1 Long Day at Work
1 Cute and Cuddly Dog
1 Warm Blanket
1 Super Comfy Couch
Equals, no blog tonight because I fell asleep.
March 2023 Book Report
This is not a good time to be in a reading slump, but I find myself without the energy to start a new book right now. It’s not because I have nothing to read. On the contrary, I have about 200 titles divided between my bookshelves, my Audible library, and my e-reader, just waiting for me to pick one. Apparently, what I lack in decision-making, I make up in book buying! Don’t worry, I didn’t buy them all at once. But now I find myself with too many titles to choose from.
Am I in the mood for a memoir or a mystery? I couldn’t tell you.
All is not lost, and I’m not a quitter-especially when it comes to reading. I’ve already read eight books this year, which is a decent amount. I’m still two books behind on reaching my Goodreads goal of 40 titles by the end of the year, which means I need to snap out of it soon. But I know myself. I’ll catch up when the weather gets nicer, and when my job is a little less busy, and when I finally decide on the next book I want to read.
So without further ado, here are the four books I read in March.
The Golden Spoon by Jessa Maxwell
I’ve heard that after you read a good book, you can develop a bit of a hangover—a book hangover. This might be part of what is happening right now because The Golden Spoon did not disappoint. Set in a baking show competition, six contestants travel to a remote location to appear on Bake Week and win a coveted trophy—The Golden Spoon. Each contestant has their own backstory and reasons for wanting to be there. The competition starts off innocently enough, but by day three, someone is murdered, and everyone is considered a suspect. This “whodunnit” story was a lot of fun to read. Both the cast of characters and the storyline moved along at a quick pace, and I couldn’t put it down. I listened to this book on Audible which featured a bunch of voiceover actors. I gave it four stars. Bon Appetit!
Waxing On: The Karate Kid and Me by Ralph Macchio
After listening to a podcast featuring Ralph Macchio, I couldn’t wait to read his memoir. His poster had a permanent place on the wall of my childhood bedroom, right next to the other “Outsiders” Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise. His puppy dog eyes reached into my 13-year-old soul and stole my heart. On the other hand, his writing left a lot to be desired.
The Karate Kid is one of my favorite 80s movies. There is a clear chemistry between the actors that is hard to achieve. The behind-the-scenes stories were fun to read to a point. But the endless comparisons between the movie and his tv show Cobra Kai annoyed me. I don’t watch a ton of television because, supposedly, I’d rather be reading. And since I haven’t watched Cobra Kai, some of his stories were lost on me. Sadly, the book felt like a promotional tool instead of a memoir. I would have liked to read about his childhood, his family life, his struggles with fame (although he managed to avoid the alcohol and drugs so prominent in that era), and any other movie or show he has been in. What about the Outsiders? Maybe a few chapters on My Cousin Vinny. Very few pages were dedicated to these classic movies.
Even if I watched Cobra Kai and wanted to learn more about it, I’m not sure I would read his book again. He wrote the book as if in conversation with me. His annoying interjections to let me know to “stay tuned for the next chapter” or “I’ll talk more about that later” needed to be edited out in favor of much smoother transitions. I gave this two stars.
Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox
Now this memoir is more like it! This was a re-read for me, and it is still one of my favorite 80s celebrity memoirs. Michael J. Fox is a gifted storyteller who shares everything from his childhood, family life, and personal battle with alcoholism and how he now copes with Parkinson’s disease. He also shared many stories about his work in both film and tv, including Family Ties, Spin City, and Back to the Future. He left nothing out and left me wanting more. Fortunately, he has written three other books that I have also enjoyed immensely. I can’t recommend it high enough – five stars.
Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau
One thing I’ve learned about myself as a reader is that I love plot-driven books. I don’t like stories that are slow to start, and not much happens except for this one. This story is a character study about a teenage girl who lives a sheltered life in 1970s Baltimore. Her innocence stems from a religious mother and an inattentive father. When she takes a summer nanny job for a different kind of family, she is exposed to a whole new and groovy lifestyle. And she digs it. I loved the nostalgia in this book, and the protagonist reminds me a lot of my younger self. You do have to suspend some sense of reality in this book, and the ending is a little hard to believe, but it worked for me – four stars.
I also DNF’ed (Did Not Finish) one book called “Winterland” by Rae Meadows. I decided to listen to this book about the world of competitive gymnastics in the Soviet Union. I remember watching the Olympics and the drama surrounding American vs. Russian gymnasts. Unfortunately, this is a character study that was going nowhere. I’ve listened to about a third of this book and asked some people in a private Facebook group whether this book was going to get any better. The answer was no. Bummer. On to the next one.
What have you been reading lately? Tell me in the comments! I need a few good book recommendations.
Save Me A Dance
The last time I danced with my Dad was two years ago at my nephew Tyler’s bar mitzvah. I never say no to a dance with him, and I love to watch him on the dance floor with others. Not just because he is a good dancer but because the joy he exudes when he dances is contagious. Seriously, if I could bottle it up and sell it, I’d be a millionaire a few times over.
He hasn’t let his Parkinson’s diagnosis slow him down. Dancing is a wonderful form of exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). It helps strengthen muscles and reinforces balance. It also stimulates the mind and keeps depression at bay which is common among those with PD.
It’s also a lot of fun.
I’m hoping for many more dances with Dad, so I’m taking six minutes today to shine a light on PD. April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and someone is diagnosed with it every six minutes in the U.S. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurological disease after Alzheimer’s disease. More than 10 million people worldwide live with Parkinson’s—including my Dad. He was officially diagnosed in 2011 but probably lived with it for years before that. The cause is largely unknown, but research points to a combination of genetics and environmental causes, like pesticides. Coincidentally, there are at least four other people who worked in the same building as my Dad who has or had Parkinson’s, so environmental causes could very well be a factor in his case.
PD is a complex disease to diagnose because many of the symptoms are similar to what happens as we age—walking slowly and shuffling, losing balance, cognitive difficulties, limb stiffness, tremors, and so on. But PD affects dopamine-producing neurons in a specific section of the brain. Dopamine is associated with movement, attention, memory, and learning, and low levels cause various issues. People are typically diagnosed later in life, but early onset is also possible. There are treatments—medication, physical therapy, etc. but so far, no cure.
Research is crucial to finding a cure. I am currently enrolled in the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative, a comprehensive research study funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. I’m also considering genetic testing to see if I have one of the three genes that indicate a higher risk factor for Parkinson’s. It turns out that I have family members on both sides who have been diagnosed with PD, but having the gene doesn’t mean I will ever develop the disease.
Getting off of my soapbox and back to my Dad. He is doing well. He has a terrific support system of friends and family and loves to keep in touch with everyone. And while I see changes in him as the years go by, I know there is still a lot of dancing left for us to do.
If you have a loved one, who has been diagnosed with PD or just want to learn more about this progressive neurological disease, check out the #Take6forPD campaign.