It's Monday, What are You Reading? (2011-2)

"It's Monday. What are you reading?" is a meme hosted by One Persons Journey Through a World of Books. This is where you list what you've read in the past week.

It's been a LONG time since I've participated in this meme, but I really wanted to join in this week. Partly since it's been a really good year for reading so far and partly because I miss my reading meme friends.

Without further ado, here's my list for this past week:

Kringle ~ Tony Abbott 1/30

The Lightning Thief ~ Rick Riordan 1/30

The Sea of Monsters ~ Rick Riordan 1/31

Beast Master Vol. 1-2 ~ Kyousuke Motomi 1/31

Backstage Prince Vol. 1-2 ~ Kanoko Sakurakoji 1/31

Boyfriends, Burritos and an Ocean of Trouble ~ Nancy Rue 2/1

The Titan's Curse ~ Rick Riordan 2/2

Moe Kare Vol. 1-7 ~ Go Ikeyamada 2/2

The Battle of the Labyrinth ~ Rick Riordan 2/3

The Last Olympian ~ Rick Riordan 2/4

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle ~ Avi 2/5

Lyddie ~ Katherine Paterson 2/6

Jip: His Story ~ Katherine Paterson 2/6

So, my goal this year was to read as many books as possible that I own that I either haven't read in YEARS or just haven't read at all yet. My total books towards that goal since January 1st: 33. I think I'm doing pretty well so far.

As for my To Be Read this week list:

I am currently finishing up I Am Number Four ~ Pittacus Lore and Under the Lilacs ~ Louisa May Alcott.

I intend to begin and complete The Lost Hero ~ Rick Riordan and possibly start on the other two books by Avi that I haven't read yet. If not Avi this week, then I'll read Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. (Not really looking forward to reading those two no matter how much I love Jane Austen.

What did YOU read this week?

Frank's Words of Wisdom

"...you can make things go as you want them, if you only try hard enough, and walk right over whatever stands in the way. I don't mean to give up my plans for any man; but, if I live, I'll carry them out - you see if I don't."

~Frank from Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott

Best Quote for Work Ever!

"It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do."

~ Jerome K. Jerome

Mission Accomplished!

This past Saturday night Joseph and I were over at my in-laws visiting when my father-in-law asked if we knew of any way to copy a video offline and save it on his computer. Joseph and I both had a few ideas as to how we could manage this feat, but none of our ideas panned out. This led me to resort to desperate measures. I clicked on the "Contact Us" link and copied the email address down. The following is what was typed and received after I clicked on "Compose" in my email account. (the following has been edited to protect the innocent and their emails)

Sent: Saturday, January 08, 2011 8:34 PM
To: Admin@RiverDogs.com
Subject: Request for copy of 2010 Season Hilights Video from RiverDogs Website

Good Evening,

I was wondering if it would be possible to receive a copy of the 2010 season hilights video showing on the RiverDogs website. My brother-in-law, M--- played for the team this summer and my father-in-law would really like a copy of the video for his own personal viewing. This would be a personal video only.

Please let me know if this is a reasonable and possible request. It would mean a great deal to M-'s dad to be able to add this video to his personal tracking of M-'s baseball career.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Hannah

On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 7:21 AM, Dave Echols wrote:

Dave Echols

EVP / General Manager

Charleston RiverDogs

(Okay, so he didn't really write anything, but he DID forward my email to Noel.)

On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 2:28 PM, Noel Blaha wrote:

Hi Hannah,

Please provide me with a mailing address and I'll send a copy on a disc to you.

All the best,

Noel Blaha

Director of Promotions

Charleston RiverDogs

www.RiverDogs.com

Of course I replied to Noel's email with my FIL's address and thanked her profusely. So, yeah. WOW. It was a shot in the dark, but it worked and I am SO excited about it!

New Year's Resolutions - Or, Why I Don't Make Any

So, Joseph and I went down to Manassas together this afternoon to visit McKay's and Aldi. On our way down, I mentioned to Joseph that I was planning on curbing my spending of money on new books. Of course, he asked me what other things I had planned for this year. Or other things that I want to accomplish. (Basically, what were my new year's resolutions.) I had to admit to him that I don't make any new year's resolutions and thankfully, he didn't ask why. But, I got to thinking about it. Why DON'T I make any resolutions each new year? It's not that I think they're a bad idea. And, it isn't as though there aren't a few things that I don't do at the beginning of each year. I mean, I always make a point of praying that no birds poop on me each year. That prayer has been answered every year since I started requesting saving from bird poop.

No, I don't make resolutions because there isn't anything much more discouraging than failing a resolution. I've made the "lose weight" resolution. I've made the "eat better" resolution. The "be nicer to my family and coworkers", the "read more books", the "read fewer books", the "use the internet less and spend more time with Joseph", etc. The list never ends. But honestly, it never fails that I fall off the wagon and end up more discouraged afterwards than I had ever been before making the resolution in the first place.

Instead, I've learned to go with the flow and to choose to make up my mind each day. It's so much easier to make the choice daily than it is to choose to accomplish something in the long term. I know this doesn't work for most people, in fact, it probably doesn't work for hardly anyone but myself. But, it's okay. Because, for me, a goal is like faith was described in Daughter of Joy by Kathleen Morgan - It's a daily choice. We have to CHOOSE to believe in something every day. In the same way, I have to choose to eat right every morning when my day starts out. If I eat a good breakfast, lunch is easier to eat and supper as well.

What about you? Do you make New Year's Resolutions? Or do you have a different method of accomplishing your long-term goals?