Almost There...

Greetings Loyal Readers,

It is June 23rd, 2016 and in just two short days, I will be running the Binder Park Zoo's Cheetah Chase 5K for the third time. 
The first year I ran it, I felt like a rock star. I finished in 48 minutes and was feeling pumped. 
The second year, I was FREEZING. It was raining the entire race and it was so cold that I basically walked and shivered the whole way. My bestie, Ashleigh, who has run it with me every time was with me on that race. 
This year ... well, I am going to be completely honest and admit that I had gained a lot of weight, so I am not feeling ultimately very confident about this race. Still, I think I am going to have a ton of fun. As long as I don't look at my finish time as a failure and as a success to have just FINISHED the race, I think that will help too. 
It really reminded me though that I do have to be better at watching my weight and taking better care of myself. 
I joined WeightWatchers again and I am going to try extra hard to make this stick. You never know... maybe by the fourth time running the 5K, I will beat my time for sure. 

All I am asking for are your prayers and good wishes as I attempt this feat again. It may be only 3.1 miles for some, but it feels like a lifetime when you are actually doing it. 

Do you want to know my secret to getting through the race without even realizing it? 

Here it is ...

Instead of listening to a psyched up musical playlist, I listen to multiple Adventures in Odyssey episodes. No joke. While I run, I listen to Connie and Eugene bicker, Mr. Whitaker solving moral dilemmas, and encouraging Bible verses at the end of each episode. 
Trust me, I know it sounds odd, but a radio drama is kind of like reading a book, but better because I kind of forget what I'm doing. I'm drawn into the story and forget that I am running at an odd pace outdoors on a gravel path. 
The only thing I KNOW I am going to get distracted by are the animals we catch glimpses of. For example, I always try to get a blurry picture of a cheetah. Yes, it is blurry on purpose. 

I usually add a tagline to the bottom that says 'Caught the Cheetah' or 'Chasing the Cheetah'. 

It's fun. Go with it. 



Oh I just can't wait to see these fuzzy kitties. 

So I bet that you are also DYING to know what I am reading right now. As of last week, I told you that I was reading Dreamtime: A True Story That Hasn't Happened Yet by Alan J Martin. It's still true now. The book is kind of long and really deep. Ayin and his friends Jiles, Talus, and Dove wake up on this mountain in a different world. They are summoned to fix the problems that have arisen. Ayin is a reluctant hero. A nomad. He is guilt-ridden after the death of his friend Sawm and now, with the burden of this whole world on his shoulders, he has to save the mysterious Tree of Dreams before it destroys all of creation ... even his own world. 

Ayin also has a bit of a temper. If he feels like he is caged up for too long, he immediately charges out regardless of the danger to his own self. It makes him very headstrong and along those same lines, makes me want to yell at him to get back to where it's safe. Needless to say, he never listens. 
I highly recommend this book if you want a high fantasy adventure. 

The other book that I just started is Soundless by Richelle Mead. I had read her entire Vampire Academy series and loved it. This book is way different than her vampire lore. 

For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. 
 
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei’s home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation.
 
But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

Ever since I read that, I was entranced by the prospect of this book. At first, I was wondering how Richelle wrote a book that has no speaking. Was it all description from one girl's point of view? Was it all the girl's thoughts? Nothing could have prepared me for what actually is happening in her village. And no, I am not giving away any spoilers.

That is all I am giving you right now. You'll have to wait in suspense for the next edition of Books, Tea, and Overactive Imagination. As always, I remain your faithful writer...

Be Open, Be Loving, Be Yourself
Taryn