Happy Thanksgiving! I’m still wrapped up in November’s resolutions, namely National Novel Writing Month, so it’s hard to start thinking about December, but it’s time. Already. Life goes by so fast. 2019 is almost done. This is it, folks.
Here are my obvious resolutions for December:
Meditate
Work out time
Work out activity
I bought a program on Fitnessblender.com for $20 that I’m currently following. I like being told what to do each day. It makes my life easier. So, I do a combination of weight lifting, cardio, HIIT, yoga, pilates, stretching, kick boxing and whatever else the calendar tells me to do. It’s nice having the check marks and the streaks. I find them very motivating. So far I’ve missed one day out of thirty-two and have a 28-day streak going.
I desperately need it. I gained a bit of pudge after six weeks of gluttonous travel and still haven’t worked it off.
Leave phone in other room
I really like this resolution and am carrying it over from November.
Read a book a day
This might turn out to be a terrible idea, but I have a lot of books on my desk right now and no project for December, so I thought I’d read a book a day to make up for the last couple of months of not reading.
I have already acquired eight titles from the library, but need variety to choose from and would love your ideas on what to add to my ever growing pile.
Do you have any suggestions for small to medium sized books I can read next month? Any genre works for me.
Operation Enjoy Life
I have to do something outside or with a person every single day. I don’t know how many hours a day I need to read, but I’m guessing it might not leave a lot of time for going out. I’m still going to try.
Keep place tidy
This just means the dishes are washed, the counters are wiped, my bed is made, and the blanket on the couch is folded. It doesn’t take long to ensure these things are all done, but it makes a huge quality of life difference when the world is clean around you.
Eat something green and leafy
I’ve stopped eating a salad for my first meal of the day and started eating greek yogurt, mashed up berries, and granola. It’s delicious, but my waistline doesn’t like it as much. It’s time to go back to my beloved salad for breakfast or lunch.
Write about the book I just read
I’m going to read a book a day and then write down my thoughts on it. Don’t worry, I won’t send you an email every day. Maybe once a week. Let’s hope.
Subscribe to Brain Pickings by Maria Popova–who does a masterful job outlining books worth reading. And as for your resolutions, Anita, I am inspired to ‘borrow’ a few of them myself; one book a day=a challenge, but maybe it’s all about priorities. Happy Thanksgiving…and thank you for your writings.
She’s now on my feedly. Thanks for the recommendation.
Happy Thanksgiving , Anita! Those are laudable and inspirational goals. I don’t even fold the blanket. I would err on the side of half getting out and half reading book a day. Thanks for your writing!
I stole this idea from my aunt (folding the blanket). It makes the room happier. 🙂
Have you explored “Goodreads?” I signed up a while back, but use it inefficiently. Could be good for finding new titles, review, etc.
Here’s my suggestion: “Cannery Row” or “Tortilla Flat,” both by John Steinbeck. You can rip ’em off in a few hours if you’re in a good spot. We were just in the Monterey area, so I’ve got those golden hills on my mind.
Bonus suggestion: A nice B-cut: “Down and Out in Paris and London,” by George Orwell. You don’t want to be a plonguer.
Thanks for the inspiration with the car musings, had to get that idea out myself…
I have goodreads, but I’m also bad at using it regularly. Thanks for the suggestions!
Love. Love. Love your blog!!!
Books I’ve enjoyed this year:
Elizabeth Gilbert ‘s City Girls
Nicholas sparks ‘ just breathe
Kristin Hannah ‘s the Great Alone
Cheers,
And Gratitude for you
😉
You’re too sweet. Thanks for the suggestions!
Hey i was reading a book at the laundromat and thought of you so maybe you will like it:
Ultra Learning by Scott Young. Its about people who challenge themselves to learn different topics like speaking languages or public speaking in short amounts of time.
I also finished ‘Seeking wisdom from Darwin to Munger’ by Peter Bevelin and ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’, but i assume you already read that.
I’m going to Cancun in December for the first time. Any suggestions for a solo traveller? Ever been to Chichin Itza? What sort of things should I expect.
Thanks,
Thanks for the suggestions! And no, I’ve never been to Cancun.
Hi Thriftygal! I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving. If you still want book recommendations, I’d like to suggest “First we make the beast beautiful,” by Sarah Wilson. I’m in the middle of it right now and just blown away by how good it is… It’s about how she (mostly) manages the depression, anxiety, and OCD she suffers from and a spectacularly well-written, funny, and devastatingly honest book (imho – I don’t know her or anything, just recognize a lot of what she describes as I deal with much the same issues). Based on your earlier posts about your own bouts of depression, I think you’ll be able to relate to a lot of what she says. Best wishes with your December resolutions 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion!
Happy Thanksgiving Anita. I just read a review of a book that really intrigued me so I’ve put it on my reading list.
http://agrapefruitspassions.com/womens-prize-for-fiction-2017-naomi-alderman-the-power/
Alaina reviews a lot of books that focus on feminism. It’s worth scrolling through her blog for other suggestions.
Awesome, thanks! The review sold me.
Hiya! Tell us about your gluttonous travel adventures! We like stories about your post-retirement life 🙂
How did NaNo go? I only got to like 8,000 words.
I got an A on Nanowrimo. 🙂 The book is terrible, but it was fun to write.
Okay, that’s a good idea to write about Europe.
Hi, I was reading a book on the toilet and thought of you, it’s called “Whose mind is it anyway?”. You’ll definitely be able to read it in one day
They don’t have that one at my library.
Buy it!
I can’t buy books when there are so many for free at the library!
I would recommend some YA books help you reach your goal of a book a day. Some of my favorites are Tamora Pierce, Garth Nix, Shannon Hale, and LeGuin’s Earthsea quintet in the fantasy genre. Raina Telgemeier, Svetlana Chmakova or Haissen for a different look at middle school years. Ms Marvel (in the graphic novel section) is amazing. Anything that looks good to you from the Newbery Medal list should be easy to find in the libraries. I don’t have kids but have found I love reading from YA. If I don’t like it I haven’t spent a lot of time on it and if I do they generally have more in the series.
That’s a great idea. I love good young adult novels. Thanks for the suggestions!
Belated happy thxgiving .. :p
I enjoy reading your blog. I was also at Stonehenge last month, I might have seen you, wait… I was at the replica in Washington, that is probably not what you were talking about.
Here are my (audio)book recommendations:
1. “Talking to Strangers”, latest Malcom Gladwell book, it was a page turner for me. I recommend skipping some of the graphic violence because thats a downer. But the part about default to trust is interesting. (8.5 hours)
2. “The girl who drank the moon”, kind of predictable at the very end, but the rest of it is good. (9.5 hours)
Thanks for the suggestions! Those might be too long for a day read, but they’re on the list.