What I read: The Spring 2019 Edition

I know it sounds like it just has been work work work and shop shop shop, but I do actually read on occasion.

If you want to browse other posts on other books I have read they are all here – What I read.

I like books that are interesting. The topic could be economics, but it better be interesting and grip my attention.

I gravitate towards money and style books (obviously!), but will read all types of fiction or non-fiction if interesting enough.

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I managed to make it through these books lately:

Messy: The Power of Disorder

This is a FANTASTIC book. I am motivated to be a little more uncomfortable in life, to talk to people with diverse views that don’t meet up with mine (no worries, my partner is half like that, he sees everything in black and white and I am grey..), and to push myself out of my comfort zone.

I want to produce my best work and to be as good as I can be and I can’t do that if everyone always agrees with me.

This is why I LOVE blogging. I love hearing your comments – you all completely change my mind sometimes, or at least, show me a different perspective; that things are not what they seem.

I may not 100% agree all the time, as you would not agree with me all the time, but hearing a different view is always beneficial to the both of us.

LOVE THIS BOOK.

(Also, I am not a fan of 100% clean, sterile work or home places. I know this sounds weird because I have a super minimalist home — tour my minimalist home here! — but I like my office and work place to be a little messy at times. Not too messy but not so sterile I cannot put a pencil on the desk.)

I absolutely love too that it encourages you to have mini half finished projects all over the place, and ideas floating around, captured somewhere but not realized until inspiration strikes.

This is what the blog does for me — I talk about so many different topics NOT related to my actual work, or home life subjects — and I feel like my brain is always dipping in and out of different topics.

Even at work, I discuss topics like cooking and food because I am a huge foodie TV fan, and yet it is not at all related to what I do, and my brain is always flying from one area to a next. I have always felt a little flighty because of that — how can I possibly be so interested in everything all at once, but this book justifies it for me. I know enough about each little topic that interests me but I am not an expert in anything except my work stuff.. and money. 🙂

Stir: My Broken Brain and the meals that brought me home

ENGROSSING. I mean, I started one page and couldn’t put it down. I was hooked until the end. It has a few recipes in there (not many, under 10?) and they all sound good.

What I was most interested in was her writing style, her memoir of her near death experience and how food brought her back to life so to speak, and to regain all the things she took for granted before.

She is a LOVELY writer.

I am immensely grateful for everything I have and everything I am. This is a fantastic book to make you not take your life for granted. Forget the foodie parts if you aren’t into food, this is a life affirming book.

The Amateur Marriage

I did not really like it in the first few pages of reading it, but somehow I was engrossed all the way to the end. Perhaps that is the sign of a great writer, who can keep you reading even when you think you have lost interest.

It basically talks about a marriage and how it starts, how it continues, the thoughts of the couple, their future kids… it is really quite interesting.

Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending

I loved this book. It is a whole ‘nother perspective on how spending your money makes you happier. Spoiler (not spoiler?) alert, if you spend on experiences, you will be FAR happier than if you buy stuff.

Money makes you happier when you spend it on experiences (and therefore memories) and if you give it away to make someone happier.

The Charisma Myth: How anyone can master the art and science of personal magnetism

I have been told by some people I am pretty charismatic as-is. My partner can’t even understand how half the time I get what I want and sends me in to all the stores to do things.

I can charm almost anyone but it is a simple strategy – I truly take an interest in everyone and that is very hard to fake (so I don’t).

I learned this over the years that it is the only way that I can feel less shy and insecure about myself, is to project out (hard) an interest in others, and to turn the focus on THEM not on ME, so that I can breathe internally and let them be themselves.

It helps! A lot. Especially for someone like me who was awkward, shy and chubby when I was a little girl and then tween… even teen.

That said, I read this book and realized I do some of the things in there, but can improve on them by listening intently, making more eye contact, pausing, and BREATHING to calm down and to stop feeling so hectic (and therefore, making people feel rushed and angry).

99 Percent Mine

I wanted so badly to love this book as much as The Hating Game.. which I am still raving about as a great chick-lit book. Unfortunately, the plot was just.. .. strange.. The dynamic was weird, I just didn’t feel any connection to it at all.

I tried so hard to love it. I really did. I’m sorry, Thorne.

Alone in the kitchen with an eggplant

Stories about eating alone. Odd, but comforting. I don’t mind eating alone at home (prefer it), but I do eat very simply if it is just me.

I used to eat out a lot and alone when I was a consultant. I had dinners alone (people had families to go home to, I did not while I was on the job), so this is not new for me. A lot of room service, really.

I also don’t mind eating out alone now, but do feel slightly uncomfortable to this day, so I read a book or play on my phone.

Some of the stories are from men, from women… it is fantastic because it goes into the mind of lone diners.

You?

The Humans

I found this book very odd. Kind of along the lines of IQ84 by Murakami. It dives into human nature, attitudes, psychology…. I really did not love the book but couldn’t put it down. I just wanted to know what happened.

And I felt sad, happy in some parts… it was just so STRANGE. If this is describing the kind of book that is your thing, go for it. Fiction, human psychology from a third party objective….with an odd plot.

I did find the ending very satisfying though, that is a win for me. I was afraid it would not be and I would be angry.

Women from the ankle down

I love style and when you read “the story of shoes and how they define us” OMG.. I HAVE TO READ IT. And I was very happy doing so.

Books I would pass on

Would you rather?

I don’t think I am her demographic. I am one of those annoying Millennials who has their life figured out, felt like an old soul at the age of 7 and has always been serious, focused, and ambitious.

This books is for everyone else who is unsure about everything from their sexuality to their friendships to life in general. If I were someone like that, this would be very comforting and an EXCELLENT read, but I am not in this group so I felt like I was meandering in a meadow where I didn’t belong.

We are never meeting in real life

First few pages turned me off. Not my style of writing. #YOLO so let’s not read books we aren’t into.

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Here are all of my other What I read posts.