Books I Enjoyed in 2021

Source: Look and Learn

Several years ago, I realized how separated I was from my love of reading. I decided to do something about it, and so for the past several years, I've set a reading goal via Goodreads. My goal in 2021 was 32, and I hit 35! I'm proud to say that only a handful of books are "easy reads." The rest are pretty hefty, both in volume and content, so 32 is pretty reasonable. But, I think I'll challenge myself in 2022 by hiking my goal to 35. 

Book recommendations flood the internet and social media, but just in case you're in need of some ideas, here are my top recs from what I read last year in no particular order. They made me laugh, think and rethink. They filled me with inspiration, awed me with their writing, reminded me of people I love and people I've lost. They helped me understand life, reminded me I'm not alone when it come to certain thoughts and feelings, and encouraged me on my quest to mesh my ideal reality with my real reality. 

• She Come By It Natural - Sarah Smarsh
• Caste - Isabel Wilkerson
• The Biology of Luck - Jacob Appel
• The Restoration of Celia Fairchild - Marie Bostwick
• One Good Mama Bone - Bren McClain
• Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
• The Bridge Ladies - Betsy Lerner
• Home - Marilynne Robinson
• Lila - Marilynne Robinson
• Henderson the Rain King - Saul Bellow
• The Book of Delights - Ross Gay

What should I add to my list for 2022? Put your recs in the comment!

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

Happy New Year!

Where Do You Want To Go? Everywhere

In my previous  post, I shared I had just finished reading the adult novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie and that three scenes really stuck in my my mind after closing the book for the last time. 

Scene No. 1: The concept of metaphorical boners 

Scene No. 2 touched on my ideal reality of seeing the world. In the book, Junior (Arnold), and his kind of girlfriend Penelope about dreams and how everyone in her town had small dreams.

Junior: "What do you want to do?" 

Penelope: "I want to leave here as soon as I can. I think I was born with a suitcase."

Junior: "Where do you want to go?"

Penelope: "Everywhere. I want to walk on the Great Wall of China. I want to walk to the top of pyramids in Egypt. I wan to swim in every ocean. I want to climb Mount Everest. I want to go on an African safari. I want to ride a dogsled in Antarctica. I want all of it. Every single piece of everything."

Same. And I have no idea how to make it happen. I have felt so stuck for so long. Not unhappy. Just stuck. 

What about you? What's your ideal reality? 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real. 

I'm Diggin' The Rabbit hOle

Life-size replica of the bus in Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena

I'm super excited about The Rabbit hOle, the world's first explor-a-storium, coming to fruition in Kansas City. It's going to be a a big 'ol celebration of 100 years of children's literature in interactive life-size form! I cannot wait! The museum is under construction right now, with an opening date scheduled for 2022. I got a behind-the-scenes peek a few weeks back, and it was a-MAZE-ing! I had the silliest grin on my face the entire tour I could envision myself working in every area (except the fabrication shop). 

The space is perfect, and the exhibits are fantastical in their form and fun. They made a life-size replica of the bus in Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena. You can RIDE on it! And, it TRAVELS to events!  But The Rabbig hOle is so much more than exhibits. There's a bookstore and a writer's workshop area and a printing press and a craft area and a cafe. Plus, they plan to hose authors from around the country for presentations and author-in-resident stints. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about what excites me, what sparks my creativity, what I'm passionate about. My heart always comes back to books, reading and literacy.  When I left the classroom, I thought that passion died. I've realized it's still there. I just to give myself some time and space to realize it. I've been looking for ways to get more involved, and I think this will be one tremendous avenue. The most recent newsletter finally had an all-call for volunteers, and I jumped on the opportunity. 

Check out The Rabbit hOle website

Watch videos on The Rabbit hOle Channel 

Find The Rabbit hOle on Facebook

Follow The Rabbit hOle on Instagram

Yes, I'm obsessed! 

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

2020 Goals: Why I Took a Step Back

I mentioned in my previous post that I was working on establishing some goals for 2020, and I hoped to share them soon. It's time! 

My list is MUCH shorter than it has been in previous years. In 2018, I decided to follow Gretchen Rubin's lead and define 18 goals for 2018. Last year, I wrote 19 goals for 2019 (I wasn't blogging much, so I didn't post them). I had no problem coming up with different things I wanted to accomplish, but I wasn't super successful in getting them done. 

So, I took a step back. Ideal Reality vs. Real Reality. I wrote just eight goals for 2020. 

1. Figure out my digestive health. I won't go into much detail (you're welcome!), but something's not quite right. To help me reach the goal, I committed to keeping a food journal and being more mindful of portions. Progress: I tracked my food every day in January, but II wasn't very mindful of how much I was eating. Baby steps, right? 

2. Create a online portfolio. Progress: Done! For someone who doesn't have design skills, I think I did a pretty good job. A digital portfolio is something I've wanted to do for a while, and I'm thrilled to mark it off the list. 

3. Determine the next step in my career (related to Goal No. 2). I'm not 100% sure, but it may be time for a change. Progress: Early stages of soul searching

4. Volunteer for at least one literacy-related event. I'm am passionate about literacy and making sure everyone has access to the tools they need to learn how to read, especially kiddos. I had to cool that passion for a few years. I'm looking into getting involved with Reach Out and Read Kansas City. Progress: They're hosting a 5K fundraiser in April, and I'm thinking about signing up. 

5. Plan a someday trip to Bali. Lounging in a hut over the ocean in an exotic location is on my bucket list. 

6. Call or see Rachelle at least one time a month. Rachelle's my best friend. We've known each other since Ms. Gibler's 4th Grade class ... 40 years ago. She lives on the other side of state. We're good at staying in touch by text, but we're both looking to strengthen our bond a bit this year. Progress: We talked on the phone in January and have a date set to meet up in February. Yay!

7. Read 31 books. Last year, I read 30, so I upped it by one this year. Progress: Two down, three in progress. Connect with me on Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/. 

8. Go to one movie alone every month. I used to love going to the movies by myself, so I'm excited about this goal. In January, I saw Jo Jo Rabbit. I didn't realize it was an Oscar-nominated film until after. I just picked one that sounded good. I'd recommend it. I have February's picket out: Downhill. The trailer looked good; the reviews are meh. I'll let you know what I thought. 

There you have it! Do you set goals? Any you want to share? Please leave a note in the comments!

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

10 Books for Your 2020 Reading List

Happy New Year! I hope the first few weeks of 2020 have been full of hope, fresh perspective, kindness, love and curiosity. 

I'm still swirling around ideas of what I want to accomplish this year. So many things! But, I want to really narrow down the list. I'll share as soon as it's ready. Hopefully, that's soon. 

One goal I set last year was to read at least 30 books. I added No. 31 to the list on December 30, just making my deadline. I do the Goodreads Reading Challenge. It is so easy to track my reading there. If you use Goodreads, look me up!

I enjoyed each book I read for various reasons, but here are my top 10 faves, in no particular order, in case you're looking for something new, different, serious, sad or fun. 

1. The Fortune Hunter by Daisy Goodwin
2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
3. A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan
4. Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd (Flavia de Luce #8) by Alan Bradley
5. The Grave's a Fine  and Private Place (Flavia de Luce #9) by Alan Bradley
6. Becoming by Michelle Obama
7. Shortest Way Home: One Mayor's Challenge and a Model for America's Future by Pete Buttigieg
8. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
9. The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday by Rob Walker
10. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

I'd love to hear about what you're reading. Drop a note in the comments!

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real. 

From the Nightstand: Must Read Books

This is the first post from my new tablet! I have no idea what I'm doing so bear with me and forgive any wonkiness.

Over the past two years, I've tried to do more reading. It's been challenging to put down my phone at night and dive into a good book, but I'm trying. I'm a tad behind on updating my list of recommendations. It's on my To Do list.

I've got a ginormous stack of must reads on my nightstand. Here's what's on my reading list:

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (to read with the peeps)
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey
The Year My Mother Came Back by Alice Eve Cohen (currently reading)
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan (currently reading with the peeps)
Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton (currently reading)
Love the Home You Have by Melissa Michaels
The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin
Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton

Whew! I'm excited about each one of these!

What books are you into right now? Please share!

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real

Stack Attack

That stack of books represents my reading list for 2012. A few I received as Christmas presents this year. Some I've had for months. Some I've had for years. Yes, years. Only one will be a reread. I am determined to get through this pile. I am going to try really hard to resist the siren's call of book reviews, book recs, book stores. That said, I already know one book that I must have this spring:  Trail of the Spellmans. It's the fifth book in the Spellman series by Lisa Lutz. Love. That. Series.

Here's the list. Sorry, no links. I'm typing fast and furiously while my vat of Three-Bean Pumpkin Chili with Turkey simmers on the stove (another endeavor: try more new recipes) and while Mr. Mark and the girls are playing some sort of dungeons and dragons game on his phone.

Sanctuary - William Faulkner (saw the B/W movie Temple Drake awhile back. It was made from this book. Love me some Willie F.)

The Scarlet Pimpernel  - Baroness Emmuska Orczy (read a excerpt while I was tutoring 7th graders; up my alley)

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collins (third book in The Hunger Games series)

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

Basic Teachings of the Buddha - Glenn Wallis (I find the basic concepts on Buddhism interesting.)

Selected Letters of Martha Gelhorn - Caroline Morehead (Love me some Martha G.)

The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin (reread)

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

The Wonders of Solitude - Dale Salwak

Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins (second book in The Hunger Games series; 50 pages left to read)

Hobby Farm: How To Create and Maintain Your Hobby Farm or Great Estate - Kristen Hampshire (gardening is a hobby that I'm going to cultivate this year - pun totally intended)

I am fighting a big SHOULD with this endeavor, as in "I should be reading all sorts of Young Adult literature so I can make great recommendations to my students." But I don't want to. And I'm wondering if that's a sign that teaching is no longer where I'm supposed to be. Or maybe it's just a sign that I am burnt out.

Whatever you do this week, wherever you are, whatever you read - keep it real!

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

I'm in love with the idea of technology. The Kindle. iPods. Phones that do everything except flush the toilet. Cable service that skips commercials or allows me to freeze my show in one room and pick it up in another. That's cool stuff! I love to daydream about what my life would be like if I was teched-out to the max.

But truthfully, I'm old school. My cell phone only takes and makes calls, and very rarely at that. I watch possibly five of the 72 basic cable channels on my television. And while I can see the convenience of a Kindle, I prefer the touch, smell, and even the weight of good old-fashioned hard copy print. I don't think I could get cozy with a Kindle. Not like I can with a book. And the newspaper is meant to be shared with a loved one over a cup of black coffee on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Scrolling a computer screen in tandem involves a form of sharing and a level of patience I have yet to achieve. Besides, you can't swap sections very easily on a laptop. And magazines? Well, magazines are great for ripping and tearing recipes, decorating tips, and beauty advice.

So, it was with great sorrow that my husband and I decided against renewing our subscription to The Kansas City Star newspaper. We are regular Thursday-Sunday subscribers, but when the bill came late last week, we realized the publishers had finally priced themselves out of our value range. The Star, like most city newspapers, isn't what it used to be. Every week the news and feature items are fewer and far between. The National and Local News sections have been smushed into one section in such an odd way that it reminds me of roommates who have nothing anything in common trying to live together. The TV guide faded into oblivion months ago, as did The Northland News section. The publishers are trying to sell less for more, and I'm no longer buying.

But price isn't the only thing keeping us from renewing our script. Our life has changed. Before the peeps arrived, and even while they were itty bitty, my husband and I maintained our weekend morning ritual of coffee and paper in bed. We had our unspoken routine. He started with National News; I browsed the Local News. As we read our way through FYI, Arts & Entertainment, and Sports we organized the sections into two piles: a "both have read" pile and a "one person has read" pile. But over the past two months, our routine has been either disrupted completely or delayed by the peeps, who have yet to grasp the concept of sleeping in. The joy is gone. I guess it's time to join the legions of folks who read their news online.

So, I bid a fond farewell to my old friend, The Kansas City Star. I'm sorry to see you go, and may you rest in peace when your time arrives.