Planning ahead
I don't do new year's resolutions, but I do believe in setting goals for myself. As 2006 is quickly coming to a close, I am drawing up a list of things I want to accomplish in 2007, and here's what I have so far:
- throw my mom a surprise party for her 50th birthday
- win our sibling Oscar betting pool (I have to win it EVENTUALLY)
- spend 2 nights in Tagaytay with my high school barkada during Holy Week
- solicit adequate funds for our high school 10th graduation anniversary reunion
- attend said reunion
- enroll in a Business Chinese language course being offered by Ateneo's Confucius Institute (my Mandarin is rusty as hell-- when suppliers from China call on the phone, I'm left sputtering in incomprehension)
- take a leisurely walk with some of my LM girls around the Ateneo Loyola campus (it will always be one of the most beautiful places in the world for me)
- resume weekly badminton games with AP-Annex
- buy and read more good books
In line with the last point, I already have a booklist prepared for 2007, courtesy of the New York Times Book Section's annual "Best of" list. I scoured their lists all the way back to 1996 and picked out titles that came with interesting synopses. Stuff I'll be reading next year include:
- Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt (Jen already got me a copy from Singapore, thanks Mini-me!)
- Kafka on the Shore, by Haruki Murakami (my student Lesley got me intrigued about this supposedly confusing novel; and I figure it's high time I give Murakami a try)
- The Emperor's Children, by Claire Messud
- Special Topics in Calamity Physics, by Marisha Pessl
- The Book Against God, by James Wood
- Best Friends, by Thomas Berger
- Atonement, by Ian McEwan (another author I've been meaning to give a shot for the longest time now)
- Gertrude and Claudius, by John Updike (and another)
- The Human Stain, by Philip Roth (and yet another)
- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers
- White Teeth, by Zadie Smith
- Preston Falls, by David Gates
- Toward the End of Time, by Updike again
- American Pastoral, by Roth again
I hope Fully Booked carries all the above titles. I feel that in 2006, I didn't read enough books that forced me to think, or challenged my beliefs, or even simply moved me, so I have to revamp my reading selections, check out new, up-and-coming writers, and try my hand at reading established, renowned authors like Murakami, McEwan, Updike, and Roth. I need the mental exercise, and I crave the intellectual enrichment. Besides, this way, I can afford to let a few brain cells rot while getting my fill of Grey's Anatomy and the new season of American Idol. :p
In the meantime, 2006 ain't over yet, and I still have some Christmas shopping to do, presents to wrap, people to meet, parties to attend, a pink gown to put on for a wedding, and a slide show to put together for my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary on the 29th. Not to mention my cousins and I still have to formally rehearse the 2 Chinese songs we will be performing that night (we were bullied into it by our aunts and uncles-- I consider it penance for none of us having given our grandma great-grandkids up to now). I foresee the last 2 weeks of the year will be one helluva carnival ride, and at this rate, I may not have enough energy left at the end to wave 2006 goodbye.
posted by Ailee Through the Looking Glass @ 12:47 PM
14 comments
14 Comments:
Can't get away with not wearing pink? :D
The motif is citrus colors. I could have gotten lemon or lime or even orange, but no, I got pomelo. =S Oh well, at least I'll be wearing it for just one day. And it's for a friend, so I don't mind as much. :)
As far as I can tell, Murakami's not bad... I have to admit that I liked his "After the Quake" collection, although a couple of the stories left me wondering if there was any meaning that I missed. I haven't gone through any of his novels yet, though.
If you're interested to know, I did notice a copy of "Kafka on the Shore" this afternoon. It was in the National Bookstore "Best Sellers" branch in The Podium, and it had a sort of green-and-brown cover, I think.
I like Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. I hear "Kafka on the Shore" is good but I haven't read it yet. And I've been meaning to read Atonement as well but I never found the time. Gah. Tons of books to read, so little time. See you tom :)
what, no oprah's book club? :p
suggested books by murakami: norwegian wood and sputnik sweetheart. kafka on the shore (recommended by enuh) yung winish/nakuha ko sa office exchange gift. :)
try browsing through www.booksense.com. hassle lang kasi walang descriptions so kelangan pang hanapin sa amazon pero ok yung books sa bestseller lists nila.
hay. i miss reading books. yung hindi related sa law ha. :p
Sean: Thanks for the tip. I'll be at the Podium this weekend, so I just might swing by National to pick up a copy of Kafka on the Shore. :)
Jen: I forgot to pay you for the Shakespeare book this morning. Remind me on the 21st. P.S. Breakfast was short but sweet. We must do it again. =D
Raqs: Hey, don't knock Oprah. She got me to read East of Eden and I loved it. :) Maybe this blog post will help you decide what to get me for Christmas, hehe. Take your pick. ;p See you Sunday!
perfect timing to post your booklist! i believe you're the perfect person to answer this question. i have to buy a book for my guy friend who is eighteen years old and likes reading coelho. WHAT SHOULD I GET HIM?? haha is your blog starting to sound like an advice column? i promise this will be the only time i'll ask this, i'm really lost!!!
Hmm, if he likes Coelho, he might like Richard Bach, who writes with a similar blend of mysticism/self-help, but with a more new-agey touch. A guy blockmate recommended Bach's "The Bridge Across Forever" to me, and I liked it except for the end when it got TOO new-agey to the point of bizarre.
Your friend might also like Richard Matheson, who wrote the novel "What Dreams May Come" (you may recall the Robin Williams movie of the same title). However, Matheson leans more toward sci-fi.
If it's insipirational books your friend enjoys, try Og Mandino. My cousin who also reads Coelho has some Mandino books in her collection. :)
Have you heard of Terry Goodkind? He writes fantasy. His 'Sword of Truth' series is really good.
I didn't know you read fantasy novels. :) Sounds like something my brother would enjoy reading. Will mention it to him.
Sometimes I do =) Depends on the plot tho, and as long as the storyline develops fast. Goodkind is a good writer tho, not like Robert Jordan (zzzzz.....)
Oh, btw I went to the library and borrored His Dark Materials, based on your recommendation. I'll be starting The Golden Compass on my lunchbreak.
John Tan just texted me last night to ask about Pullman too. :) I hope you both enjoy His Dark Materials as much as I did.
I think my brother reads Robert Jordan. He's the author of The Wheel of Time series, right? Bens has the complete set, but I don't know if he ever finished all of the books. :)
this post reminds me of the soul i lost..
(hehehehe melodramatic message for: i haven't read a fiction book in a loooooooooooooooooooong time! :O)
--chars
Ateneo keeping you busy, I see. ;) Well if it makes you feel better, I don't recall getting a lot of leisure reading done during my college years either. Our workload doesn't exactly allow for a lot of leisure, period. And to think we're not even tri-sem like some... other schools. ;p
Post a Comment
<< Home