When I think about the community that 2 Fat Nerds has become, I realize that it is so much more than a weight-loss blog, or a running blog, or even a fitness-in-general blog. It has become a space to share goals and aspirations, and a means to encourage accountability for your personal promises.
One of my goals, completely non-fitness related, is to read more. I went to college to study writing and literature, and since then I have been lucky if I actually finish any book that I pick up. I have always loved to read. I remember my school nurse asking me, in fourth grade, if I was going home sick so I could read instead of sit in class (she may have been right). Reading for pleasure is definitely something that gets pushed aside when things get busy, as is the case with most hobbies. I always think I don’t have the time during the day, and then when I sit down at night, I read a paragraph and promptly fall asleep.
I am making more time for reading. Instead of plopping down in front of the TV whenever I have a spare half hour, I’m picking up a book. My quest is not just to read more, but I want to read more classics, to further educate myself and potentially to better my writing. Yesterday I printed out Modern Library’s list of 100 Best Novels. Why I chose this list is kind of arbitrary. A lot of literary critics have issues with it, but the New York Times published it, and I think that’s as good a reason as any to guide such a subjective goal like reading the best books of all time.
I was pretty embarrassed when I looked over the list and realized I had only read eight of the books in their entirety. I only have 92 to go, so I think I’ll be done in about ten years. I just started Brave New World.
Do you have any goals you’re working on that you’d like to share? I wanted to take this opportunity to share something I’m working on that isn’t all about running, so please feel free to do the same!
That’s actually my goal too! Brave New World is a good one. I’m starting with Frankenstein.
This is a great idea! I was an English major, and I haven’t read most of the books on that list. (I actually wrote several essays on some of the books on that list that I have never read completely.) I’ve probably read fewer than half of the books I actually own. It’s my goal this year to change that! Or at least to start reading or doing something otherwise productive instead of just sitting on the couch staring at the TV.
Yeah, definitely! It’s a great goal, and there’s no time limit. I just always feel like I’m staring at the TV and I’m bored out of my mind. Life’s too short to waste time like that!
What about a non fiction list? The book club I am in only does non-fiction…always looking for new titles.
For Non-fiction you can check out this list: http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/100-best-nonfiction/
Thank you, Adrienne! Dafydde and I have developed a tradition which may be nice for you couples out there. We read to each other, and take turns choosing the book. It takes a little longer than reading to yourself, but we’ve covered quite a bit of ground, and it’s something we can do together, like sharing this get-fit effort. I will definitely look at the “best” lists.