Other People's Work

Tonight I'm just going to plug other people's work. Is that okay? I promise to do my own work soon, but I have some very talented friends who are doing great things, and I just have to share.

First off, my friend Pam, author of the fabulous book Ethan Suspended will be doing her first podcast on February 7 at 3 p.m. EST!!!! The theme of the podcast is "Funny, that book doesn't look Jewish" and it will be Pam's first of what I'm sure will be a long writing career filled with podcasts. I am so thrilled for her and totally nervous to call in and chat with my friend the famous author. I'm afraid I will just end up giggling the entire time until the host hangs up on me. Yay, Pam!!! You can go here to find out more about the podcast and you can go here to find out more about Pam. If you have a young adult person in your life or if you still consider yourself a young adult person, be sure and check out Ethan Suspended. It is really a great coming of age story about a middle-schooler who moves from his Baltimore suburb to his grandparents' neighborhood in Washington, D.C. He is faced with the challenge of being the only Caucasian kid in the whole school while also wondering if his parents' separation is leading to divorce. There are jazz-oboe lessons, a stolen kiss in the Martin Luther King library and all kinds of poignant moments that make you love Ethan. You will turn the pages quickly in order to find out what happens to such an endearing narrator. Check it out! You won't be sorry!

Next up, my friend Robin has written an awesome review of the book I'm currently loving and highlighting up like crazy because it has so much great advice about simplifying your life and making time for a deeper connection with God. The book is called Breathe and the cover alone will make you want to relax, pour yourself a cup of tea and take a little time to reflect. If you are all about making 2008 great then take a deep breath and read this book. Look over to the right at the blue column for Robin's review. I am so excited to have Robin as Mommy Town's first ever guest blogger. Yay, Robin! Thank you for doing my work for me!!

Next, I have to tell everyone about my new discovery http://www.itrain.com/. It is like having your own little personal trainer in your ipod. If you have hit a workout plateau or you are simply looking for some motivation to start working out, check out itrain. You can download all kinds of workouts--everything from ballet to running on the treadmill. The itrain trainers will guide you through your workout and keep encouraging you to push yourself harder. I have yet to make it through the 90 minute treadmill circuit circus thingy that I downloaded because somebody (Charlie) kept needing things in the kids' gym at the Y the other day. But Brandon somehow did not hear the loud pages asking us to report to the kids' gym on the Y loudspeaker and was able to make it through the whole 90 minutes. And today he has the sore legs to prove it. But he claims it was the best workout ever and something he never could've made himself do without the celebrity trainer in his ear. Check it out and you too could have sore legs!

Lastly, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in an online book club? We could all read the same book and discuss (thought I'd explain that for you just in case you just landed on this planet and had never heard of a book club). Anyone have an idea for a book? Leave it in the comments below!