I'm doing 21 things
Yet another Austen novel finished. I had been saving Mansfield Park and Persuasion for years… I love Austen, but I loved having the mystery of two unread novels to look forward to. Since, you know, there’s not going to be anything else published by her. And I think I have to say, Persuasion is definitely an excellent book. I still love Pride and Prejudice more, simply for nostalgia. Persuasion, with the mature, seemingly hopeless love of Anne and Captain Wentworth, is a quiet and calming read. As someone who was forced apart from a significant other myself, I enjoyed reading about Anne’s reunion with her lover if only because it caused me to remember and cherish my own reunion.
sunflowers&roses's Life List
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1. Read the BBC's Big Read 200
personal challenge . 31 entries . 14 cheers47 people -
2. Daily: Reflect on 5 things for which I'm grateful.
15 entries . 6 cheers885 people -
3. exercise three times a week
2 entries . 7 cheers320 people -
4. learn yoga
8 cheers2,782 people -
5. Get organized
1 entry . 3 cheers6,494 people -
6. Improve my Karma.
11 cheers232 people -
7. fill up an entire book with thoughts
2 entries . 44 cheers53 people -
8. fold 1000 paper cranes
7 entries . 16 cheers111 people -
9. Simplify.
2 entries . 23 cheers703 people -
10. write faithfully in my journal
3 entries . 17 cheers2 people -
11. read all of the books collecting dust on my shelves
2 entries . 6 cheers3 people -
12. learn to meditate
1 entry . 11 cheers1,832 people -
13. learn to crochet
1 entry . 10 cheers1,136 people -
14. Learn Spanish
2 entries . 10 cheers17,681 people -
15. write a short story.
6 cheers1,158 people -
16. Give 1000 cheers
1 entry . 1 cheer122 people -
17. never stop learning new things
8 cheers11 people -
18. keep my house clean and tidy
2 entries . 2 cheers31 people -
19. learn to swing dance
4 cheers1,154 people -
20. Learn at least one new thing every day.
1 cheer10 people -
21. 20 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Every Sunday
75 people
How I did it
It made me 
How I did it: Made it a couple's night... My husband got his other earlobe done, and I got the nose done. One of the more odd experiences in my life. While not particularly painful, the sensation was pretty unique. Shoving a needle into cartilage is apparently just enough to make me want to pass out, however. (Note: I pass out very easily, so don't be discouraged by me.) Luckily, the last time I got blood drawn, the w… Read how I did it…
It made me
How I did it: When I started my final internship, I switched to part time at my job. I'm working seven days a week between work and internship, but my schedule is better. All of my days are eight hours instead of having three eighteen hours days a week. Having shorter days and less stress took a lot of pressure off. Because of having a regular sleep schedule and less overall to do during the week, my stress level has gone way dow… Read how I did it…
It made me
Relaxed
How I did it: I set a goal for myself. This year, I'm trying to read through the BBC Big Read 200 (which I'm probably going to expand into next year as well.) Having this goal has caused me to become a voracious reader again. I've read 8 books already this year, and I'm working on 8 and 9 at the moment. I'm enjoying it a great deal, because I'm reading books outside of my comfort zone, and discovering wonderful books and authors… Read how I did it…
See all "How I Did It" stories...
Recent entries
I enjoyed this set of (rather random) books. I had Dustbin Baby on audiotape, but I’ve been doing a lot of driving so this one took less time to listen to than Secrets. I also started listening to it while I was exercising, because the first week of the running program involved a lot of walking. Which can be REALLY boring on a treadmill. But yes, I really enjoyed how the entire novel took place on one day, with flashbacks describing April’s life in a manageable fashion.
Good Omens was delightful because I enjoy both Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, and to find both authors penning an irreverent view of the Apocalypse (complete with the four motorcyclists of the apocalypse and the obligatory cameo of Death) was an amazing read.
The Handmaid’s Tale was something I’ve been meaning to read for a while. The first time I ran across it was in high school, when for some unknown reason, I thought it was a medieval murder mystery and never bothered to read the back cover. Similar to when in elementary school, I decided that Harry Potter was a Oliver Twist rewrite for modern kids and refused to read it after receiving it as a present. Luckily I was cured of both preconceptions. I enjoyed the Handmaid’s Tale. It was, for me, a less brutal and more encouraging version of 1984. I enjoyed the blatant symbolism of the novel, the faux Latin phrase scrawled in the closet, the nonlinear writing style, the footnote at the end of the novel. I will definitely be adding this one to my list of novels to reread.
Finished, and I managed to get over half a mile further and burn over fifty more calories than Day One. I feel exhausted. But I feel so much better than last week because I know that I’m doing something positive to effect my life.
