Becoming the Author Advocate has been a six-year work in progress, and it seems I have only shared bits and parts of my life, here and there, every now and then. Let’s get up in my “kool-aid” by telling 9 facts about me. But first a selfie … here is a recent picture of me. I still can’t seem to just smile when it’s me taking the picture.
Ta-da. OK, now here are my 3-3-3.
- 3 approaches to improve my physical health
- 3 books I have spent more than a year trying to finish
- 3 places I want to vacation
3 approaches to improve my physical health
Every three months, I get my blood drawn. Since last year’s physical, my results have been worsening numbers toward high cholesterol and fatty liver. Also, I have gained around 20 total pounds. This is not a life I want to live.
- For 2019, I gave up drinking soda pop daily. I do have cheat days, and I allow myself to drink a Coke.
- At least two days out of the week, I substitute a meal with a detox smoothie.
- I downloaded the game Just Dance. I hate “normal” exercise, but I do love dancing. So I go through about 4 or 5 songs and the next thing I know I have done about 30 minutes of cardio.
3 books I have spent more than a year trying to finish
You wouldn’t know it by how I slug through finishing a book now, but I used to be a voracious bookworm. I could put away a good book in a day. Of course, I was a teenager with no job, no bills, no kids, and no adulting responsibilities, but still?!
- The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. This book makes me think. My self-reflection and introspection are on level 100 while reading it. When I am away from the story, I daydream about the characters and the plot development speculating what will happen next.
- Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist. When I first started reading Bittersweet, I felt lost. Shauna doesn’t write in a linear fashion but writes thematically. Each theme weaving into another creating a tapestry of sorts. This was irritating, but the irk was short-lived. Shauna’s storytelling and narration became intoxicating and cozy. Bittersweet is that non-fiction book that reads as warm as tea and your favorite novel.
- The Torah or the Pentateuch of The Holy Bible. I have been reading the Bible for the majority of my life, but I have not read from Genesis to The Revelation, so I went for a more manageable goal – to read the first five books. Clearly, this also has been challenging. Currently, I am about two weeks behind. I follow the Torah readings as scheduled by the Jewish calendar. This kind of reading, although scheduled, has been motivational for me. I look forward to reading scriptures that I have never seen before. It’s like a treasure hunt except I have no idea what I am looking for.
3 places I want to vacation
- Morocco. In true transparency, Morocco has never been on my “places to visit” list. The country landed there after months of failed do-it-ourselves attempts to plan a girls trip. One of the girls found an already planned trip, and we jumped into the fun. Morocco, I’ll be seeing you soon. What I don’t know about Morocco will overload a warehouse, so if you have some info and experience, please share.
- Jamaica. Mon, I don’t know what it is, but I feel like that island is calling me. Reggae music is soundtracking in my head. I have an insatiable craving for jerk. My feet want sand and surf. My soul need to feel irie (yes, I tried to write in a Jamaican accent). I have been looking for a package and I got nothing, at least nothing under $2,000.
- New England. I have been wanting to do this trip for over a decade. As a military brat and road trip junkie, I have traveled to most of the contiguous 48 states, but that breathtaking northeast corridor remains an uncharted mystery. I envision fresh seafood, turning of the leaves, whales, bed and breakfasts, and curious dialects.
These are nine interesting facts about me. If there is something we connect on or maybe we couldn’t be more opposite, drop a comment and let me know about it.
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