I don't know about you but I need a technology detox! Even before my dive into the crypto-sphere, I am on the internet way too much. I pick up my phone every 15-20 minutes just because 15-20 minutes has gone by, with no real need to use it. It was pure habit. I've mapped my brain to habitually pick up that damn phone over and over again. Once I created my Blockfolio, it just got worse. Pick up the phone, unlock with thumbprint, open Blockfolio app, slide down to refresh, repeat every 30 seconds. Its ridiculous! I know this habit is not adding any value to my life and I need to break it.
When I was younger, pre-internet, I read constantly. You know, real books, the kind with actual paper pages, spines and cover art. I decided to rebuild this habit and rewire my brain to love reading again (and not just blog posts - no offense fellow Steemians).
I started in January and set a goal to read at least 50 books before the end of December. As of today, I have completed eight books towards my goal. I wanted to share a brief review of the five I read, in order, throughout January.
Book #1
I read Reconstructing Amelia upon my daughter's insistence. She loved it. I also wanted to kick off this goal with something easy and enjoyable. It was both. A very quick read that hooks you quickly. It is about a single mother who works too much. This was a little too close to home for me but I continued to read anyway. Like Amelia, my daughter is an only child with many of the same characteristics. They are both independent, brilliant, stubborn, resilient, amazingly supportive and stronger than any young woman should need to be. Unlike Amelia, my daughter is very much alive. The novel follows Amelia's mom as she discovers why her child died, uncovering aspects of her young life that she was totally unaware. McCreight pulls you in right away, her story is fast paced, engaging and heartbreaking. If you are looking for an engrossing, page turner of a book Reconstructing Amelia is a great choice.
Book #2
I listed to the audio version of this book while on the road, where I spend too much time thanks to my day job. As a newbie to crypto, I found it extremely informative. I loved learning more about the birth of bitcoin and how the industry began to take shape in those initial years. My confidence as a crypto investor dramatically increased. The book gave me the courage to adopt a more diverse investing strategy and create a portfolio of assets that I feel great about owning. For me, its not just about making money but also about supporting projects that will benefit society and help shape the space in a positive way. Much of the book may seem basic to more seasoned crypto investors but I think you will still find it interesting and informative.
Book #3
How to Murder your Life is a memoir written by Cat Marnell. This book was also recommended by my daughter. She is close to Cat's age and will be soon starting her young-adult professional life.
Marnell lets us follow her struggles with drug addiction and self-destruction. Her self-pity leaps off the pages. While this may sound harsh, it makes her story feel real rather than polished. Who hasn't felt sorry for themselves even when the bad stuff may have been helped by our own choices? You feel like you know Cat. She will frustrate the hell out of you but you will still root for her to overcome and become whole. The only thing I didn't love about the book is when her narration would pull you out of her story and then try force you back in again. It doesn't happen often and is likely just my personal preference to read mentally uninterrupted. Overall I recommend the book to anyone who loves a good memoir or wants to feel better about their own life and choices. You can always make it worse. Just ask Cat!
Book #4
This book has been on my "to read" bookshelf for several years. Even after I stopped reading regularly, I continued to accumulate books either because the book looked compelling or the deal was too good to pass up. I picked up this book on one of my trips to Powells Books in Portland, Oregon. If you love books and you have never been to Powells you are missing out! It is the largest independent bookstore in the county occupying a full city block. You easily and joyfully get lost browsing the stacks, rows and floors of new and used books. I can't walk out of Powell's without at least ten new worlds, stories or histories to explore. It was on one of these trips that I picked up this used novel.
The book is good, readable anyway, but won't be one I pick up twice. It is a ghost story thriller that moves from the past to the present from chapter to chapter. McMahon does a decent job progressing the story and leaving clues here and there but I had the killer figured out much sooner than I believe she intended. I enjoyed this read and consider it a decent find as a used book.
Book #5
I grabbed this book to help me better serve the team that I lead at my day job. I have read it before but needed a refresh of the material before working with the team to overcome some of our own dysfunctional behavior. It is a super easy read and follows the parable model of business/leadership storytelling. While some people find this approach annoying, I love it for working with large and diverse teams. In my experience, by illustrating the application of the model, even in a fictional setting, the translation of the book to diverse groups is achieved with greater consistency. It is through the common understanding and dialog that teams begin to function better together. Teamwork/building and leadership are two other passions of mine and will likely create future blog post with these themes in the future, but for the purpose of this book review I will leave it here. I've read almost all of Patrick Lecioni's books and have learned something from each but this one is my favorite. If you are a leader of teams, this is a MUST read!
That is January and so far I feel good about what I accomplished. This goal has really helped me tune out the white noise of life, provided some much needed relaxation and gave me the opportunity to learn and improve myself. Now I only refresh my Blockfolio every 2 minutes.
Photo Cred:
https://www.everydayfamily.com/blog/reconstructing-amelia-a-horrific-breathtaking-must-read-for-parents/#
https://www.frontmatter.com/en/tech-store/p-488-cryptoassets-the-innovative-investor-039-s-guide-to-bitcoin-and-beyond
https://www.overdrive.com/media/2830347/how-to-murder-your-life
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/659546.Promise_Not_to_Tell
http://justabackpackandarollie.com/2013/06/26/powells-city-of-books-a-portland-institution/
https://artofmentoring.net/product/five-dysfunctions-team/