortunately for readers, Lady Susan did not enjoy the same treatment by its author and was left abandoned and forgotten by all but the most diligent Austen scholars. Until now.

In Lady Vernon and Her Daughter, Jane Rubino and Caitlen Rubino-Bradway have taken Austen’s original novella and transformed it into a vivid and richly developed novel of love lost and found–and the complex relationships between women, men, and money in Regency England.

Lady Vernon and her daughter, Frederica, are left penniless and without a home after the death of Sir Frederick Vernon, Susan’s husband. Frederick’s brother and heir, Charles Vernon, like so many others of his time, has forgotten his promises to look after the women, and despite their fervent hopes to the contrary, does nothing to financially support Lady Vernon and Frederica.

When the ladies, left without another option, bravely arrive at Charles’s home to confront him about his treatment of his family, they are faced with Charles’s indifference, his wife Catherine’s distrustful animosity, and a flood of rumors that threaten to undo them all. Will Lady Vernon and Frederica find love and happiness–and financial security–or will their hopes be dashed with their lost fortune?

With wit and warmth reminiscent of Austen’s greatest works, Lady Vernon and Her Daughter brings to vivid life a time and place where a woman’s security is at the mercy of an entail, where love is hindered by misunderstanding, where marriage can never be entirely isolated from money, yet where romance somehow carries the day.

Giveaway 411: 

YOU MUST GO TO Passages to the Past TO ENTER!!

* Giveaway ends on October 16th. Winner will be announced on October 17th.

* Open to US entries ONLY.

* For 5 additional entries sign up as a follower; if you already are a follower you will automatically get this.

* For another additional one entry: post, sidebar, facebook or twitter about this giveaway.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Today's Workout - Your Personal Best with Elle

I'm what you would call a "vidiot".  I love using exercise videos for my workouts, and I have a few hundred of them.  Since variety is great for the body, I rarely do the same video more than once or twice a year.  Today's workout is called Your Personal Best with Elle Macpherson (90's supermodel) and Karen Voight (fitness instructor).  It was released in 1995 and is only available on VHS in the United States.  I typically do this one on Satudays; it's 54 minutes and is set in the beautiful Hawaiian islands.  Distributed by Disney's Buena Vista Home Video, the production values are high and the cinematography is great.  As a 90's girl, I still enjoy the now-dated music (Inxs, Sting, Matthew Wilder) and don't mind the aging fashions.  There's a good mix of cardio, strength training and a nice 5-minute stretch at the end.  There are 8 segments, shifting to different locations throughout the islands. The only equipment you need are comfy shoes and workout clothes, hand weights, and a chair or bench.  Elle is clearly no fitness expert, so it's good to have Karen on board.  Both ladies have different body types, and of course they're both inspirational to have on screen.  This isn't one of my favorite workouts, but when I do it once a year, I always enjoy it.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Recently I read a Time magazine article on Suzanne Collins' novel, The Hunger Games, which intrigued me enough to pick up a copy at my local public library. It wasn't long before I was plowing through the book with great enthusiasm. Although I knew the book to be the first in a series, I was terribly disappointed when it ended with a cliffhanger. I couldn't wait to read the second volume, Catching Fire, released about a month ago. My library didn't have a copy of the book, so I began entering as many contests as I could to win a free copy. Things being tight these days, I couldn't afford to splurge on a new book. Fortunately, after entering dozens of times, I managed to win a free copy from RevolutionSF.com. I'm now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the book and Catching Fire promotional items.

The Hunger Games is set in a type of post-apocalyptic world, a genre I've never been particularly attracted to. But Collins' tale of the reluctant heroine Katniss was exciting and eventually drew me in. Katniss' efforts to survive within the world of the Hunger Games were realistic as well as fantastical. I look forward to seeing what happens to her and cohort Peeta in the next installment.

A New Blog - The Calico Critic

This fall I discovered the world of book bloggers. I've really enjoyed reading the postings of fellow book readers and thought I'd join in on the fun. I also enjoy music and movies, so as the title suggests, there will be a little bit of this and a little bit of that reviewed here. The title also refers to my beloved calico cat, Callie, born in the summer of 1995. We love her more every year.

And after reading my blog, if you feel I might enjoy a particular book, movie or musician, please feel free to fill me in! I love new discoveries.

Enjoy, Calico readers!