2014 Read the Store Challenge

Great challenge for the new year.

Life Flails

The “Read the Store Challenge” is a personal goal I created for myself to start reading regularly again.  Although I am an employee for a book store chain, I’ve found myself reading less and less over the years as life, cats, video games, and a crippling new book anxiety continually got in the way.

Goals of the Read the Store Challenge:

• Read 80 books spanning as many genres and subjects as I can fit in.
• Become more well-read as a result, thus becoming a better writer, bookseller, and overall human being.
• Spend less money by checking out books and reading them in a timely manner.
• Learn and enjoy.

What’s a Challenge without Rules:

• Books must be selected from all genres and subjects.  This is to get familiar with all the different kinds of materials customers ask for regularly as well as branching out and seeing different writing styles and storytelling…

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Why the blogging hiatus?

After a seven-month hiatus from blogging…

I looked at the last post I made, and it’s easy to see why I fell off the blogwagon.  In mid-May 2013 I had lost about 70 pounds in five months.  The change in eating habits and overall lifestyle had dominated the first five months of the year.

Shortly after my last blog, I settled in to a comfortable eating program, letting go of some of the restrictions, and allowing myself to enjoy a few beers at baseball games and some occasional junk food.  Until the first of November I had only gained back about ten pounds, and I was still feeling very healthy and alive.  Quite consciously, I allowed my restrictions to relax further in order to enjoy the countless family gatherings and treats of the holiday season.

Ten pounds later, I now have 20 pounds to lose in the coming year.  For me, this will take about a month…not too bad.

A recap of 2013 is coming soon.  The year was marked with a new love of an old game, a deepening love for my wonderful wife, a broader appreciation for the short time we have on the planet, and a new perspective on how to improve everything from my spiritual journey to my social well-being.

I’m looking forward to writing again in 2014.

(Note a change in my Twitter account: @TTxTodd)