Random

These are the books I read in January.

Get Plucky with the Ukulele: A Quick and Easy Guide to All Things Uke by Will Grove-White
This was my hands down favorite book I read this month. It is a comprehensive introduction to the ukulele. It shares history and random facts in an entertaining way that makes you become more invested in learning to play the Ukulele. The chord progression taught made me feel like I made progress quickly.

Simplify by Joshua Becker
With my word of the year being “Simplify” how could I not read this book? It is a satisfying short read (46 pages) for anyone thinking about or just starting the process of simplifying their everyday life.

My Blog Traffic Sucks! 8 Simple Steps to Get 100,000 Blog Visitors without Working 8 Days a Week by Steve Scott
Again this is a shorter read (82 Pages).  I read this on a whim because it was free with Kindle Unlimited. I basically blog just for me, but because I’m spending time doing it, I thought it might be time to do it “right”.  I didn’t like the book as I read it. Probably because “only thirty minutes a day” here and “only thirty minutes a day” are extra time sinks that I am rebelling against. I have no expertise to claim if that time spend would be worth it. I will say that I did get several common sense ideas that I plan on trying out – one at a time. Maybe.

Sovereign (Sovereign Series Book 1) by E.R. Arroyo (At the time of posting, this book is free so read it now!)
If you are a fan of dystopian fiction (a la Hunger Games) then yes, please read this book.  Cori has inner dialogue that is acute yet muddied by her own experiences, making the story seem so much more real. You get wrapped up in the  plot twists but there is enough predictability to make you feel comfortable with the story. If you read this first, you’ll have to read the second.

 

The Offering (Sovereign Series Book 2) by E.R. Arroyo
This is the second in the Sovereign Series. You know it is a good book when you mope around because it is finished  and no other book seems appealing. It was a satisfying duo and the ending was left with appropriate closure. A small part of me feels there could still be a third.

For my reading this month, I started very strong as most of these books were read in the first week and a half. I’ve been listening to an audiobook (I joined Audible earlier this year) but I’m only half way through listening to it. I have a 15 minute commute so at this rate it’ll take me about a month to get through this 15 hour audiobook. I’m not always the best listener because I zone out, but I’m giving it a try.

Book Count for the Year: 5

This week I have both my least and most favorite picture I have taken thus far for my Project 365. Is taking photos of black cats bad luck? Both are slightly fuzzy photos and because of this, my least fav.

{22} – Anderson Chocolates (A delicious annual gift from my family in Illinois.)

{23} Cat Band

{24} – Kitty Salt and Kitty Pepper

{25} Freckled Man (My favorite shot thus far. It’s my husband. Of course I love it…)

{23} The Motor Shines

{23} Eye See

{28} Cat Mouth

Adam and I went to a rocket launch last weekend. A friend of ours was working on a rocket design as part of a NASA space grant. You got a sneak peak here.

The rocket launch is held on a farm.

It is hosted by Rockety of Central Carolina (ROCC).

Everyone sets up their launch.

Two kids had their rockets launched at the same time to race.

And one of the rockets was caught from the sky.

Not all launches are successful.

Doctor Who was there.

An old friend was unexpectedly there with her family.

It was a beautiful, chilly day in January.

On track with my plan for simplification, this month I am focusing on simplifying my kitchen and living room.  I am focusing on these two spaces first because I think they’ll be the easiest, they are a combined space, and they are high trafficked spaces.  Here is my plan of attack.

Kitchen – There is a lot of motivating organized eye candy here and here and here. I’m going to declutter and organize:

• Pantry
• Cabinets – I can’t reach the top cabinets, so my goal is to have nothing on those shelves. The only possible exception to this is the space above the microwave. When I am determining what I should keep, I will use “Simple Kitchen Essentials” and “My Perfect Minimalist Kitchen for a Family” as guides.
  • Plate/Bowl Cabinets
  • Glasses Cabinet
  • Mug/Travel Drinkware Cabinet
  • Tea/Coffee Cabinet
  • Under Island Cabinets
  • Under Sink Cabinets
    • Add a tension rod for cleaning supplies (and other tips)
  • Pots/Pans Cabinets – I may need to find a better way to organize with “Five Ways to Get Your Pot Lids Organized“.
  • Random Cabinet
  • Medicine Cabinet
• Drawers
  • I am planning on implementing an organization system for junk drawer like this.
• Fridge
• Counter Space – I am still debating on if I am going to keep everything completely cleared off. I’m not convinced.
• Coat/Shoe Closet

Living Room – I’ll read “Get in the Right Mindset for a Truly Clean & Organized Living Room” to put on my game face. Then I’ll declutter and organize:

• Large Bookcase
• Small Bookcase
• End Tables
• Coffee Table

My plan lists each space individually because it is motivating for me to cross off each one.

P.S. I just finished reading Simplify by Joshua Becker and it was a validating, inspiring, and easy read. I have been reading a lot of posts on Becoming Minimalist so I should have made the connection that the book and blog are written by the same person , but I didn’t until I was already reading the book. If you are just getting into minimalism like me, it is a good read.