For me, the perfect partner is one whom I can feel comfortable being completely silent with. One with whom being is enough.
I’ve been battling a slowly developing virus/crud the past few days. Last night it hit hard.
This evening, I opened This Could Help to page 145 and found the remedy (a Hot Toddy recipe). Confident I’ll feel better tomorrow.
See, it even helps me.
The quickest path to joy is gratitude. Even in our darkest moments, joy can be found by remembering that for which we are grateful.
Make a list of things for which you are grateful. Write it down and tuck in your pocket. In dark times, let that be your map to the light.
Austin Kleon lists 100 things that made 2019 great for him. Lovely reflections of the small moments and big milestones that make a life.
First book of 2020 finished. I’m Telling The Truth, But I’m Lying by Bassey Ikpi. Lovely rhythmic evocative prose.
My Reading Plan for 2020
I had someone ask me about my reading plan for 2020…
I have one. In fact, I started it at the tail end of 2019. I find that having a reading plan helps me focus and narrow my choices. It keeps me out of my instinctive reading ruts.
I’ve set plans for several years now. This year is no different. What will be different is that I will not be sharing what the plan is up front. Instead, I’ll see if my plan can be gleaned based upon updates to my reading list. This has the dual effect of making a little game out of it for those following along as well as allowing me to put a bit less pressure on myself to fully succeed.
I’m already positive about where things are at and the road ahead. We’ll see how this goes.
Other things I read in 2019…
Besides the books I read, there were many other things I read in 2019 worth mention.
- I read every single print offering (and issue) of Robin Sloan’s Year of The Meteor.
- I still find myself picking up and reading passages from The Journal of Henry David Thoreau when seeking something to fill the time. Always worthwhile.
- I put a serious dent in my Instapaper queue. For most of the year, when between books, I’d sort my Instapaper articles by “longest to shortest” to get through some really long things that I’d been avoiding due to their length. This led me to worthwhile long reads that I was sorry I’d put off. Including:
My first thing on New Years Day tradition: Changing out my Daily Log.
“The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.”
— John Burroughs
Nicolas Bate encourages us to choose our word going into 2020.