Reading, running, and rain.

Book update: Finished The Appeal today. I think from now on, I'll provide some info on each book I read. So for a New York Times book review for The Appeal, [click here].

Very good book, with a bit of scary realism as far as politics and the practice of law go. The ending was disappointing for me, but not enough so to ruin the story. [Unlike, say, Dear John].

That's now 3 books in 15 days. 954 total pages. My roll continues. In fact, my pace has increased. We'll see if that lasts.

Next selection: The Partner - John Grisham

This will be my 3rd Grisham novel in a row. At the moment, I'm thinking of taking a break from Grisham after this one, since a few of my other books of his are longer [longest one: 598 pages]. This one, 366 pages.


Other notes:
- Today, my first ever college crush got married. Congrats, Sarah!

I have one picture of Sarah and me, but it's about 6 years old, my hair was super long, and I looked really high [I wasn't]. So I won't be posting it. But still, I'm really very happy for her.

Now...can it be my turn yet? Please? Why not? *Sigh* But everyone else gets to go...[little kid voice].

- Perhaps the hardest run of my life this evening. Already on a sore knee, I was running through the rain [I love it], and mostly on dirt roads. The rain I was running in was manageable, but I didn't take into account how much it had already rained. For a one mile stretch, I was running in mud that came up past my ankles--that was messy. But there's nothing more liberating than a good, long run in the rain.

No one reads these things,
Derrick

Grisham and the snake...

Book update: Finished The Testament this afternoon. Good book. Featured an oft rehabbed ex-lawyer sent to the remote swamplands of the Pantanal to locate a female missionary who, unbeknownst to her, just inherited $11 billion from her estranged, recently deceased father.

So that's 2 books in 11 days. 630 total pages. I'm on a roll--and not ashamed of the nerd it makes me.

Makes me wonder, though...where was this motivation to read in High School? Or, um...college?

To be fair, it's not that I didn't read, it's that I didn't read the things I was supposed to. Whoops.

Next selection: The Appeal - John Grisham

Reckon I'll keep on the Grisham kick until I get bored or hit a lull. This one, 324 pages.

Embarrassing Story Time:

- Bear with me on the set-up, as it helps with the story's hilarity.

Remember the dude [Nate O'Riley] from the book? Well as he's working his way through the Pantanal, he naturally encounters several creatures he's not used to seeing in his typical suburban D.C. lifestyle. He doesn't mind it a bit--it's an adventure, after all--until the topic of snakes is brought up. At one point, they come upon an anaconda. All black, approximately 12 inches wide and 8 feet long. Just reading about this made me squirm. I haaaaate snakes.

As I begin my run, I look around at the clear country air, calm trees, thinking 'Man am I glad I'm here in the country and not the Pantanal--no anacondas here!'

And THEN...about a mile in, I see a big, black snake on the left side of the dirt road, not 10 feet in front of me. No anaconda, mind you, but, um...it's a freaking snake! Probably three inches in width, four feet long [estimates]. Needless to say, I panicked. Slammed on the breaks like a hockey player sliding to a stop in front of a goalie. Made an abrupt turn to go back the way I came and--TWIST went the knee. Ouch! Had to limp most the way home--and all around the house since then. Thankfully, the snake did not follow me home.

And that is my snake story.

As a follow-up to the story, this conversation ensued:

Me: "That was my favorite route to run, too...won't be taking that way for awhile now."
Mom: "Yeah, because the snake will be there waiting for you."
Me: "I know! That's what HE said. He said 'Don't come back 'round here or I'm gonna f*ckin' eat you.'"
Mom: "I bet he did."
Me: "Where did I lose you on the story's believability?"
Mom: "Go away, Derrick."
Me: "Dang it. Well it was still pretty scary."
Mom: "I know."

Snakes are bad,

Derrick