I'm not normally one to make formal new year's resolutions. But this year, I thought it would be a good idea (even if I'm half a month late). Here goes:
1. Reading. In 2009, I cut back significantly on TV watching and spent more time reading. I resolve to continue to do so in 2010. My goal is to read at least 24 books (2 per month). Of that total, I plan to read at least 6 "classics". (I have a loose definition of classics. Basically, it's the books they make you read in school but you don't appreciate at the time.) I will periodically post reviews of books that I find interesting.
2. Blogging. I resolve to update my blog at least once every two weeks. Hopefully I'll have worthwhile things to say...
3. Long-stitch project. When I was a kid, my mom taught me how to long-stitch, which is sort of like needlepoint. I did a couple of small projects, and also a scene of a sunset over a lake - that one is framed and hanging in our house. A long time ago (20+ years), I started another large long-stitch project of a tiger in a snowy field. I recently came across it; it is about one-third finished. It is my goal to complete this project in 2010. After that, I am never doing another such project again :-)
4. Meeting neighbors. Finally, a resolution that will be a challenge for me. I am not a particularly outgoing person; I rather dislike meeting new people. However, I realize that I need to set a better example for my kids; that includes moving out of my comfort zone. To that end, I will make a concentrated effort to get to know some of our neighbors this year. In particular, our next-door neighbors. They have 2 kids who are about the same ages as ours. They've been our neighbors for three or four years; in that time, my wife had one conversation with them. I've limited myself to saying hi and nodding to them. I vow to do better in 2010.
So there you have it. I'll keep you all updated on my progress.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Top 9 Books Read in 2009
In 2009, I made an effort to spend more time reading and less time watching television. For the most part, I was successful, and also made good use of our town's library. I read about 30 books during the year. Here are mini-reviews of my nine favorites:
1. "American Lion" by Jon Meacham.
This is a biography of President Andrew Jackson, focusing mostly on his presidency and also his time as a general in the War of 1812. This book really made the time period come alive.
2. "A Great Day in Cooperstown" by Jim Reisler.
The story of how the Baseball Hall of Fame came to be. Goes into detail about the first induction in 1939 and also has "flashbacks" to the careers of those first players to be enshrined.
3. "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding.
I never read this book before. It was an interesting tale of how society can break down when we're left without rules. (A good story, even though the ending felt like a bit of cop-out).
4. "The Naked Olympics" by Tony Perrottet.
This book describes what it was like at the original Olympics in ancient Greece - for the athletes and for the spectators. I learned a lot - in a way, sports and our fandom haven't changed all that much in thousands of years.
5. "The Audacity of Hope" by Barrack Obama.
This book was written in 2006, when President Obama was still in his first term as senator. He claimed to want a government without fighting along party lines, but took a bunch of little cheap shots at the Bush Administration. I found the book a bit disappointing and the author came across as petty.
6. "Manhunt - the Twelve Day Hunt for Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson.
Detailed hour-by-hour the day leading up the the assassination, and also the following days when Booth and his co-conspirators were on the run in Maryland. Excellent story-telling.
7. "Rutherford B. Hayes" by Hans Louis Trefousse.
Shortly before Presidents' Day last year, I lamented that we spend the holiday focusing on Washington and Lincoln, completely ignoring Rutherford Hayes. This led to me joining and then becoming president of the Hayes fan club on Facebook. I felt that I should get to know more about this president, so I read this short biography. An easy read, and I learned a lot.
8. "The Year of Living Biblically" by A.J. Jacobs.
The author spent a year trying to follow every law laid out in the Bible, while living in the modern world. This includes laws regarding diet, clothing, and interpersonal relationships; many of which are completely ignored by all but the most devout. It was quite thought-provoking - why, for example, is it okay for Christians to wear clothing with two different fibers together?
9. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.
This is the original Jane Austen story, with the addition of zombies wandering the countryside, and the need to fight off attacks. I never read the original (non-zombie) version, but I would imagine it is not as exciting.
Other books of note that I read in 2009:
"Street Gang" by Michael Davis. Tells the story of how "Sesame Street" came into being. I had high hopes for this book, but found that it focused a lot more on network politics and little on the on-air personalities.
"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. A professor in his 40s with a wife and young children finds out that he has terminal cancer. The book is a series of reflections and memories that he wants to pass on. Very moving.
"The Murder of King Tut" by James Patterson. This is Patterson's first non-fiction book. He tells the story of how Tut's tomb was discovered, and also flashes back to Tut's life. The book also lays out a theory that Tut and his wife were murdered by a trusted advisor who had political ambitions of his own.
"Outliers", "Blink" and "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. Each of these books attempts to explain how we think, and how life works, but with a twist. I didn't always agree with his conclusions, but they were all interesting reads.
I plan to continue reading more and posting reviews in 2010. Stay tuned...
1. "American Lion" by Jon Meacham.
This is a biography of President Andrew Jackson, focusing mostly on his presidency and also his time as a general in the War of 1812. This book really made the time period come alive.
2. "A Great Day in Cooperstown" by Jim Reisler.
The story of how the Baseball Hall of Fame came to be. Goes into detail about the first induction in 1939 and also has "flashbacks" to the careers of those first players to be enshrined.
3. "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding.
I never read this book before. It was an interesting tale of how society can break down when we're left without rules. (A good story, even though the ending felt like a bit of cop-out).
4. "The Naked Olympics" by Tony Perrottet.
This book describes what it was like at the original Olympics in ancient Greece - for the athletes and for the spectators. I learned a lot - in a way, sports and our fandom haven't changed all that much in thousands of years.
5. "The Audacity of Hope" by Barrack Obama.
This book was written in 2006, when President Obama was still in his first term as senator. He claimed to want a government without fighting along party lines, but took a bunch of little cheap shots at the Bush Administration. I found the book a bit disappointing and the author came across as petty.
6. "Manhunt - the Twelve Day Hunt for Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson.
Detailed hour-by-hour the day leading up the the assassination, and also the following days when Booth and his co-conspirators were on the run in Maryland. Excellent story-telling.
7. "Rutherford B. Hayes" by Hans Louis Trefousse.
Shortly before Presidents' Day last year, I lamented that we spend the holiday focusing on Washington and Lincoln, completely ignoring Rutherford Hayes. This led to me joining and then becoming president of the Hayes fan club on Facebook. I felt that I should get to know more about this president, so I read this short biography. An easy read, and I learned a lot.
8. "The Year of Living Biblically" by A.J. Jacobs.
The author spent a year trying to follow every law laid out in the Bible, while living in the modern world. This includes laws regarding diet, clothing, and interpersonal relationships; many of which are completely ignored by all but the most devout. It was quite thought-provoking - why, for example, is it okay for Christians to wear clothing with two different fibers together?
9. "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.
This is the original Jane Austen story, with the addition of zombies wandering the countryside, and the need to fight off attacks. I never read the original (non-zombie) version, but I would imagine it is not as exciting.
Other books of note that I read in 2009:
"Street Gang" by Michael Davis. Tells the story of how "Sesame Street" came into being. I had high hopes for this book, but found that it focused a lot more on network politics and little on the on-air personalities.
"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. A professor in his 40s with a wife and young children finds out that he has terminal cancer. The book is a series of reflections and memories that he wants to pass on. Very moving.
"The Murder of King Tut" by James Patterson. This is Patterson's first non-fiction book. He tells the story of how Tut's tomb was discovered, and also flashes back to Tut's life. The book also lays out a theory that Tut and his wife were murdered by a trusted advisor who had political ambitions of his own.
"Outliers", "Blink" and "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. Each of these books attempts to explain how we think, and how life works, but with a twist. I didn't always agree with his conclusions, but they were all interesting reads.
I plan to continue reading more and posting reviews in 2010. Stay tuned...
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