Reading List March 2013

In 2012, I made my modest target of 12 books (although I raced through 11 of them in the second half of the year). I also re-read 3 books which I didn’t count in the tally … because I do like to overachieve, just that little bit. ;)

For 2013, I’ve set myself a perfectly doable task of 15, but I’m a little bit behind schedule already. All of January was spent more or less living and breathing tennis. In February, I finished off Junot Diaz’s Oscar Wao, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, and a terrible book on “personal finance” called Generation Earn by Kimberly Palmer (don’t even).

But it’s almost March now and it’s time to get my reading mojo back. So here’s another overly ambitious list from a compulsive list maker. 

1. The Motorcycle Diaries, by Che Guevara.
   


2. Fault in Our Stars, by John Green


3. The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, by Alexander McAll Smith

Happy reading!

xx doots

One.

One year ago today, I moved to Canberra. 

If you come to Canberra and speak to local Canberrans, they’ll tell you that “hey, I actually like Canberra”.

They’ll go on to tell you how much they enjoy the “open spaces”, the cleanliness, the lack of traffic, how Canberra is a lovely place to raise a family, and how it’s only a one hour flight from Melbourne and 3.5 hour drive from Sydney …

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you any of that, because I don't actually like Canberra. 

But here’s what I can tell you: 

In the past year, I’ve worked, studied, met new people, made new friends. I’ve started with French again. I danced salsa. I volunteered in a community I don’t know very well. I’ve cooked, baked, planted stuff in my garden. I’ve taken road trips, short trips, overseas trips. In short, I’ve generally gotten my shit together.

So no regrets: one year on, life is not ideal, but it’s pretty damn comfortable. 

This February, I’ll graduate from my ‘graduate program’ and get a nice ceremony in front of Old Parliament House. I’ll be (fingers crossed) admitted as a solicitor, and I’ll be settling down into a somewhat right job in a somewhat wrong city. 

But it’s okay. Because I’m excited about this new year. I’m excited because of new studies, new travels and new plans. I’m excited because 2013 will hopefully be my last in Canberra to cap off 2 fruitful years.

And who knows where life will take me next, and what anniversary I’ll be celebrating next year. 

So happy Canniversary, y'all. And may it be the lucky last! 

xx doots