Let's Start with Books!

Ok, so since I already started my book list before I started this blog I need to backtrack and talk about some of the books that I have already read on the 100 Great Books List that I created. This list began as an inspiration from a college I had learned about years ago that based all of their classes around the Great Books. Instead of text books each year there would be a list of great books that would be covered in all of their classes. So I took some of the books from their list and then added books that for one reason or another I never read during my years at school, or books I had heard were "must-read!".

So the first book I read was "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger. I was amazed I had never read it before and I fully blame the schools I went to! Not that they were bad schools necessarily, but why would everyone else I know have had the opportunity to read this book and I was sadly left out. It was definitely a quick read and I loved it! It is mainly because of my love of New York and my love of the main character - Holden. I felt like I could relate to him on many levels especially how he passes snarky judgement on people and feels everyone around him is phony.

So as much as I loved "Catcher in the Rye" is as much as I hated "Candide" by Voltaire. I had wanted to read this book for a long time, mainly because there had been a musical based on it. However, I was disappointed. I knew it was a satire, but I feel they were banging me over the head with the point that optimism will not get you anywhere in life. All of these horrible things happen to the main character and he just goes along thinking everything is happening for the best. Maybe it's just me, but the book bummed me out and didn't seem enlightening or anything of that nature. I am happy I read the book though so I will never have to wonder about whether I would like it or not, so it was good to cross it off the list!

Introduction

I love making lists! But even more than that what I love most is crossing items off of my lists. While I have created impossible lists for myself that I may never complete I feel that as long as I am able to cross one or two things off of the lists every once in a while then I am making great progress. My lists include 100 Great Books to Read, Watching all of the movies that either won or were nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award, and the 1000 Places to See Before I Die. That last one I credit to the book that was written about those places, but since the majority of places in the list are available to the public, I figure it is for common use.

I also collect cook books and cooking magazines. My goal is to cook every recipe in every cook book I own, as well as all of the recipes I fervently tear out of the magazines.

While I have many interests my favorite activities are ones that I can enjoy from the comfort of my couch. So this blog will focus on the books and movies lists. Also, in these harsh economic times reading and watching movies is more logistically possible than traveling to fabulous locations or cooking recipes requiring high priced ingredients. However, I will throw in a recipe now and then and hopefully a trip or two (fingers crossed!)

And while you might think I could be making much better use of my time, please know that crossing things off of my lists gives me great pleasure and is all that I am motivated to do at this time!

I welcome you to join me on my journey to learn more, eat better, travel the world, and make better use of my time on the couch!