Hey, wow 6% of the year is already over!

It’s been an interesting 2019 so far. The government shutdown keeps dragging with no end in sight. I feel sad for the people that are working without pay. Thankfully the US Passport Office is still open for business. (France here we come!) The market has rocketed up and down. I’m seeing conflicting reports on the health of the worldwide economy. I keep checking the news, neurotically, expecting something big to have happened. And yet it hasn’t. Things are normal. Life goes on; my wedding date draws nearer; invitations go out and RSVPs come back.

I should give up news for Lent. My fiance is much better than me at ignoring this atmosphere of manufactured crisis. I am a very lucky man. I’m “hashtag blessed” as we’d often joke to each other.

I tell people that I don’t ascribe to New Year’s resolutions; however, that’s got to be a lie I tell so that I don’t open myself up to failure. Two years ago, the sole resolution was “no new hobbies.” I had just spent the prior year bouncing around building racecars and drones and flying airplanes. Last year, it was again “no new hobbies” and also run a marathon (didn’t happen!). My interests still bounce around a lot. I still sometimes get confused and think that things are going to bring me happiness.

So, I’m not one to publicly make resolutions, but as 2019 progresses, I’ve found that there is a goal that I’m striving towards: reading two books a month. So far, I’m staying on track.

The first book I read this month was “The Right Stuff” by Tom Wolfe. I devoured it. The final chapters, however, really felt like they dragged on. The climax of the book seems to be the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and it’s swiftly downhill from there. The Apollo astronauts make a few passing appearances, but it’s primarily about the fascinating seven Mercury astronauts. A brilliantly written book, although one that often makes me question the accuracy of Tom Wolfe’s portrayals, and the ending comes too fast (augers in?). I love how it dovetails with one of my favorite podcasts: “The Space Above.” What is “The Right Stuff”? My impression from this book is a mixture of unncessary risk taking and bravado.

The second book I’m reading this month is “Grit” by Angela Duckworth. Wow, it’s been a hard book to get through. According to the “grittiness scale”, I’m somewhere in the top quartile. I joke with my fiance that finishing this book is taking more grit than I may have. It’s a good book, but it’s full of the same research conclusion that I’ve read in numerous other books on psycology. I’ve not enjoyed it as much as “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” from last year. However, I love how Angela Duckworth often presents two opposing viewpoints, such as strict versus relaxed parenting styles, and reveals often that they’re two facets of the same approach. It’s caused me to have interesting introspections regarding my management style and how better I can help my employees succeed.

That’s enough of an update for now. Maybe I need to stop reading so many psycology books, but it’s just too darn fascinating.