40 Non-Fiction

The New Goal:

I've decided to upgrade my annual goal of reading more non-fiction to a full blown 40 before 40 goal. It's aggressive because I'm getting to it so late that it's a lot of books to cram in, in the next 4 years. But, I'm going to count the books I have already read (last year and this year) in my annual goals, so it doesn't feel quite so out of reach.

I had already been keeping a list of Non-fiction books I wanted to read for my list last year and this year - there were way too many good ones, and at the same time I was still not sure that I would do it without the goal. So it seems to fit the purpose of the 40 Before 40 quest.

I'd love suggestions! 

Non-Fiction Read so Far:

1. Boys in the Boat
2. My Beloved World
3. Flyboys
4. Tiny Beautiful Things
5. Spinster
6. Wild
7. Originals
8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
9. Running with Scissors
10. Rising Strong, Brene Brown
11. This I Believe - NPR Published
12. (Between the World and Me Ta-Nehesi Coates)
13. (All the Single Ladies - Rebecca Traister)
14. Talking As Fast as I can - Lauren Graham (aka Lorelai Gilmore)

On the Possible Reading list

• Omnivores Dilemma
• Just Mercy - Bryan Stevenson (of Ted talks) 
• Misbehaving (behavioral economics)
• Drive
• Dead wake 
• Lusitania
• Where Men win glory, Jon Krakauer 
• Guns, germs and steel
• Unbroken 
• 10% happier 
• Salt
• Mental floss history of the U.S. 
• The monster of Florence 
• The imperial cruise  
• Gang leader for a day
• Stiff
• Heads & beds 
• Holly tucker, Bloodwork

Topics/Subject Areas on Reading List: 

• Presidential History 
• Women in History
• Revolutionary History
• Civil War
• Legal - Supreme Court, RBG, etc. 
• Business 
• Contemporary Psychology/Social Psychology
• Behavioral economics 
• Fun other stuff - how things work from an insider's perspective (ie: Stiff) 

40 Before 40: Annual Birthday Check-in

I know things have changed in my life because I bought myself a beginning shooting range lesson for my birthday (Goal #31)! But seriously - All in all, the standard of my travel and life experience has been raised and seems to be holding strong. I'm still seeing the world in new ways and learning all sorts of interesting things. I'm demanding more from myself and I like it.

As a goal-oriented person, I function better within the structure that goals provide. One of the byproducts of this whole endeavor is learning a broad enough life approach that I'm more capable of spontaneity. At least I hope so! It's a weird thing to plan and prepare for, and one that I know will continue to be a big challenge for me.



Unexpected Benefits
One of the more unexpected benefits of this challenge has been that it's making my life easier. I know that sounds a little strange. It's been providing an excuse and reason to focus on determining what I really want in the big picture. Each time I get a better handle on some aspect of that, it makes day to day decisions easier, too. I can see and sort through things more effectively.

In the past month or two, I've been doing some heavy duty reflecting: What are realistic goals? What goals do I really care about? What goals can I logistically and financially complete? What goals will I be most proud to accomplish?

I have 4 more years and 31 more goals. 

Categories
I have been mildly surprised by the evolution of these goals over time. It turns out I have 3 categories of goals on my list: (1) Experiences, (2)Adventures, and (3) Skill Acquisition. More and more, I'm drawn to skill development rather than facing down fears - but not giving up on that either. I'd been mulling that over for awhile, when I couldn't help but do a little analysis of what my list really represents. There's definitely some crossover. Is shooting a gun an experience or a skill acquisition? Is driving through New England an experience or an adventure? Regardless, everything seems to fit pretty succinctly into one or more of the categories. And they are now fairly well distributed.

Non-Fiction
Deciding to add in 40 non-fiction feels both natural and like a cheat, but also falls into the category of something that will make me feel more accomplished and proud. I'm almost giddy at giving myself permission to add it to the list. In so-doing, I found myself struggling to determine what to move down to the alternative list.

George Washington (National Cathedral) Reflecting

Goal Narrowing
Travel was an overwhelming number of my initial 40 (big surprise, right?), which is not only not financially viable, but also fails to achieve the underlying purpose of this quest: to broaden my life experiences. While travel provides plenty of opportunity to go outside my comfort zone and try new things - there are other areas where I need extra incentive. Travel is something that I'll do without a blog to hold myself accountable! Well, most travel. Would I get to Africa before I turn 50 or 60 without the blog? Maybe not... So it remains on the list, for now. Additionally, I find folding adventure goals into a travel experience has been really fun. Where to go parasailing... Miami? Bahamas?





Let the Adventuring continue! 

Goal 11: Visit the 4 Corners of the US, Accomplished!

Over the fourth of July weekend I went to Maine, and with that have finally been to all four corners of the US!

For years, I'd never been north on Boston or been anywhere close to the South. Not only that, but I hadn't really been to the SW of the US, either. I'd been to Southern California on a Disneyland trip in 1989; so had never seen the true Southwest, and hadn't really been even to the south western section of the US map since Elementary School.

Since beginning this 40 Before 40 quest, I've been reflecting on realistic and attainable goals vs. long term goals. I realize that ultimately I'd like to visit all 50 states, but I don't feel a pressing need to get that done before I'm 40. I don't want to be rushing through states just to cross them off my list!

However, I do want to have a better sense of various regions of the country. So, the 4 Corners went on the list! The SE was the hardest one - should it be Georgia (more East, but not as south) or Florida (the opposite)? I decided either one would count.

In the year and a half since I've started this 40 Before 40 mission, I've actually visited all four corners! And it's making me geek out a little about how beautiful America is. I know we are in turmoil and we have good reasons to be so outrageously disagreeing with each other, but we have a beautiful country with a lot of good people, food, drinks, and some good history in there too.

Northwest

Thanksgiving 2015, I went to the most northwestern part of the contiguous United States on Cape Flattery, Washington.

Southwest

I've been both the San Diego and Arizona. Thus crossing off both the more cartographic SW as well as the more cultural SW.

Southeast

A work trip brought me to Atlanta, Georgia. And my mom & I visited a family friend in South Carolina!

Northeast

Last, but not least - I spent the 4th of July weekend (2016) in Maine.



Okay, a little Boston!

Still so much more to see, but feeling like I've made some serious progress and grown in my appreciation both for where I come from and our nation as a whole.

Purpose of goal: Achieved!

Classic 11: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

I have at least 3 classics ready to read, and was torn between which one to start next. But when I was home (to Oregon) recently this book was sitting on the bookshelf and I grabbed it knowing it would be exactly the right next classic to read. It was.

I started the book and sank into her melodic words, assuming I knew what I was getting myself into. I was ... mildly right. A young black girl moving to the South. From there, I was swept away to some unexpected stories and insights and into a child's (then teenager's) perspective that was simultaneously relatable and foreign.



I was a bookworm as a kid too - but not like Maya Angelou.  In fact, because I read this very book as a part of my desire to improve my reading repertoire, so I felt viscerally aware that I wasn't up to snuff with this 8 year old protagonist's literary exploits. A Tale of Two Cities might be on my possible reading list ... but I've reserved that tome for when I have the mental capacity to digest it. But ok, Ms. Angelou, I now feel humbled all the more by your reading that book in grade school! Not offensively, just matter of factly humbled.

The story was good, if mildly predictable and a lot slower than I expected it to be. Maya was brave but also beautifully naive in ways. Learning book smarts quickly, but life lessons when they are forced on her. I kind of loved how even in her reflections of that, she was almost scientifically assessing her behavior. Picking it apart for self-analysis, and we were all just allowed a peak in.


It's easy to see why this book is so often required reading - allowing a window into racism and societal norms in a historical context that's also timeless. We experience those pressure points and truths in the rural south, the urban south, and then the west coast. But her story also takes us through personal tragedies and traumas to pull us along with her insistence on perseverance.

Recommended for? Those looking for a dip back in time. Those looking to refresh their perspective on the depth of race relations in the US. Those who want to be told a story (As an autobiography, this book felt more like a long conversation with Maya rather than a book with a beginning/middle/end).