I debated heavily whether or not to include a reading list on my side bar. I realize that some people read one or two books at a time and that they can take days or even weeks to find the time to complete even one book. My Partner, Johnnie, is like that. I, however, am a voracious reader. I can devour a book in a matter of hours and have been known to deprive myself of sleep to finish a book that I can't put down. As a result, I can have as many as a dozen books going at one time. I can also finish two or three books between visits to update this site. That makes it difficult to maintain an accurate list.
The solution I've come up with is to include not only "Current Reading" but "Recent Reads." This will give me a place to list books that I read without having a chance to put on the Current List.
I'm not sure that anyone will care about my reading habits, but since I definitely believe that what I'm reading both reflects and informs my current obsession, it is important to provide that snapshot of my bookshelf.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
05 May 2011
04 May 2011
Instant Reaction
At the library yesterday I was browsing the "New Books" section and discovered something appropriate to my Obsession: Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong.
My initial reaction was a bit of fear, and now that I've read a bit and looked into the author's campaign for compassion I'm blown away...this is exactly what I need and I'm going to be reading it very carefully -- giving it a more focused attention and reflection than I usually apply when reading.
I will also be investigating Armstrong's participation in TED and the creation of the Charter for Compassion.
completely blown away...in the best possible way.
My initial reaction was a bit of fear, and now that I've read a bit and looked into the author's campaign for compassion I'm blown away...this is exactly what I need and I'm going to be reading it very carefully -- giving it a more focused attention and reflection than I usually apply when reading.
I will also be investigating Armstrong's participation in TED and the creation of the Charter for Compassion.
completely blown away...in the best possible way.
24 April 2011
Reboot
Last summer I committed to productive obsession. The basic concept is to actively choose a topic, goal, or problem and to focus all my mental energies to the pursuit of that grand idea. The goal is that obsession will move from mental exercise to action and will transform me and my life. This comes from a book called brainstorm by Eric and Ann Maisel.
As I embarked on my first obsession (to embrace my talent as a leader), I started a private blog here where I could document my journey. I wasn't sure at the time if I wanted to share it with the world or with just a few trusted individuals. (My Life Partner got to read it from the beginning, of course.) I figured I would make that decision after a few days of experimenting.
That first obsession did prove to be transformative, though in ways I could never have expected. I guess that't the entire point of the exercise, so I'm not complaining. I spent several weeks choosing my obsession and taking initial steps to organize my thoughts to jump in and start on August 1st. Those first posts have been transferred to this blog so that readers can see that archive. (It's only two posts.) As I took the first step as a leader, namely holding a Household meeting to get things in order, I triggered an avalanche of intensely emotional events that led to our House mates leaving (one at a time) over the next few months and left myself and my partner, Johnnie, in possession of a lease and utilities that we couldn't begin to meet. On top of that, my job got changed and cut back in hours leading me into a cycle of anxiety that took months to get under control.
While I did not document any of that (I was too busy trying to tread water and oftentimes failing), I did try to keep the idea of acting as a leader foremost during these crises. I may not have been as decisive and effective as I wished, but I did manage to take steps (eventually) to improve our life and our financial situation. I'm not sure exactly when I stopped focusing on the thought of leadership. It probably trailed off in January when we entered a cycle of grieving for family members who died and then nursed one of our cats until I decided it was time to end her suffering.
I am about to begin another obsession. This time it will be centered around the subject of compassion and I plan to begin it on May 1st. I am re-reading the Maisels' book in order to refresh my understanding of the criteria for formulating an obsession and the overall concept. I plan to take some time this week to work on this blog as a place to chronicle all my obsessions, past, present, and future. I may set aside blogging time to reflect on how the leadership obsession played out. I will probably write some about why I am obsessing on compassion at this time and what I want to explore about it. Once May 1st comes around, who knows what will happen.
As I embarked on my first obsession (to embrace my talent as a leader), I started a private blog here where I could document my journey. I wasn't sure at the time if I wanted to share it with the world or with just a few trusted individuals. (My Life Partner got to read it from the beginning, of course.) I figured I would make that decision after a few days of experimenting.
That first obsession did prove to be transformative, though in ways I could never have expected. I guess that't the entire point of the exercise, so I'm not complaining. I spent several weeks choosing my obsession and taking initial steps to organize my thoughts to jump in and start on August 1st. Those first posts have been transferred to this blog so that readers can see that archive. (It's only two posts.) As I took the first step as a leader, namely holding a Household meeting to get things in order, I triggered an avalanche of intensely emotional events that led to our House mates leaving (one at a time) over the next few months and left myself and my partner, Johnnie, in possession of a lease and utilities that we couldn't begin to meet. On top of that, my job got changed and cut back in hours leading me into a cycle of anxiety that took months to get under control.
While I did not document any of that (I was too busy trying to tread water and oftentimes failing), I did try to keep the idea of acting as a leader foremost during these crises. I may not have been as decisive and effective as I wished, but I did manage to take steps (eventually) to improve our life and our financial situation. I'm not sure exactly when I stopped focusing on the thought of leadership. It probably trailed off in January when we entered a cycle of grieving for family members who died and then nursed one of our cats until I decided it was time to end her suffering.
I am about to begin another obsession. This time it will be centered around the subject of compassion and I plan to begin it on May 1st. I am re-reading the Maisels' book in order to refresh my understanding of the criteria for formulating an obsession and the overall concept. I plan to take some time this week to work on this blog as a place to chronicle all my obsessions, past, present, and future. I may set aside blogging time to reflect on how the leadership obsession played out. I will probably write some about why I am obsessing on compassion at this time and what I want to explore about it. Once May 1st comes around, who knows what will happen.
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