Monday, October 31, 2011

Reading List


I am sick of talking about (and thinking about) my workouts and meals.  It is a little known fact that I have any other interests.  

Today I am thinking about the author, Sarah Hall.  


I was introduced to Sarah Hall in 2006.  I actually stumbled upon The Carhullan Army (Daughters of the North) while wasting time at the University Bookstore at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.  I love reading, but I have left many books unfinished because I feel little obligation to finish a book I do not connect with.  In the same way that I do not seek the company of every human on earth, I do not believe that I am going to become a more merited person by consuming great volumes of literature simply because a piece may be by some standards "excellent writing."  

Daughters of The North is a story of gender blind camaraderie and love.  The story's honest, natural, and raw portrayal of female strength is beautiful and comforting despite the violent story line.  I devoured the book like the company of lover after an long separation.  I was 19 at the time, and desperately seeking a dialogue that reflected my own search for a more real existence.

The story has stuck with me through these years, although I have not consciously thought about it until about a week ago.  Strange.  I was driving up Pacific Street feeling completely physically and emotionally used up.  I rarely get "stressed out" - at least not by the ebb and flow of daily life.  I do not typically seek audience to "vent," and when I am grappling with more serious questions I have often found others' attempts at empathy hollow.  Not from lack of effort.  Real empathy is tough to come by.  It is during these times that I have found companionship in woman I have never met.  Through the writing of strong, passionate women I find comfort and sisterhood.  This experience, what you are feeling is real, and I love you.

Upon returning to Sarah Hall today, I had a happy discovery.  Her newest collection of short works will be released this upcoming month!  Pre-order done!  



This gives me just enough time to swing by Half-Price Books to pick up one of her other novels that I have yet to read including: Haweswater, The Electric Michelangelo, and How to Paint a Dead Man.

I am not going to recommend every man, woman, and child race to the bookstore to pick up a Sarah Hall novel, but if my review struck a nerve, I think it would be worth your while.

http://www.sarahhallauthor.com/ (check it out!)
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About Sam

I am a writer in Omaha, Nebraska sharing my adventures in the foundations of healthy living - nutrition, being active, and being funny.

I was born in Kansas City in the sweltering summer of July, 1986. I was nearly born in the car because I was so pumped to get my life started. I have been bouncing off of the walls ever since. Growing up I hung out with the big kids who were even older than my sister (and best friend) Allie. I quickly developed an "I'm over it" 'tude toward kids my own age whose pastimes seemed juvenile - an interesting perspective coming from a preschooler. My snobbish worldview was hard earned however, as I was forced to learn both multiplication and division early to keep up when we played "school," and I was always forced to do dangerous stuff first to make sure it was okay, like eating unidentified berries and making the first run on super steep hills while sledding. We biked all day, ate wild honeysuckle, painted the house with mud, and collected cicada shells for no reason other than they stick to fabric and freaked my mom out.

I quickly realized that even little legs can get you as far as a car can, and as a young child, you really have nothing but time. My adventures were only restrained by the fact that adults do not find it acceptable for young children to explore the town on foot unaccompanied. I prematurely developed a desire to be an independent self-supporting person, so I opened a Kool-Aid/popcorn business to finance my big plans. Looking back, I would say that the only issues holding me back were my limited advertising budget and the fact that I was still too short to ride roller coasters. People just don't take you seriously when you can't go on the upside-down rides.

I was moved to Omaha in the second grade. I continued walking all over the place, exploring surrounding neighborhoods and visiting grocery stores to pick up my favorites: Goldfish, Sprite, and sugar cigarettes. I don't even think you can buy those anymore, and for the record, I never started smoking.

I never lost my hard work ethic, and I needed to increase my income to afford my new hobbies of beading and Polaroid photography. At the age of ten I mailed in a response to an advertisement for paper delivery routes without discussing the issue with my family. Sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands when people don't share you vision. The people at the Omaha World Herald must have had a good feeling about me becuase they contacted my parents to tell them that they wanted to hire me but would feel better if there was an older family member onboard. I still wonder if Allie holds any resentment toward me for pulling her into the labor force when she was only twelve.

In third grade, I followed Allie's lead and began taking dance classes at Mary Lorraine's Dance Center. For the next eleven years it became "what I did." Nowadays, I train more like an athlete, but I will always move like a dancer, and being in a studio will always feel like home.

After high school I relocated again (this time of my own volition) to study "everything" in the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I acquired a degree in marketing and finance that I may use someday. More importantly, I became a close friend and Alpha Phi sister with a cross country runner who easily persuaded me to train for the 2005 Lincoln half-marathon. I have been running ever since. In April 2011 I developed plantar fasciitis after jumping into an intense 50-70 mile/week schedule. This is the first athletic injury in my life. Although it has been indescribably frustrating both physically and emotionally, the silver lining is my increased receptivity to more variety in fitness disciplines.

I enjoy Pilates, yoga, enjoy Zumba, plyometric interval training, running, walking, and seeing how quickly I can run up stairs without losing my lunch. When I am too exhausted to move, I read and write. I love fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, poetry, philosophy, song lyrics, and comedy. I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I love spell check, and felt tip pens.

I am happy and optimistic most of the time. I enjoy living simply and deeply. I hope you enjoy what I have to share.







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