2018 is creeping to a close and it’s been awhile since I’ve invited you into the 24/7 rage-fest that is my brain these days.

While on a global sense, 2018 was a similar dumpster fire to 2017 and 2016, I’m grateful that it didn’t suck too much for me on a personal level. I had one goal last year and it was to get out of town at least once a month, which—once I take off to LA on New Year’s Eve—will have accomplished. Travel doesn’t just provide novelty for me, but it helps reset my mind, and restores a deep sense of well-being. I didn’t put a lot of parameters around my goal; a day trip to the beach counted, as well as drive up to Seattle. I just had to GTF out of Dodge. Where’d I go? January (Morocco, France, & Iceland) February (Rockaway Beach) March (LA) April (Chicago) May (Cannon Beach) June (Seattle) July (NYC) August (D.C. & Chicago) September (Bay Area) October (Denver) November (Colorado Springs) and December (LA).

I like having one resolution, it’s more attainable and while it seems lazier, it actually helps change my life, rather than slopping multitudes on a list and accomplishing nothing. This year my resolution/goal, (Gosoultion? Resugal?) is to read 52 book during the year. I thought at first reading 50 would be a great target, but then I realized that I’m turning 52, and there are 52 weeks in a year, so reading 52 sounded more poetic or worthy of a book in itself.

Why read so many books? Because I sincerely believe social media broke my brain.

Stay with me here. Over the past few years I’ve been on different forms of social media a lot (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, snapchat) and I’ve noticed a couple things. One is that my brain no longer easily follows or more importantly, tracks long bits of information. I start books, but I don’t finish them because my attention…squirrel—wanders and there I go, off reading an article on Politico. Another reason is that I love reading, I still identify as a writer and not only do writers write, they read and I’ve done little of both this year.  Which goes to the final reason I’ve made this my goal. I love reading about habits, goal making and personal development and one of my favorite books is The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. One of the habits he writes about are called keystone habits. “These habits are the ones that matter more than others. They start a process that over time transforms everything.” I imagine if I’m reading more, I’m also doing more thinking, more writing and more towards pursuing actions that get me where I’d rather be at the end of 2019, than if I didn’t make this my resolution.

In order to track my progress and to produce more content, I’m going to write a mini-book report of the 52 books I will read and post them to my blog. I’m sure I’m going to need some suggestions, but I’ve got a pretty good start.

Some of my Xmas bounty came in book form this year.