Restless

Not surprisingly, my lunch time reading strategy was a complete bust. It was pretty crazy last week, and I took lunch when possible. Reading wasn't an option as I ate and ran or ate at my desk.

That being said, I did get some reading done. I even stayed up late to read the final chapters of Restless. To give the story credit, you had to read to the end to figure things out and even then, I wanted greater explanatory detail on a couple of events. It certainly makes the life of a spy seems less than glamorous. People were sacrificing themselves for the side of "good" only to discover in the end that they were "the bad guys" in reality. It was a very British book, and I'm sure someone from the UK would enjoy it more. All in all, the book was a nice surprise. I'm not sure if I would run out and read another by this author, but it was a fun read.

What am I going to read next? I think I'm going to be reading so much at work next week, that I may just focus on journaling or veg out reading some cook books. Donna Hay came highly recommended to me on the weekend. Another person called the books "culinary porn."

I'll let you know.
Here is a review from Publishers Weekly:
When Ruth Gilmartin learns the true identity and the WWII profession of her aging mother, Sally Gilmartin, at the start of Boyd's elegant ninth novel (after Any Human Heart), Ruth is understandably surprised. Sally, née Eva Delectorskaya, a Russian émigré living in Paris in 1939, was recruited as a spy by Lucas Romer, the head of a secretive propaganda group called British Security Coordination, to help get America into the war. This fascinating story is well told, but slightly undercut by Ruth's less-than-dramatic life as a single mother teaching English at Oxford while pursuing a graduate degree in history. Ruth's more pedestrian existence can't really compete with her mother's dramatic revelations. The contemporary narrative achieves a good deal more urgency when Ruth's mother recruits her to hunt down the reclusive, elusive Romer. But the real story is Eva/Sally's, a vividly drawn portrait of a minor figure in spydom caught up in the epic events leading up to WWII.

it's all about scheduling

There was a day when reading a good book was part of my lifestyle. I couldn't believe that some people didn't read. Reading interesting books just happened. There were many occasions when I would stay up until the wee hours to finish a good book. There were days when I would just spend the entire day reading. That was in a previous life.

During that lifetime, dinners were a bit more spontaneous, as well. Some days I would wake up in the morning and mull over what I wanted for supper. Typically during the day, I would be struck with inspiration and I would go to the grocery store on the way home from work. Most often, I would get home, view my assortment of prepared frozen entrees and select dinner for that evening. If I cooked, I would make enough that there would inevitably be 5 extra servings to put in the freezer.

Even exercise happened without much thought or preparation. I always worked out on the weekend. I would feel compelled to exercise a couple of times during the week to ensure that I was tired enough to sleep. Again, that was in a past life.

Today, life is a bit more regimented -- much richer, but definitely more regimented. Menus are planned on the weekend. We make big dinners on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure that there are leftovers. Voila, we have 2 meals prepared for the week. Ideally, vats of food are prepared on weekends to make sure there is always a meal in the freezer. Laundry must be done by Sunday to ensure that the morning routine goes as smoothly as possible.

Recently, I've come to the realization that exercise must be as thoroughly planned and scheduled or it doesn't happen. I no longer have to exercise to ensure a good night's sleep.

I'm beginning to realize that reading also needs to be scheduled or it won't happen. I've been ready Restless for over 2 weeks now and I'm only half way through it. It's an enjoyable book. Entertaining, albeit not mind altering. In truth, I could set it down right now, and I wouldn't feel a great deal or remorse. It is a nice, easy read, and I'm not yet ready to give up on it.

So here's the plan:
1. I'm going to try to retire a little bit earlier each evening and read
2. a) I'm going to take lunch
2. b) and read during this time

Ahhhh, wait. We've been away all weekend. If I'm going to have a meal that actually has vegetables and fruit tomorrow evening, I have to buy some fresh items.

So, wish me luck as I try to schedule in some more reading.