101 things update Jan 2010 and books read…
Okay I didn`t manage to cross anything off the list completely but I have furthered the following:
2. Read a Japanese newspaper or magazine and understand it
Started working on this today! Obviously not finished yet but have started at least by buying the magazine “おはよう奥さん” −It has some good recipes so far that I am definitely going to try!
33. Maintain the weight loss for at least six months (1/6)
I made it back down to my pre-baby weight and have started maintainence again. I made it 4 months previously before getting pregnant but have to start again!!! So one month down!
78. Do a monthly update for each month that I do 101 things in 1001 days on my blog (22/33)
Just 11 more updates to go!
100. Make a budget and stick to it for six months (5/6)
Now we have stuck to it for 5 months! We also managed to save a lot more over the last month due to baby money, Shun`s Dec bonus and more!
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In January (this has nothing to do with 101 things though) I started writing down the books I read- I have tried this many times over the years and I use to write a monthly list in my journal (yes, I am THAT kind of person) more so that if I read a good book then I had the authors name so that I could check out others by the same author. Anyway, I don`t get as much time to read anymore as I used to obviously and I figured it might be a good year to start it again seeing as I won`t have as much to record- I used to do most of my reading on the train to and from work (both in Australia & Japan) or while relaxing in coffee shops and now, with Noah, if we are on the train I am moving the pram back and forth so he doesn`t crack up and it is similar in coffee shops!
That said, this month I tried to read a little each day even if it was just half an hour before bed.
The books I read in January are
Call me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural mothering – Suzanne Kamata (Ed)
Baby Love- Robin Barker
Are you my Mother?- Louise Voss
Split Ends- Zoe Barnes
It sucked and then I cried- Heather B. Armstrong
It was a pretty good mix. One was short stories/anthologies (Call me Okaasan), 1 reference/non fiction book (Baby Love), 2 fiction (Split Ends/Are you my Mother?) and I guess It Sucked and then I Cried could be considered a autobiography of sorts. All of them were good but I think I liked It Sucked and then I Cried best though as I had been waiting/wanting to read it for a long time. Suzanne Kamata`s (I read her blog!) book was great too- I am waiting for another fiction by her as I loved her first book (Losing Kei) as well. The short stories/anthologies were really great and I loved her introduction and the stories in the book. I am not sure how much I will read this month seeing as I am trying to read the magazine in Japanese (and my reading is so bad that it will take me A LONG TIME to get through it and actually understand it) but I am sure I will get a couple of English books in as well.
Anyone want to recommend any good books they have read lately? I have heaps of un-read ones on my shelves already but I am always on the look out for more!
Oh and if you missed yesterday`s post- see below! Lots of smiley pictures of Noah!
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Hi Lulu, you have probably read it already but last month I couldnt put down “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and now I am on to the second book in the series. I am reading them on my iPhone, and cant put them down!!!
Oh, I`ve been wanting to read `Call me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural mothering `. I keep forgetting to order it. Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Recently I`ve been reading lots of toddler raising books…but you won`t be interested in them for a couple of years yet….
Ohhh I”m glad you have Baby Love by Robin Barker – my sister swears by that book! Very impressed with your 30 min per day reading habit! It’s important to do the little things that mean lots to you when you are a mother! I read some of the books you gave me last year over the Christmas break (opps I have been meaning to tell you). I especially enjoyed “As If By Magic” (so funny) and “If I’m missing or dead” (sooo sad). We are only just of January and I have already broken my resolution to read more. Must get back into the habit, even if I just read for 30 mins a day like you do!
Congrats on getting back down to your pre-pregnancy weight. It seems that BF’ing and pregnancy/birth affect everyone differently, but I have a feeling you will lose those last 5 kgs + in no time at all. I am now -10 kgs my pre-pregancy weight, without even trying, nor have I rebounded at all after I stopped BF’ing, and it sounds like BF’ing your body is reacting in a similar way to mine.
How are you going with reading your new magazine? I don’t think I have the patience to even try to read a Japanese newspaper/magazine yet. There would be so many kanji I don’t know that I think it would depress me, lol! Would love it if you could share some of the recipes from the magazine you try. I am always on the lookout for new Japanese recipes!
I have read SO many books since my mum left… But at the moment I am in the middle of:
Th brightest Star in the Sky: Marian Keyes
What to expect – the first year: Murkoff (the first couple of chapters anyway)
The bilingual family: Harding-Esch and Riley
I think i need to make a rule of ONLY reading for 30 minutes a day… I am sure once baby N makes her appearance my reading time will decrease but until then I am going to run out of books in no time if I don’t slow down a bit, lol!
Nooh- I haven`t read it actually but I have heard good things!!! I will have to add it to my list of “wants” haha- I have a long list of books I want to read despite having bookshelves filled with books that I am still getting around to.
Cassie- I want to keep my copy but I would be happy to post it down to you if you post it back once you are done!! I am all about book love sharing- usually I would say just keep it but it is one that I think I will want to re-read at different times especially since it is short stories.
Katie M- Glad you liked the books. I remember “If I am missing or dead” and it was really sad hey…very well written though! Baby Love has been good- sometimes a bit overpowering at times though- i found her way of writing to be a bit bossy albeit helpful…I am sure I will be refferring to it a lot! Once Noah starts to get more mobile I will definitely have to refer back to her safety chapter as I sort of just skimmed it but we will have to baby proof before I know it.
Brenda- Oh my if I was -10kg on my pre-pregnancy weight I would be esctatic. I don`t eat so well though so not sure if that will happen- I do hope to get back into hula hoopign though and tone up my belly again seeing as while I have lost my baby weight I definitely do not “look” the same as before!
Nay- I should limit my internet time a day I think! I am shocking! You might not have so much time once Baby N arrives but you will still make time for the things you love (like reading and blogging)- especially when they are still small as they sleep a bit and Noah is quite happy to sit and watch me on the computer as long as I have some music on and a toy for him to look at (he is not into playing so much yet)- I just talk to him and tell him what I am doing while I do it. Like “Now I am reading Nay`s blog- oh she posted a recipe” etc etc etc…he seems interested!
I have a Marian Keyes on my shelf to read too- The Charming Man! Might get to it this month!!! will have to see. I am reading “Grasshopper” now by Barbara Vine- it is the one you said you wanted to borrow when I was done so I am reading it now so I can pass it on when you are here in late Feb! I should have a couple others to pass on to by then! Hope so anyway!!
How are you finding the Billingual family?
I think I got a bookmooch book from the editor of Call me Okaasan as a book I received had a bookmark publicising it inside
It does look interesting though!
I am reading a book called Body Surfing by Anita Shreve at the moment. I loved her books The Pilot’s Wife and Light on Snow so I have been working through all her others since reading those. I really enjoy her writing style, it’s very engaging! Easy to get wrapped up in the stories and before you know it you’re almost finished.
Oh my I have the Anita Shreve book on my shelves. Unread though!
I Have read Light on Snow though and enjoyed it. I find her similar to Jodi Piccolt who I love!
Must get around to reading Body Surfing as well!
I like that she writes about fairly serious issues in her characters’ lives but her books are never quite as depressing or draining to read as Jodi Picoult
Thanks for the reminder – I’ve been meaning to check out “It Sucked and then I Cried”.