Okay … new resolution
Obviously I failed at my resolution to blog more, it being March of the following year. So … let’s try this again.
I think I’ll try the reading thing again too. I miss reading, and I have a new book to add to my list. I picked up Yann Martel’s new book “The High Mountains of Portugal” and hopefully I’ll sit my ass down and read it.
Here’s to reading and writing.
Six books down, and counting …
Well, we’re three weeks into the new year, and I’ve already read six books. I suppose I’m off to a fairly good start. Here’s what I’ve read so far:
- Hyperbole and a Half – Allie Brosh
Wonderfully whimsical, and delightfully insightful in her chapters on depression. I loved her stories about her childhood. (See original review here.) - Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
This is the fifth time I’ve read this series, and it never gets old for me. As it’s a YA series, it is also a very quick read for me. It’s something akin to hot chocolate and popcorn on a cold winter’s night. It’s comforting and sweet. - Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins
I think Katniss’s naivete is fascinating in this part of the story. She is a plot point in a much larger story, and she has no clue. I shouldn’t say she has no clue. She has an idea, but like most teenagers, she chooses to ignore it and focus on her own personal issues. All these much larger issues are going on around, but she can only focus on her own problems such as her sister, her mother, and Peeta and Gale, without realizing how her choices are affecting those around her. And not just affecting those directly around her, but an entire nation. - Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins
Catching Fire really is the strongest story of the three books. But Mockingjay wraps up the story. I think Catching Fire is the climax, and Mockingjay is really the denouement of the overall arching story. All the same, it is a satisfying conclusion to a really great story. For me at least. - The Night Wanderer: A Native Gothic Novel – Drew Hayden Taylor
This is another YA novel I read, and I need to stay away from these. haha I read it in a couple of afternoons. But in my defense, I hadn’t realized it was a YA novel when I picked it up. Anyway … The Night Wanderer is a Native vampire story. The problem is Taylor takes waaaaaaaay too long getting to that part, and then does absolutely nothing with it until the very end. I felt a little let down by that. The other story though, the story of teenager Tiffany, was dealt with nicely. But again, had an unsatisfying ending. I don’t know if I’d recommend it. - Anthem – Ayn Rand
This book was much shorter than I had thought. It’s so short, in fact, I read it in a couple of hours. I think it’s only a few hundred pages, if that. anyway, it was interesting if not blunt. On the one hand I like the idea she put forth that we are in charge of our own happiness and destiny, but by the end, I was uncomfortable by the fervor of Equality 7-2125/Prometheus’s convictions about his own power. He sounded more like a cult leader or dictator than a proponent of individuality. Like he was coming full circle. Very interesting read though. Would recommend.
I’m unsure what to read next. I’m thinking Dune. Or something I haven’t read before. Maybe The Art of War.
Happy New Year and some resolutions
I had a terrible 2014. After my last post, I was laid off, moved to Saskatoon, got a new job, had my heart broken, my brother got cancer (he is thankfully better now), my sister moved back to Saskatchewan, then moved back to California, and I was pretty much financially ruined.
BUT … I am looking to put it all behind me and make 2015 a better year.
I rarely make New Year Resolutions, but this year I am. And here they are:
1) Read more.
Part of this resolution is the attempt to read one book a week. I realize that sometimes, I won’t read one book a week, and sometimes I may read more than one book a week. We’ll see how this goes. To make it easier on myself, I plan on re-reading a few of my favourite books. Revisiting a few old friends, so to speak.
2) Blog more.
To help with the first resolution, I plan to track my progress via this blog. Also may as well make use of this space.
3) Work on my posture.
I have terrible posture. I work on computers all day. I also notice that my self confidence over the past year has really plummeted and I think this might help a bit with that.
4) Play more boardgames.
Over the past year, I’ve really started playing a lot of silly Facebook games and I’ve noticed a correlation with my self-esteem. I don’t feel good about myself. A lot of my unhappy intrusive thoughts pop up when I play them. Not to say the games themselves are bad, it just seems my mind wanders because I don’t have to think too hard when I play them. Also, playing boardgames means I will have to interact with other people, therefore I will be forced to get out of my little headspace.
So yes, all of these little resolutions are an attempt to lift my spirits a bit. To work on my self-esteem and depression, which really took a hit over the last year. While I really love my new job and co-workers, and my kids are happy and healthy, I am not. I’m afraid if I continue on, that won’t be the case for much longer. *sigh* I realize I’m being very candid here, but I suppose if I can’t be on my own blog, where else can I be?
So yes, this is one of those “New year, new me” crappy resolutions. Bleh. But I honestly want to be happy again.
My first book, if anyone is interested, is by Allie Brosh. It’s called “Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened”. I got it as a Christmas present from one of my sisters, and I love it. She takes a few stories from her blog, and there are a few original stories as well. There are two very insightful chapters about depression. You can actually check out my favourite one here. I highly recommend the whole book as it had me laughing out loud and reading excerpts out to my kids, and crying quietly in relief knowing that someone understands. 5 stars.
I have the best kids
So I said a lot of things have happened since my last post … well, I wasn’t even kidding!
I didn’t mention it at the time, but my daughter graduated elementary school at the top of her class with the Highest Academic Award and the Brian Gardiner (role model) Award. Let me tell you, I was positively dripping with pride!
Of course, my boy wouldn’t let his big sister top him. :D
When November rolled around, talk of Movember came up, and the whole fundraising and cancer research was the big topic at the house. When my boy asked, we explained what it was all about, with the mustache and raising awareness. Well, he decided that he wanted to wear a mustache every day in November too. So my sister talked to his teacher to make sure it was okay with her if he could do it. Thankfully, his teacher thought it was a great idea, and even suggested that she print out a pledge sheet for him. Joey went full throttle, and it ended up becoming this big deal at the school. His original goal of $100 was completely blown out of the water in the first week, and by the end of the month, he raised over a $1000 and ended up in the local newspaper and being interviewed by CBC Radio!
They continue to surprise me every day with their kind hearts, thirst of knowledge, and many talents. In between driving me nuts, of course. They are after all nine and fourteen. ;)
Okay, enough bragging for now. Maybe next entry I’ll talk about the novel I’ve been working on … for the past five years.
Been a while …
I sort of forgot I had this, but then the host for my website informed me that he was running out of room. This meant that I needed something to do with my domain (sharonangus.com). So I redirected it to here, my blog. Guess what that means. Yeah … this is now my official website. Good times.
And obviously, a lot has happened since my last post. I will probably get to that later. Probably. Maybe. Yeah … I will. Just not right now. I’ll do that for sure. Probably.
CREEHAWK 