Five Goals - 2020

Because I once read that:

“Goals that are not written down are just wishes” - Fitzhugh Dodson.

1. Books

Last year I read seven spanning a total of 2,566 pages.

  1. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
  2. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
  3. Under Water by Casey Barrett
  4. Against Nature by Casey Barrett
  5. Armada by Ernest Cline
  6. The Tower of Songs by Casey Barrett
  7. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

By far my favorite was The Remains of the Day. Kazuo Ishiguro tells a wonderfully subtle story about a butler named Stevens. It was slower than what I normally read, but I could not put it down. It covers having dignity in everything you do, should loyalty be unquestioned, and that to banter is to be human.

The Casey Barrett books were recommended by a co-worker and I mostly enjoyed them. They follow an unlicensed private investigator named Duck Darley who is clearly an unlovable alcoholic, but is trying to be better. This series really turned me onto mystery novels and I plan on reading a couple for my 2020 list. Unfortunately, I missed his book signing at a local coffee shop, but if he comes around again I’ll be there.

The Shades of Magic series started off strong, but became really predictable. They are about a magician who can travel between worlds and a young woman who longs for adventure. Of course there had to be a romance between the two which turned me off of the books. That’s probably why I’ve been putting off finishing the series.

I don’t have much to say about Armada other than it was enjoyable for what it was.

2. Biking

I logged an embarrassingly low 80 miles last year. I did single rides longer than that in 2017. This year across indoor, road, and mountain biking I am working towards 1,000 with hopefully at least one century in there.

3. Learn To Make Passable French Croissants.

I’ve been longing for a good croissant since I returned from Paris and with no good French bakery nearby it’s up to me to make my own.

So that’s that. My goals for 2020 are all laid out. I have a rough plan in place to meet them and enough hubris to think I am a disciplined enough person to accomplish them.

Here’s to making this year better than last.