Live Wise


Book Description

Every journey is best pursued by having an authentically wise guidebook to aid us in our understanding of (our ULR) how to wisely journey through life and reality. An authentically wise understanding (ULR understanding of life and reality) is informed both about how and why to travel, journey wisely. It is self-evident that truth and love matter to a life wisely lived, but it is not plainly evident whose explanation of life and reality (ELR) contains the very best explanation of constitutes enduring truth and authentic love. The God of the Bible said if left to ourselves, collectively we would be plagued by wars and rumors of wars, that famine and pestilent would plague our days. And we would also individually and in our intimate relationships as couples and families would find loving oneness much longed for but difficult to find and even more challengingly to sustain. Our much self-heralded humanly constructed ELRs, have not resulted in an enlightenment informed, progressively enriched existence but a reality persistently plagued by unity/chaos, clarity/confusion, peace/despair, and all life still finally ends in death. We were warned by the God of the Bible, we would come to suffer from a mind and heart condition similar to snow blindness termed reality blindness: better equipped to see analytically but yet persistently, congenitally spiritually blinded. Reality blindness is a congenital condition of humanity, a manifestation of being spiritually stillborn, if we elect to exist outside of a right standing with God. When all things are relative being equally true and false at the same time in the same relationship nothing is relevant: real gold is equal to fool’s gold, momentary lust and enduring love are equally valid emotional expressions. Humanly sourced understanding results in a form of mental, emotional hypothermia: reality began at my birth, all meaning is temporary, and in death we return to nothingness. In our various hypothermic states of existence, we numb our inevitable despair by self-medications found in drugs, sex, achievement, entertainment, etc. or some lash out with a coping strategy of hurting themselves or others. But wait! All is not lost. Our existence failure is not new nor unexpected nor unexplained. God created us with love hungry hearts only He can satisfy. God is both the great physician and ultimate parent who can both heal us spiritual today and gift us with an eternal relationship for all our tomorrows including a post-physical-death forever home. But you have to respond with a yes and to His offer of the Live Wise Solution: forgiveness and adoption. As directed by God, Live Wise is a Jesus sourced how-to guidebook for facing life and reality’s complexities and messiness with the singularly valuable wisdom and love of God only found in God’s ELRs: Jesus and the Bible. Initially God’s offer is a gift of forgiveness of our sins and an outpouring of love and peace that only need be accepted. Stop. Think. Believe. You make the call. Live Wise.




Reality Check


Book Description

Bad-gal singer Jenn Bradford is living the dream. But when her latest album gets distinctly un-dreamy reviews she comes down to earth with a crash. Jenn desperately needs a muse to get her music back on track. But who's going to inspire her? Elliot, the music journo who's tailing her around town? Kevin, her no-good but so good-looking ex? Surely not her boringly clean-cut and conservative neighbour Porter! He doesn't dig music - at least not Jenn's kind. But is it possible that he might just dig Jenn...?




On Thin Ice


Book Description

In March 2014, Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters set out to traverse nearly 500 miles across the melting Arctic Ocean, unsupported, from Northern Ellesmere Island to the geographic North Pole. Despite being one of the most cold and hostile environments on the planet, the Arctic Ocean has seen a steady and significant reduction of sea ice over the past seven years due to climate change. Because of this, Larsen’s and Waters’ trip—dubbed the “Last North Expedition”—is expected to be the last human-powered trek to the North Pole, ever. Filled with stunning, full-color photos and GPS maps plotting his progress, On Thin Ice is Larsen’s first-person account of this historic two-man expedition. Traveling across the retreating sea ice on skis, snowshoes, and even swimming through semi-frozen arctic slush, Larsen and Waters each pulled over 320 pounds of gear behind them on sleds through temperatures that plummeted to nearly 70 degrees below zero. At times, they covered little over a mile a day. They were stalked by polar bears and ran out of food. It was, in Larsen’s words, “easily one of the most difficult expeditions in the world.” More than just a heart-stopping adventure narrative, however, On Thin Ice offers an intimate and haunting look at the rapidly changing face of the Arctic due to global climate change.




Borderlands


Book Description

"The periphery of a place can tell us a great deal about its heartland. along the edge of a nation's territory, its real prejudices, fears and obsessions - but also its virtues - irrepressibly bubble up as its people confront the 'other' whom they admire, or fear, or hold in contempt, and know little about. September 11, 2001, changed the United States utterly and nothing more so than the physical reality, the perception - and the meaning - of its borders." -from Borderlands Derek Lundy turns sixty at the end of a year in which three good friends have died. He feels the need to do something radical, and sets out on his motorcycle - a Kawasaki KLR 650 cc single-cylinder "thumper," which he describes as "unpretentious" and also "butt-ugly." Fascinated by the United States' post-9/11 passion for security, particularly on its two international borders, he chooses to investigate. He takes a firsthand look at both borders. The U.S.-Mexican borderlands, often disorderly and violent, operate according to their own ad hoc system of rules and conventions, and are distinct in many ways from the two countries the border divides. When security trumps trade, the economic well-being of both countries is threatened, and the upside is difficult to determine. American policy makers think the issues of drugs and illegals are ample reason to keep building fences to keep Mexicans out, even with no evidence that fences work or are anything but cruel. Mexicans' cheap labour keeps the wheels turning in the U.S. economy yet they are resented for trying to get into the country illegally (or legally). More people have died trying to cross this border than in the 9/11 attacks. At almost 9,000 kilometres, the U.S. border with Canada is the longest in the world. The northern border divides the planet's two biggest trading partners, and that relationship demands the fast, easy flow of goods and services in both directions. Since the events of 9/11, however, the United States has slowly and steadily choked the flux of trade: "just-in-time" parts shipments are in jeopardy; trucks must wait for inspection and clearance; people must be questioned. The border is "thickening." In prose that is compelling, impressive and at times frightening, Derek Lundy's incredible journey is illuminating enough to change minds, as great writing can sometimes do.




Velvet


Book Description

Equal parts steamy and funny, with a few genuinely creepy moments, this paranormal romance has everything -- compelling characters, plenty of witty banter, and a romance that just might be to die for. After losing both her parents before age 17, aspiring designer Caitlin Holte feels like her whole world has been turned upside down, and that was before she accidentally attracted the attention of a demon. Then, she learns that her hot, bad-boy neighbor, Adrian -- who might have just saved her life -- is actually a half-demon vampire. Suddenly, Caitlin is stuck with a vampire bodyguard who feels that the best way to protect her is to become her pretend boyfriend. Trouble is, Caitlin is starting to fall in love for real, while Adrian can never love a human. Caitlin trusts Adrian to keep her safe from his demon father, but will he be able to protect her heart? Temple West’s debut novel Velvet is a sexy, delightful romance chosen by readers like you for Macmillan's young adult imprint Swoon Reads. Praise for Velvet: “This romantic Twilight readalike shines with credible dialogue and fully developed characters.” —School Library Journal "Velvet is fun and very entertaining with snappy dialogue, awesome characters and some solid teen angst.” —The Windy Pages




Pangea


Book Description

After the catastrophic World War III that nearly destroys the human race, the future is now Pangea, run according to The Principles: 'We will survive as one world, one country, one race.' True harmony can only exist if everyone genuinely believes in the Pangean way. So, anyone who holds deviant beliefs is ‘washed’ of their memories and implanted with a more Pangean disposition. Seventeen-year-old Suni is about to begin the perfect Pangean life when her wash is reversed, returning her memories, and she discovers everything she has known about herself is fake. Unable to live that lie, she joins a ragtag group of rebels. On the run, she must come to terms with the man she loved and what he has become, as she struggles to find out who she really is.




The Passion Paradox


Book Description

The coauthors of the bestselling Peak Performance dive into the fascinating science behind passion, showing how it can lead to a rich and meaningful life while also illuminating the ways in which it is a double-edged sword. Here’s how to cultivate a passion that will take you to great heights—while minimizing the risk of an equally great fall. Common advice is to find and follow your passion. A life of passion is a good life, or so we are told. But it's not that simple. Rarely is passion something that you just stumble upon, and the same drive that fuels breakthroughs—whether they're athletic, scientific, entrepreneurial, or artistic—can be every bit as destructive as it is productive. Yes, passion can be a wonderful gift, but only if you know how to channel it. If you're not careful, passion can become an awful curse, leading to endless seeking, suffering, and burnout. Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness once again team up, this time to demystify passion, showing readers how they can find and cultivate their passion, sustainably harness its power, and avoid its dangers. They ultimately argue that passion and balance--that other virtue touted by our culture--are incompatible, and that to find your passion, you must lose balance. And that's not always a bad thing. They show readers how to develop the right kind of passion, the kind that lets you achieve great things without ruining your life. Swift, compact, and powerful, this thought-provoking book combines captivating stories of extraordinarily passionate individuals with the latest science on the biological and psychological factors that give rise to—and every bit as important, sustain—passion.




Repeat Performance


Book Description




Fuel the Fire


Book Description

A revolutionary approach to helping women athletes achieve success in sports and in life. In this game-changing guide, sports dietitian Pam Nisevich Bede explains how women are unique with regards to training, nutrition, and performance, on the road, court, field, or track. Instead of outdated concepts and male-centric research that never spoke to your specific needs, here you will find a framework that will maximize performance, no matter your sport, illustrated with the insights and experiences of world-class athletes. Fuel the Fire provides simple and clear instructions that will help you own your plate, fuel your workout and your day, and navigate specific fueling scenarios. Whether competing in college, nourishing pregnancy and lactation, recovering from injury, or adjusting nutrition across the menstrual cycle, learn how to perform stronger and longer, and apply this new understanding of fueling for years to come.




Runner's World On the Road


Book Description

This running enthusiasts' pocket-size reference reveals where to run, stay, eat, and shop in 40 top American cities and around the world. 40 maps.