Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

book club

What I’m reading: January 2016

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

What I read

  • Emma, by Jane Austen
  • A Curious Mind, by Brian Grazer. So good! Brian has spent his life holding “curiosity conversations” – once a week he talks to someone interesting and is just curious about them. I love the idea and the book inspired me to be more curious with everyone I meet.
  • Knit Wear Love, by Amy Herzog. I enjoyed this book about changing your sweater pattern to match your personal style.
  • Design Mom, by Gabrielle Blair. A gorgeous book, that gave me some ideas for our new place. But I couldn't get over how she always refers to her husband by his full name (Ben Blair). Every. Time. Distracting, but beautiful!

What I’m reading

What I read last January.
And in January 2014.

What are you reading?

What I’m Reading: November 2015

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.
"The last of human freedoms- to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." -Victor Frankl #whatimreading #airplanemode

What I read

  • Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert. This is this quarter’s Starship Book Club pick. I LOVED it. I highlighted it like crazy. If you're a creative, get it and read it. Please.
  • Steal the Show, by Michael Port – Pre-ordered it on my Kindle, to read before my teaching gigs, and I learned a few things I implemented in my recent classes.
  • Why Not Me, by Mindy Kaling. Funny + quick!
  • You're Never Weird on the Internet, by Felicia Day. Super encouraging autobiography, for internet-nerd gals.
  • The Confidence Code by Katty Kay. This book is inspiring my current #BizConfidenceChallenge! I learned a lot, and it cleared up a lot that I've experienced with my clients (and myself)!
  • Man's Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl. This is part of my #greatbooksproject (reading all the books I missed in high school and college) and it was just beyond description. It begins as the story of Frankl's experiences in the concentration camps during WWII. But it's somehow not dark, but completely hopeful. As the book continues, he begins to tease apart what pushed some people to survive and find peace during the atrocities.

The quote that will stick with me:

“The last of human freedoms – to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”

-Victor Frankl

What I’m reading

 

What I read last November
And the November before that

What are you reading?

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

 

What I’m Reading: October 2015

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I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 

Because I'm thinking so much about my own next book, I find myself avoiding other business-y non-fiction, and instead reading more fiction and books in a totally different genre than what I normally pick.

What I read

  • Creativity, Inc, by Ed Catmull – So GOOD. Aimed at business owners who want to create a culture of creativity and innovation, the insights into how Pixar was built and runs are totally fascinating, even if you're not managing thousands of artists.
  • Essentialism, by Greg McKeon – Eh. I strongly agree with the message of this book, and I think I live by it (as explained here!)…but after a while it felt a bit long and all of his examples are exceedingly impractical for the average person (I.e., taking time off work to heal from a disease).
  • My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante – Ignore the cover. This book is much darker than it looks. It had been recommended by just about every podcast I listen to, so I decided to try it. The author does a great job of exploring the kind of love/obsession/jealousy relationship between girls in childhood. I'm not so in love that I'm diving into the second one, though.
  • The Secret Place, by Tana French – I'm kinda crushed that I've now read all the books in this murder mystery series. I would LOVE a recommendation of something similarly well-written.
  • Y: The Last Man, by Brian K Vaughn – Super fascinating graphic novel about the, well, last man. After an unknown event wipes all men from the planet except for this one, ordinary 20 year old dude….he has adventures as the only survivors (women!) have to figure out how to run the world. This one's not for kids (in case the premise didn't inform you!), and is well-written and gripping.

 

What I’m reading

 

What I read last October

What are you reading?

 

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

 

What I’m Reading: September 2015

Reading September

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

What I read

  • Landline, by Rainbow Rowell – As you might have noticed, I've been loving Rainbow Rowell. This one is definitely not a YA book – it's a great look at what it feels like to be married for years.
  • The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin – This book has been recommended by so many (male) podcasters I listen to, and while I liked it, it was far less about how to learn, than how this particular person learned chess and martial arts. He shares a bit of his story (which is interesting!) and then  tries to break it down into something you can apply to learning anything … but with more chess and martial arts metaphors. In other words, I enjoyed it, but I would like a much more direct book about learning, or one that used metaphors I actually understood.
  • The Martian, by Andy Weir – With all the intense work and CreativeLIVE prep, August was a month full of novels! This one was fun + quick, and although heavy on the science and math, it had a propulsive force that kept me reading. Can't wait for the movie!
  • The Faithful Place, by Tana French – Still loving this series from this author. Basically what I said last month.
  • Broken Harbor, by Tana French – Ditto above.
  • Your Perfect Presentation, by Bill Hoogterp – Read this in preparation of CreativeLIVE and while I was already implementing a lot of his tips (focus on value for the audience, tell stories, ask the audience to respond), it challenged me to make my class even better.
  • Ms. Marvel – Oh man, this comic is GREAT. If you haven't been reading it, go out and grab the first volume, especially if you love empowering stories for young girls (It's totally appropriate for any girl 10+)
  • Manage Your Day to Day –  This was this quarter’s Starship Book Club pick, but I waited to read it until after I finished writing my class!

 

What I’m reading

 

What I read last September

What are you reading?

 

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

What I’m Reading: May 2015

What I'm Reading May 2015

 I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 What I'm reading

First of, let's just get this out of the way – I finished very little in April. I made good progress through some dense books, but so much of my month was spent in non-reading situations (you know, those in which you're face to face with a real! live! person!), that I really never had a full-on reading binge like I normally do at least once a month. So, here are the books I've either just finished or am in the middle of:

  • Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo and Me, by Ellen Forney. Oh man, this was an amazing graphic memoir. If you know and love anyone who suffers from, well, any mental illness, read this. Her graphic representations of both mania and depression were the best, most human, caring, most understandable anything, I've ever read about it. This page, in particular, cracked me up.
    (If this book was a movie it would have an R rating for some bits about her sex life. If that'll offend you, skip it. But if it won't, READ THIS.)
  • Are You My Mother?: A Comic Drama, by Alison Bechdel. This memoir-ish look at the comic's relationship with her mother (and therapists) doesn't have the same coherence as her first, Fun Home (which I read last month), but I enjoyed it.
  • Playing Big, by Tara Mohr. I'm in the last chapter, and I'm gathering my thoughts about it.
  • War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy. Is there any way to tell you that I found this for $2  at a used book store in Carlsbad and since it's on my Great Books  list, I immediately started reading it and I'm halfway through and finding it surprisingly enjoyable, without sounding completely pretentious? No? I thought not.
  • The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century. Only a chapter in, because it's not a read-before-bed read. Definitely requires some brain cells to process. (That said, it's probably already made me a better writer. Can't ya tell?)
  • I also read a lot of comics I LOVE this month: Thor*, Saga, Jem (!) and this one (our new favorite!). (If you don't want comics piling up, but want to try some of these, get 'em digitally at Comixology.)

*In case you don't keep up with comics, Thor is a lady now! And she's not Lady Thor or Thor Girl – she's full-on Thor, goddess of Thunder and she's bringing it.

 

What are you reading?

 

 

PS. What I was reading last year.

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

What I’m Reading: April 2015

What I'm Reading April 2015

 I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 

 What I read

 

  • Zero to One, by Peter Theil – This is a book about how to create something from scratch (through the lens of a venture funded tech start-up). Even though you probably don't have investors to please, the book is filled with smart advice for how to think of your tiny business and the mindset that's required to make something completely new (to go from 0 to 1).
  • The Saga series, by Brian Vaughn –  So good. I read a lot of comics and I don't know why I don't talk about them here, but I love this one. Also, the new Thor is fantastic and Hawkeye has beautiful art (and one of the best female characters in I've read anywhere, in a while).
  • Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel – Oh man. This is one of the best memoirs I've read. Ever.
  • Funny Girl, by Nick Hornby – Funny! I was obsessed with I Love Lucy as a kid (I've read all of Lucy's biographies and watched all the episodes multiple times, thanks to my local library), so this book was right up my alley. I notice that in months where I have a LOT of work (I wrote 6 weeks worth of class content and 4 weeks worth of blog content in 2.5 weeks in March!), I tend to stick with fiction. Non-fiction (especially about business!) gives me so many ideas and sparks so many new projects, that I have to avoid it if I'm going to follow-through on months that are already packed.

What I’m reading

Find of the month: Love Gilmore Girls and reading? Olive made an awesome Rory Gilmore Reading List! LOVE!

What are you reading?

 

PS. What I was reading last year.

 

 

 

The usual disclaimery disclaimer applies! 

 

 

 

What I’m Reading: December 2014

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

What I'm reading December 2014

What I read

  • Inferno, by Dante Alighieri, translated by Mary Jo Bang  – part of my Great Books Project, more info below.
  • Grave Mercy, by Robin LeFevers – Ninja. Nun. Assassins. Historical fiction. That's all you really need to know – it was fun and I read it in a weekend. (Looks like it's free with Kindle Unlimited!)
  • Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty, by Diane Keaton – Sigh. I had hoped I would love this book as much as I love the actress, but it this collection of essays about her own relationship with her looks didn't reveal anything beyond a lifetime obsession with being “pretty”. Pretty disappointing.

Between Inferno and pretty Diane, my reading mojo was sucked dry. I'm halfway through 5 books, but I didn't get completely through any of them, so they're the first few listed below.

What I’m reading

The Great Books Project

After months of waffling, the Great Books Project is underway. I’m tracking it via GoodReads (my entire list is here) and holding discussions on the Facebook page, with conversations about our lists, our progress, and regular quotes from the books I love. I’ll be sharing a little update here each month, and you’re welcome to join in on your own project, either in the comments, or over on the FB page (the joy of FB is that we can all reply to each other).

This month I read Inferno, by Dante Alighieri, translated by Mary Jo Bang  and although I like the translation better than others I found, this is a grim read. I mean, we know that right? And yet, so many people had told me, “Oh! You're going to love it!” that I…thought I'd like it. But I didn't. Oh sure, it's  intense…but I'd rather not spend my reading time in hell, thankyouverymuch. (I am super curious to learn more about how many of modern Christianity's images of hell came from this bit of Italian poetry.) On the docket for this month: finishing the Aeneid and reading The Color Purple. See, Great Books aren't all ancient! (In fact, after I read Confessions, all books will be post-1500! Practically modern!)

 

What are you reading?

 

 

What I’m Reading: November 2014

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

What I'm reading: November 2014

What I read

  • The Magician’s Land, by Lev Grossman. I've been waiting on this book since I finished the last book and it did not disappoint. It was a great ending to the trilogy. But it did have an adverse affect – I didn't feel like picking up another book for a good week after finishing it.
  • Wonder Woman Unbound, by Tim Hanley. I don't remember why I picked this book up, but it's a fascinating history of of the comic book superheroine. The book dives into the motivation of her creator (a rare 1940s feminist (male) psychologist who developed the DISC personality theory and the lie detector test!) and how she's been transformed throughout the years. It serves as a great introduction to feminist cultural criticism and it was fun to read.
  • Looking for Alaska, by John Green. I read this in one day on the train to LA (and back) and it was delightful and devastating.

What I'm reading

The Great Books Project

After months of waffling, the Great Books Project is finally underway. I’m tracking it via GoodReads (my entire list is here) and holding discussions on the Facebook page, with conversations about our lists, our progress, and regular quotes from the books I love. I’ll be sharing a little update here each month, and you’re welcome to join in on your own project, either in the comments, or over on the FB page (the joy of FB is that we can all reply to each other).

After last month's reading glut, this month, the official beginning, kinda fizzled. I got two translations of Confessions from my library and they both were totally impossible to read. So I ordered this translation…and it didn't arrive yet. I got about halfway through Aeneid, and then it was due at the library and I was going out of town…so I'll pick it back up again this month. (I'm enjoying it much less than the Odyssey, frankly.) I got Dante's Inferno from my library, so we'll see how that goes!

What are you reading?

 

What I’m Reading: September 2014

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.
What I'm reading in September.

 

What I read

  • The Know-It-All, by A.J. Jacobs. A fact-filled recounting of the author's read-through of the Encyclopedia Brittanica. Read it (and put his other books on my list) at the recommendation of Elise.
  • Deep Thoughts from a Hollywood Blonde, by Jennie Garth. Don't judge. I grew up on summers full of 90210 and can't resist a biography…especially by a fellow blonde.
  • One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (still reading it, actually).

Umm…and that's it. Apparently my reading time takes a dive in the summer with all the road trips and my increased crafting. (Baseball season = crafting season).

What I’m reading

Still obsessed with…

I got obsessed with the idea of reading the Great Books – you know, the books that have formed the foundation of our culture, that teach us something about ourselves…those books that everyone else read in high school and college that I missed. You can see my list of 101 Great Books here (some of which I’ve read, thank goodness!).

But now – what the heck should I do with this list now? Read through it in a year? Read one a month? Where would you begin? Some of readers said that if I started a Great Books read-along, they'd join in. What about you? Is this something you’d want to read on the blog (once a month) or follow along on Facebook?

 

What I’m Reading: August 2014

I follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 

What I read

  • Influence, by Robert Cialdini – This book covers the basics of how we're convinced to do things, along with tips to resist influence. This will totally change the way you view commercials, websites, and the world. Required reading if you want to be an effective communicator!
  • Mindless Eating, by Brian Wansink – Confession: I will read anything about why we do things and how to change habits. This book is super educational on just that.
  • 10X Rule, by Grant Cardone- After hearing the author on one of my favorite podcasts, I couldn't resist reading his book. His style is a far cry from mine, but his point – set bigger goals and work 10x harder than you think – is solid.

I didn’t get a lot of reading in this month, because I spent most of my time writing and editing my new class materials!

What I’m reading

Still obsessed with…

I got obsessed with the idea of reading the Great Books – you know, the books that have formed the foundation of our culture, that teach us something about ourselves…those books that everyone else read in high school and college that I missed. You can see my list of 101 Great Books here (some of which I’ve read, thank goodness!).

But now – what the heck should I do with this list now? Read through it in a year? Read one a month? Where would you begin?I got a few replies last month from makers saying that if I started a Great Books read-along, they'd join in. What about you? Is this something you'd want to read on the blog (once a month) or follow along on Twitter? Or Facebook?

 

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