Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year's Resolutions

Where did they begin... This is a little bit of what I found.

The Babylonians made resolution’s to the gods to get favor. Then if a resolution is broken it was considered bad luck so it was advised to be careful in determining one’s New Year’s Resolution.

153 BC - And in fact some historians believe that the ancient Romans also invented New Year's resolutions in 153 BC. Many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

I haven't made mine for 2010 yet. I'm mulling a couple over, but I'm not speaking them just yet.

Last year after a conversation I had with my daughters Language Arts teacher, I decided to read more. I'd never been much of a reader, except for magazines. They are much shorter and don't require as much of my time. However, we expect and it is part of my daughter's curriculum to read. She comprehends at a very high level so it is always a challenge to find good books for her. I was asking her teacher about some of the classics, and whether she thought Hannah could handle them, she asked me if I'd ever read them... duh, no, made me feel a little inadequate, so I decided to start reading. The first classic I tried to read was "The Scarlet Letter". Well let me tell you, I don't think you can wait till you are in your late 40's and start with something like that. I barely got through the prologue, and I had to stop. My daughter-in-law suggested I start with something a little easier "Pride and Prejudice", some Jane Austen, or something like that.

Well unfortunately I haven't ventured back to the "classic" genre, but I have spent this whole year reading. Now, I have to have a book at all times. The books I have read vary, but I have enjoyed them all. Here is a list. Hope I can remember them all:

Bad Manners
The Time Travelers Wife
Oryx and Crake
The Host
Twilight Series
Love Story
A Veiled Deception
Not Another Bad Date
I'm In No Mood For Love
Some Nora Roberts I don't remember
Started an old series by Janet Evanovich about a female bounty hunter
Such a Pretty Fat, I think anyone who has struggled with weight loss, and gain, and loss, and gain will enjoy this one, it's funny

Not sure if there are others, seems like I read more, but that Twilight series was 4 books and they were pretty big. I enjoyed all of them, they varied from trashy romance to a very weird end of time scenario.

So my goal in writing this blog is this, if there is anyone out there reading this I want some recommendations for next year. Post some comments with your recommendations and why you liked it.

Happy New Year!!!

3 comments:

Amanda said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amanda said...

Oryx and Crake was from my Cal Poly literature class...so it might not be classic but you did read one literary book

Cindy said...

I applaud your adventure into reading, one of my great passions. I did read for a living and I'm afraid all those nonfiction, news stories sort of zapped my hunger for words for a time. But now that I'm at home, reading for pleasure has become my obsession, my escape. I'm glad you've found something you're interested in, Debra. Keep it up!

I just finished "Greetings from Somewhere Else," by Monica McInerney. A tidy little escapist tale that takes you to Australia and Ireland ... Fairly good, but not as good as the two I've previously recommended.