I have a ton, A. TON. of work to do at home, but last night I spent 2 hours with…a book!! I checked out The Time Traveler’s Wife from my library last night after work and instead of cleaning or doing any prep cooking, I chilled on my bed and read. Would it shock you to know that it has been MONTHS since I read a book? Well it shocks me. I love love L O V E reading and for some reason, it has been one of those things that I have just ignored. When I picked up that book and before I had even made it through the prologue, I felt like I took in a big breath of air and finally remembered to start breathing again. For several weeks now, I have felt like I have been figuratively holding my breath, all the while literally taking only shallow breaths. That’s what I do when I’m tense or stressed or just generally unhappy – I forget to breathe deeply. I think my body instinctively knows this and this is why yoga has been on my brain so much lately. Seriously, on Mizfit’s site I mentioned a conversation that I had with myself one morning last week on the way to work:
Seriously? Girl, how do you know? Cause these were my exact thoughts as me and my bad ‘tude were driving to work this morning: “I need to take a frickin yoga class or something. I need just one small chunk of time where I’m not doing something for someone else! Is that too much to ask??? Yeah, I need to do some yoga and just make it a rule that NO ONE is allowed to bother me during that time!!! I NEED SOME FRICKIN YOGA!!!”
Totally not kidding. That was the convo I had with myself this morning.
And lo and behold, I won the yoga mat that she was giving away! I think God is telling me in not so subtle ways to CHILL THE HECK OUT!!! I am excited about my yoga mat, and I’ve checked into some yoga classes nearby, but I think I might just get a yoga DVD to start with (you guys have any favorites?).
ANYWAY, back to the book…about a month ago, I had gone to the library to check out TTTW, but it was already checked out, so I put my name on the “Hold” list and after a few weeks, I got the call that it was my turn! So I high-tailed it to my local library and got my book. Just holding the book in my hands made me happy and when I finally turned the pages to the beginning of the story, I felt the muscles in my shoulders relax, and a very peaceful, happy feeling floated down from the sky and wrapped me up inside it. Seriously, that’s what it felt like. Corny, I know, but I don’t care. I’m just so freakin happy to have a good book to read!
I haven’t seen the movie yet, and I’m not sure I will. The librarian and I were talking about books vs movies (just saying that makes me feel so smart!) and she said something that I thought was interesting: she said, “Be careful which one you experience first, because that will be the one that you remember most”. So if you see the movie and then read the book, you will be holding the book in the light of the movie, and vice versa. This is why people always say that the book is better than the movie, because the book comes out first and everybody reads it, then they see the movie and the movie doesn’t match the experience they had in their heads when they were imagining the book. That’s just my two obvious cents.
So yeah, I’m a happy camper, and I’ve stopped worrying about Thanksgiving Day – what gets done, gets done, and what doesn’t get done – well better luck next year. Thanks to all of you who gave me great advice and just generally joined me in my pity party. I’m over it now and I think the addition of a big bottle of wine while I’m cooking tomorrow will make the day just a touch happier! I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, or as you Canadians like to call it: Thursday. Either way have a great day! 🙂
Man, you are on a blogging roll. I gotta get activated. I’m so glad you took some ‘you time.’ Have a wonderful thanksgiving!
The thing I found with yoga DVDs? They are usually really LONG, and DVDs are what I use when I don’t have a lot of time. That said, though, I really like the Rodney Yee videos. (Other, more practiced yoga people have recommended them, too.) I’ve used the sports one, but I’m eying the “Beginner’s Yoga” and the “AM Yoga,” because they have 20-minute sessions.
Speaking of the library, does yours have instructional DVDs to check out? You might try there first and sample the DVDs your library has to offer before investing. Or, if you have Netflix, there are a number of offerings on there.
Great idea! I never thought of checking my library for yoga dvd’s!
P.S. Also, hope you and your family enjoy a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Enjoy your time to yourself! I LOVED The Time Traveler’s Wife book and didn’t enjoy the movie, so I’d definitely recommend the book over the movie. I often choose not to see a movie if I loved the book because I don’t want to ruin the love I had for the book.
I’ve never tried a yoga DVD, mainly because I need the structure of a class or else I get distracted but let us know if you try any and how you go.
I also loved TTTW! I felt HAUNTED by it when the book ended. Easily one of my best reads that year.
When are you going to link with me on Goodreads???
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Just love on all your houseguests and enjoy yourself!
Ok, breathe ….
I absolutely loved the Time Traveler’s Wife. I think books are always better than the movies because you get so much more detail and vivid pictures in your mind of what the characters are like. Glad you were able to relax a little and spend some time with a good book. If you haven’t read “The Book Thief” yet I would definitely put that on your list of books to read. It was amazing.
Hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving.
Have a great weekend!
Thanks! I was wondering what to read next, so I’ll make that one next on my list!
I can so relate to this. I actually didn’t read for pleasure for years!! I went through grad school, then a really draining job…finally I started admitting to myself that I am Hermione, and now whenever I walk into the library I get so excited.
Yay!
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