Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions written by Brian Christian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Computers have evolved to a point where we’re learning how to apply their statistically insightful, game-theory solving, resourcefully efficient ways to areas of our life we didn’t anticipate before. Are we wise enough to use this knowledge well?
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls: Essays, Etc. written by David Sedaris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book might have had me laughing out louder than any other. Good writing impresses me. David Sedaris left me in awe. He connects such a vast array of interesting observations. At the end of many of the essays I wondered, how did he do that!
The Alchemist written by Paulo Coelho
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Simply a classic. An epic love story/life story wrapped into a self-help guide. The regular shepherd boy, learns he is so much more. Perhaps we all are – when we follow our dreams (“personal legends”), and are mindful to the journey & omens along the way.
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #1) written by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“The movie is no where near as good as the book.” I often say this without ever having read the book. For something different, I thought I’d say it without watching the film. From the book’s title, to the cover art, to the picture appendices, it was always going to be a dark, creepy tale of historical intrigue. If you peel back these layers, I’d say it’s a cross between Harry Potter, The X-Men, with a twist of Groundhog Day. Each day it successfully took me to another time and place. This was required to appreciate such a fun story of discovery.
Girt (The Unauthorised History of Australia #1) written by David Hunt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A brilliant classic, Girt takes a humorous Aussie approach by taking the piss out of everything. It begins by clarifying the long line of people who didn’t first discover Australia; then goes on to cover the complete dysfunction of convicts, guards, settlers, aborigines, coming together to form something special we know today as Australia. It made me laugh out loud more often than I felt comfortable with.
Men at Arms (Discworld, #15; City Watch, #2) written by Terry Pratchett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Another fun Discworld book, following Guards, Guards. I think it’s strength is the interesting characters, brought to life in times of peril – except for those brought to death.
The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History written by Boris Johnson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I have always enjoyed reading tales of Churchill’s charisma, and unyielding views in the face of any challenge. Boris Johnson expands on these mainstays to share a passionate fanboy account of the great man’s sheer drive and unmatched energy – especially in his later years. Johnson was perhaps searching for a spark that would help his own political aspirations. In any case, a nice read with some wonderful turns of phrase to archive a significant part of Western history.
In a Sunburned Country written by Bill Bryson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was terribly late on this mandatory reading for any true blue Aussie. I confess upfront to my bias for any glowing testament to Australia. It was a bonus that all 19 chapters were so entertaining. When I wasn’t nodding in agreement at his sharp observations, I was generally laughing in hysterics. Though a slight predicament arose that I was so keen to hear what would happen next, yet didn’t really want it to ever end.
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future written by Ashlee Vance
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Elon’s clearly an amazing visionary. Everything he touches is so neatly mapped out to a complete, successful strategy. And once he’s ignored conventional wisdom and led the charge, the strategy begins to make sense. I’d forgo all his riches though if it meant I had to treat people so disrespectfully.
At the start of the year I created two goals.
One was a regimented goal to run 100kms per month, 1200kms over the year. It was a hopeful attempt to maintain a better level of fitness rather than getting into prime shape for a marathon now and again.
Last year I set a goal to run 1400kms in the year. It was a pretty random number except that it was the year 2014 – and I wondered if I could challenge myself each year to increase the figure accordingly.
Nope. I failed 1400, by quite a margin.
So this year, I was more realistic and wanted to be slightly less arbitrary. 100kms in a month isn’t too far for a runner, but covering this distance each month for a year is beyond anything I’ve done before. To put the overall distance into perspective, 1200kms is the distance between Brisbane and Canberra (a 13 hour drive).
Things began well, like each year’s goals generally do.
Though just before summer, without any warning, my job vanished before my eyes. I was seriously considering a return home to Australia.
Unsurprisingly my running was hugely impacted. I managed maybe just one bitter-filled run per week.
I added a median line to the total kilometres graph which my running app plots. Its trajectory showed the 100kms per month I should cover. In July, I think you can actually see my kilometre progress crying in depression as it failed to keep up with the plan.
The kilometres dropped so far that by the end of June I had run only about a quarter of my year long goal.
Fortunately the cliche did apply, ‘When one door closes, another one opens’. In two months I started with a new employer, and gave myself a month to settle before returning to my running goal with a vengeance.
I started a new routine, upping the kilometres in quite a big way. It wasn’t easy to keep up the momentum with everything that was happening in life. Though having gone through such a big challenge on the job front, there was enough new-found determination to keep me unwavering from making the time.
In fact, I only missed two sessions in the next four months of training.
I did the math and planned the distances for each and every run. With two months to go, it still looked unclear whether I’d reach the goal or not.
As I ticked over the runs in the final few weeks I could definitely see the finish line. It was just a matter of continuing the focus. I clearly made it, after a monster 231kms logged in December. It was the longest I’ve ever run in a month, to make it the longest I have ever run in a year.
The other goal I set for myself this year was to read 12 books in the year. Supposedly that’s one book per month.
With all the reading I do at work, I sadly don’t feel like reading for pleasure. Hence the attempt to bring back the habit.
Having these two goals could always make for an interesting finish, as it gets close to the final deadline. I can imagine frantically reading while running the last few kilometres in late December.
But this year I did have an old trick up my sleeve, given my new daily commute.
It could be argued listening to audio books is not reading. My thought is it definitely is. I listen and interpret the words, just as I would if I had read them. I plotted the progress against the goal also, but this trajectory was more easy to manage.
Goodreads, where I plotted my books kept a nice record of the books I read as part of the year’s challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/user/year_in_books/2015/12648231-ryan-brinkworth. And all the books I’ve read with reviews are on the site as well, https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/12648231-ryan-brinkworth?shelf=read
2015 turned out to be a good year.
It’s one I can always reflect on as the first time I smashed my goals, despite a pretty major challenge along the way.