Happy New Year, and 52 Books

Dear Online Nerd Diary:

I got off work today a little after two.  It ended a 16 day slog that began the Tuesday before Christmas, and didn't a whole lot of time off.  It was punctuated by one of those signature runs where I work 55 hours or so in a 97 hour span.  It makes you goofy, and it's not good for you.

Definitely not good for me, for you see, I am a Sleep Sissy!

My ass needs sleep.

As does the rest of me, one would assume.

Dunno.  Not much.  Six, seven hours.  I don't think that's too much to ask.

Unless you work SALARIED, IN RETAIL.

I'm not sure about that comma, but you know what?  Fuck it.

Fuck all the commas.

Every last one of them.

Right in that stupid little hangdown thing.

So.  It ended my Holiday Trudge.  

It's a job.

Meh.

It is January 2.

New Year's Resolutions?

Read more.

Trying for 52 books in 2013.

Used to read like a fiend.

While hanging upside down under the Jackson St. Bridge, usually after coaxing some goat, or other small farm animal into my lair for dinner.

Last year, I read somewhere in the range of 20 to 25 books.  Which isn't a bad total, I suppose, except that I probably acquired 50 books.

So, read more.  Watch less crap TV, when I'm at the house.  Read more.  Seems simple.  Average one a week.

Minor thing:  I am including books I listen to, if they're unabridged.  I spent roughly 75 minutes of my day commuting to work.  The State of Tennessee frowns on my reading books while driving.  So, I signed myself up for Audible.  

(A brief parenthetical note on Audbile...I like the selection, and not having to pay 40 bucks for a book I'd like to listen to.  So far, Michael's Chabon's Telegraph Avenue, which was something of a disappointment from Mr. Chabon--my first real disappointing read from him.  Not bad, but nothing to write home about.  A bit of a reflection on 70's Nostalgia, and on growing up, even in your late 30's.  After that, Ernest Cline's Ready Player One, which had come recommended from a couple folks.  A fun, fun read.  I ended up giving copies of the book away for Christmas.  It's a little one-dimensional, but it's a rollercoastery, slobbery ride through 80's Nostalgia).

Both books are something of a re-read, to start out.

The house book is The Hobbit.  Re-reading for the first time since the summer between my fourth and fifth grade years.  Saw Peter Jackson's first flick.  Realized that it's been a quarter century since I'd read the book.  I knew there was quite a bit added in, but couldn't really trust all my recollections as to what.  Most of the way through that one.  Enjoying.

The road listen is Stephen King's Under the Dome, which I'd tried reading when I was given a copy for Christmas a few years back, but never could really get into.  I'm liking the listen, so far, quite a bit more.  Chalking my negative feelings from before to a busy work schedule, or some such Tommyesque bullshit.

Will keep you, Online Nerd Diary, apprised on my goal of reading 52 books in this calendar year....