First reading update of 2025

Two months into the year, I've managed to finish two books. That low number is more due to the massive Wind and Truth that I read to start the year more than any lack of reading on my part. I obviously didn't read as much as I could have during January and most of February, but I managed to make it through the fifth volume of the Stormlight Archive. I've decided that the disappointment people have expressed about Wind and Truth is more about the exceedingly high expectations created by the first two books in the series. W and T was overly long and lacked the exciting action that was central to earlier volumes, but it moves events along nicely. The increasing importance of the Cosmere in Sanderson's books is also likely turning people off. I've read enough of his other stuff that I knew Wind and Truth had to end with Odium positioned to influence the wider Cosmere. That's the only way that story can really move forward. We may have even seen some of his plans being executed in other Cosmere books. If you're not into that broader narrative, Wind and Truth is not going to do much for you. I will keep reading the series despite the massive time commitment required to get through them. 

I've also finished James. I had read about half of that before I bought Wind and Truth so it was an easy task to finish that slim (by comparison) book. Everett is a good writer so the book was a pleasure to read. I'm not as taken with as all the acclaim would suggest. That acclaim is too based in the broader scope of the book more than the book itself. That's just a decision that culture has made. Celebrate the political or social space staked out by the book rather than the inherent quality of the book itself. I don't regret reading it. 

I picked up The Last Picture Show after James. I have about a third of the book left. This was a quick read. I've read a good bit of McMurtry so it's been nice getting back into the appealing flow of his prose. The dialogue is believable, the characters are authentic, and the story is well paced. The efficiency of this book highlights the bloat of Wind and Truth. The danger of The Last Picture Show will be going on to read the sequels. I could probably get them from the library (print versions, I don't see them in Libby), but I would rather focus my reading effort on my owned books. Maybe there is a place for an audiobook. I've never listened to a McMurtry book. I should finish this one by the end of the weekend to get to 3 books for the year. At least I will stay on my book a month pace. 

I pulled The Doctor's Wife off the shelf with The Last Picture Show. I read a couple dozen pages soon after it was delivered. I was quickly engaged with the story, but I was in the middle of James and about to start Wind and Truth so I set it aside. It's a short book so it has the appeal of a quick read to go with a good story. I may change my mind, but I'm pretty sure that will be my attempted book 4. I will need a quick read as the college basketball tournaments are about to ramp up. Those will take my focus for a good chunk of March. I'm actually building some reading momentum. I should really try to get at least a few pages in around the games.

I have stayed strong with my book buying ban. I haven't really even been tempted. 

Making my life better

If I need a reason for why I do things like run the WDW Marathon, getting the year started overcoming a big challenge could be as good a reason as any. I completed my fourth WDW Marathon in 4 years on Sunday.. My times are incredibly consistent given the nature of the marathon. I finished 3 of those 4 marathons in 6:20. The only exception is 2023 when I sat down wrong and messed up my knee a couple weeks before the race. I'm not going to revisit my recurring marathon training themes. I know what I need to do to be more comfortable in these runs. If I'm not up for the training, why do I keep entering this race (other than I really enjoy the whole runDisney vibe)? A pretty basic answer is that the race provides motivation for me to actually get out and run. My recap of my first WDW Marathon in 2022 highlighted that I was using the race to get my training runs back up to at least 10 miles. I run more when I am registered for a marathon. My run volume would plunge without a marathon looming over me. The race itself is highly rewarding. Every hard event is inherently rewarding, but covering all those miles on Disney property gives the marathon a little extra panache. There are drawbacks too, but the positives far outweigh the negatives. I also do the marathon because I can do the marathon. I'm approaching 50. My time for these kinds of activities is not unlimited. I need to accept the challenge while I still have a choice. There will be a day when my body makes the decision for me, but I still have the agency to make the choice to get out there and cover the miles. Running the marathon just feels like a better choice than not running the marathon. It's a choice that makes my life better. 

Making my life better is the point of all my resolutions/side quests/various pursuits and activities. Reading makes my life better. I'm not going to detour into detailing the specifics of how reading makes my life better, but it does. My Bookshelf Zero challenge is about getting me to read the books that I expect will make my life better. Reading a challenging book is not always pleasant in the moment, but I will be better for having read it (just like I'm better for having endured the marathon). Staying strong and losing weight are about staying healthy and active so I can live my life as I choose. I watch my Mom lead a small life where she has implicitly accepted all kinds of limitations by not taking care of her health. That is not the life I want to live. I set resolutions to give me an extra kick to get to the gym. It doesn't always work as much as I would like, but that goal probably gets me there more than if I didn't have that external measure. 

I put a book buying ban on myself this year. That restriction makes a moment less fun (lots of good choices for sale at the library yesterday, but no books for me this year), but focusing on reading what I already own makes my life better. I attempted to explore jazz last year. I was looking to expand my musical horizons and find new rewarding experiences. I found that I don't particularly like that style of music, but at least I gave it a try and don't feel like I'm missing out on something that would make my life better. I failed a goal, but I learned something valuable about how I experience the world and derive meaning from what I experience everyday. 

Of course I only explore a small part of my life in this space. I rarely delve into professional goals and challenges. I never share any details about the nature of my relationship with my wife or how I feel about being a parent. I call my resolutions and other goals side quests because my family and career are the primary adventure. Doing all that I can to make those parts of my life the best they can be will do more to make my life better than any book I read or workout I complete. I've made the decision to find another job. My current job is not doing much to make my life better (or maybe the best thing I could do to make my life better would be to find a new job). I've applied to what looks like a good opportunity. We'll see how it all plays out. I've been thinking deeply about my relationship with my wife. I look back at some of my actions with regret (it's about how I have failed to show her how I feel about her with words and actions, not any deep betrayals like cheating or something like that), but I'm focusing on how to move forward and make what we have better. Small improvements in my marriage will make my life dramatically better.

Here's to making my life better in 2025.