2018 Reading Goals

So I am determined to read more, but here's the thing, I really don't have time to read. By the time I get home from work and have dinner I'm too tired to actually focus on anything serious. The thing is, I make this vow every year and every year I fail because I'm being too old fashioned. I'm viewing reading as the actual reading of a physical book. I go out and I buy a variety of books (both new and used) and they then sit there gathering dust because I'm too tired to focus on reading by the time I get time to do it.

So this year I had a long conversation with myself and I have decided to do away with those old ideas. Reading physical books is wonderful but it's 2018 and I need to stop limiting myself because viewing things the way I've always viewed them is making me really depressed. ... well, sad more than depressed.

So, starting now, I am giving myself permission to consider audio books reading. I'm not sure why I had so much trouble with this one in the past. When I was a child I have people read to me all the time, so why shouldn't I have people read to me today? I can listen to a book while I eat (and that will help with my misophonia), I can listen to books while I'm doing data entry at work, and I can listen to books while I chill out before going to bed.

I've decided that I'm not going to go so far as to promise myself 100 books (and yes, there is a 100 book challenge), I'm just aiming for more than last year. So let's go for more than 4 books. I think I read 4 books last year. I'm starting today with The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler as read by Ray Porter.

Snowflake Challenge - Day 3

Day 3

In your own space, post recs for at least three fanworks that you did not create. Leave a comment in this post saying you did it. Include a link to your post if you feel comfortable doing so.

Every year I have recommended fanfiction, but this year I am going to spread my wings a little and suggest some excellent podcasts.

We're Alive: A Story of Survival - by Wayland Productions

This podcast is long over, but it is still an incredible listen. It is a radio drama set in a post-zombie apocalypse Los Angeles that follows a small group of survivors. Now this story doesn't offer a whole lot of answers since we only learn what the characters learn but for me that makes the whole things far more realistic. Now if you're the kind of person who needs to know what caused the outbreak, who the tattooed man is, who's keeping the power and water flowing, and what exactly is going on at the hockey arena then this might not be the podcast for you. But if you're the kind who's happy to be pulled along for the ride, then "We're Alive" is a wonderful radio drama. The podcast lasted for four seasons and 48 chapters (generally told in three episodes each) and then came back for a sort-of prequel called "Lockdown" that lasted an additional six episodes and told the story of some survivors in jail and grants some hints of what was really going on with the outbreak. They have a patreon still active so I hope that means that we can expect more from this team of creators.

You Must remember This by Karina Longworth

Karina Longworth is a film critic, journalist, and author and her podcast is described as a podcast dedicated to the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood's first century. It is a beautiful series of season, each one focusing on a different themes ranging from Hollywood's role in World War 2 to Charles Manson's Hollywood to the History of MGM. Most recently she did a mini season on Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Her work is well researched and beautifully told. She has 119 episodes (technically 120 but episode has been lost due to musical copyright infringement). Season 1 is a little all over the place with very little rhyme or reason, but the later seasons start following themes (Star Wars, Charles Manson's Hollywood, MGM Stories, The Blacklist, Six Degrees of Joan Crawford, Dead Blondes, Jean and Jane (Jean Seberg and Jane Fonda), and Bela and Boris (Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff). If you're interested in the history of old Hollywood then this is the perfect podcast.

The British History Podcast: A Chronological History of Britain by Jamie Jeffers

Jamie is a former lawyer who now runs the British History Podcst. He is a firm believer is telling the whole of human history and not just following the Great Man version of it. This does mean that there's a lot of "we really don't know the whole of the facts here" but when that happens he turns to the archaeological record and some very clever and logical guesswork. Since Jamie wants to cover everything, the podcast is slow going -- we're at episode 263 and have only just gotten past the reign of Alfred the Great. The podcast is also entirely listener supported so you're guaranteed no advertisements for Casper or Blue Apron or SquareSpace, if that's not you're thing, and members get access to member's only podcasts including interviews with specialists, discussions about various archaeological hoards, and an attempt by Jamie to make medieval beer. Jamie is wonderfully excited about everything he covers and that makes his podcast a joy to listen to.