If You Can't Escape to Paris..

For those us craving the seductive, elusive and sophisticated elegance of Paris, take a reality check. The majority of the population wishes they could jet set to this gorgeous city, wear striped t-shirts and berets and eat at quaint bistros and marvel at pieces at The Louvre. I haven't actually been to Paris, though have been to France, on a wonderful riding trek through the Southern areas, including The Camargue.

Always on the lookout for light summer reads which are still well written don't fall under the 'trashy' quality of romance novels or some chick lit, I was bombarded with raving reviews of Ellen Sussman's "French Lessons." The usual magazines I peruse for worthwhile light literature (People, Entertainment Weekly, etc.) gave the book astronomical praise.

Fast forward to July 5th, when the book was released (TIP: A LOT OF THE TIME BOOKS ARE REVIEWED BEFORE THEY HIT THE SHELVES. THE BOOK STORES PROBABLY HAVE THEM IN STOCK A FEW WEEKS BEFORE, BUT CANNOT LEGALLY DISPLAY THEM UNTIL THEIR RELEASE DATE. CHECK ONLINE OR CALL YOUR LOCAL BOOK STORE TO ENSURE THE BOOK IS AVAILABLE SO YOU DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME).

French Lessons has proven to be an entertaining, sexy and worthwhile distraction on the bus rides to and from the barn. It is structured in three sections, each between one French tutor and their American student. The three tutors know each other well, but the three storylines chronicle a day in the life of a French lesson between each teacher and pupil.

The three tutors are two men and one woman, the love interest caught between her male counterparts. The students are a lonely, grieving ex-school teacher seeking solace in a six day Parisian excursion, an American housewife who left her sucecssful job in the U.S, and desperately misses her home and former life and the husband of a well known American actress, coming along for his wife's movie shoot.

The three plots do all end at the same movie shoot, with realizations from both student and teacher. The future is a bit unknown for the characters and it is a book which deals with living in the moment, while playing with the uncertainties of life, love, lust and family.

I highly recommend it as a page turner with evocative and descriptive prose, well worth a read. If anyone wants to borrow my copy, let me know!

Until next week (which is in nine minutes),

Mun

B12 Ready...

I am dedicating this post to quite a few friends I have who require B12 injections, like myself. As an individual who suffers from several vitamin deffencies due largely in part to malabsorption, I wanted to provide a quick video, to prove that even spastic individuals like myself like give B12 shots (all to myself of course, no one else).

In lieu of constant B12 sublingual tablet therapy, I've opted to do monthly B12 injections. Based on how low your levels are and what is causing the deficiency, you may need to inject B12 more or less than me. But I was squeamish with needles up until about a year ago.

1.) Sterilize chosen area with alcohol (your thigh or buttock is best, as they are the fattiest places and recover faster bruise less than other injection sites.

2.) Load the syringe with B12 solution (a bright red color which you can see post- injection. THIS IS NOT BLOOD).

3.) Ensure there are no bubbles in the syringe, by tapping it and re-inserting/taking out liquid if requisite.

4.) Quickly and as adeptly as you can, stick the sterile syringe into the designated, sterilized area and release the full dosage of B12.

5.) If needed, wipe away any red solution left over, and place a Band Aid over the injection site.

6.) Ensure, with a doctor's assistance if necessary, that needles are disposed of in an appropriate, Bio Hazardous Waste way.

7.) Look into this option, because it is easy and can save you a lot of money in co-pays.

Peace, Love and Confidence,

M