Sequestering gift table in our apartment's front lobby yielded a bunch of C.J. Box novels. I had heard of him, as a western kind of writer, and thought I'd like to try him out. But the reviews on Amazon were not such that I wanted to spend money on him. So it was a happy surprise for me to see this and many other "Joe Pickett" novels on the table. I thought I shouldn't be greedy and would start with just taking one. I chose "Off the Grid" because it wasn't named something like the others which all seemed to have a lot to do with COLD, ice, or blood! I was also hoping it would be near the beginning of the series so I would have some context. Looking in the front of the book for the list, this one came second, and the first one wasn't on the table, so it seemed a good choice. Later I realized this is the second to the latest--the publisher had put them in reverse order, probably to fool people like me! But no matter, I'm not going back for more.
That's not to say it wasn't an enjoyable, fairly clean read. It was. I liked the characters--the silent strong Nate, a falconer, and the hapless Joe Pickett and his family. They were likable and admirable. Their situation was interesting too--terrorists hiding out in the desert in Wyoming. I could feel the authenticity of the Wyoming--incuding UW--vibe. But it's not great writing and it's not great plotting, just good and a page-turner. Box definitely keeps the tension high as the adventure unfolds. That part was enjoyable. The dialogue was a little stilted and unreal too, at times. Uneven, I'd say. I enjoyed the scenery and the birds and the little I learned about falconry.
I know there are better books and better choices. This one wasn't bad, but it's going back on the table for someone else to pick up.
Sunday, April 19, 2020
Saturday, April 4, 2020
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
So the first time I came across Marie Forleo was when she interviewed Brené Brown. I liked her open and enthusiastic style. Then I heard life coach Jody Moore talk about this book on her podcast and how it had motivated her to act and the philosophy had become central to her work and life. I thought it would be worth looking into... Oh, and then, driving in a rental car from Sacramento to Napa on our last trip out there, I listened to someone interview Marie on his show. She was so inspiring and energizing that I thought, I will order that book when I get home! She talked about her B-School and how she's a multi-passionate entrepreneur, so I thought her message might also resonate with Eli. He's trying to figure out if teaching is really for him or not...
So, the book came and I sailed through it. It's quite easy to read, very entertaining and light, even though the message is strong. I did not stop and do the exercises, which I think would be very beneficial...however, I'm just not in the mood right now. Parts of her message though, and exercises did get through and have motivated me to get going on more writing. Even without the exercises...just thinking about them is helpful too. Like engaging with your future self, like listing what it is you really want to do, how to prioritize the list, and how to start taking action NOW, in doable steps. All good.
Forleo is young and she has accomplished a lot and learned a lot. She has lots of war stories to illustrate her points, and that's what makes the book fun. She also has stories from her B-School graduates that are inspiring. Great quotes are interspersed throughout the text, and so are interview links to her MarieTV show.
Having said all that, though, the book is also slightly annoying. Maybe it's because she's young and confident, and not at all humble? I like confidence, and she does acknowledge her help along the way, but she's slightly cocky. This has gotten her far, but it doesn't resonate all that well with 69=year-old me. She's also very informal in her language and tone, and sometimes it's fun and other times it become annoying. I really dislike her use of the F-bomb and other crude expressions, but it does feel authentic when she does, because that's who she is... I could still get the message and not be offended. Just don't think it's necessary.... And maybe her confidence and cockiness and language will help her connect with her generation and those younger--I'm guessing she's about Eli's age, so it will be fascinating to see what he thinks of it. In the meantime I encouraged him to watch some MarieTV so we'll see how that hits him.
Here's her table of contents so I can remember how she organized her philosophy:
1. The Tropicana Orange - the story of her ambitious, indefatigable mother
2. Your Road Map to Results
3. The Magic of Belief
4. Eliminate Excuses - Good stuff here to be on to yourself
5. How to Deal with the Fear of Anything (Reframe it as excitement, for example)
6. Define Your Dream
7. Start Before You're Ready - (Best advice of all, I think, since I'm prone to research and prepare to death before jumping into the arena)
8. Progress Not Perfection (Kind of like Jody Moore's B- work philosophy)
9. Refuse to be Refused - also applicable to me who doesn't want to push people too hard
10. The World Needs Your Special Gift - another good argument for jumping into the arena
11. Epilogue - I really liked this-- "Go beyond yourself. Think in terms of we not me." In other words, your dream will be more satisfying and joyful if you include others or lift others as part of that dream. Very good chapter here.... One headline is "Be a figureoutable force for good at work."
She cites a lot of research and does it in a way that is simple. Sometimes overly simple, but she doesn't get bogged down in details and cites her sources so you can check it out if you want more detail. I appreciated that. Carol Dweck, for example, is one of her sources.
Others' quotes I liked:
"Most misunderstandings in the world could be avoided if people would simply take the time to ask, "What else could this mean?"" Shannon L Alder - page 97
"A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence." Sonia Sotomayor - page. 159
"There are two types of pain you will go through in life: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons." Jim Rohn- page 155
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." Amelia Earhart - page 140
"He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how." Viktor Frankl - page 135
"There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy." Friedrich Nietzsche - p. 107
"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim." Nora Ephron
So, the book came and I sailed through it. It's quite easy to read, very entertaining and light, even though the message is strong. I did not stop and do the exercises, which I think would be very beneficial...however, I'm just not in the mood right now. Parts of her message though, and exercises did get through and have motivated me to get going on more writing. Even without the exercises...just thinking about them is helpful too. Like engaging with your future self, like listing what it is you really want to do, how to prioritize the list, and how to start taking action NOW, in doable steps. All good.
Forleo is young and she has accomplished a lot and learned a lot. She has lots of war stories to illustrate her points, and that's what makes the book fun. She also has stories from her B-School graduates that are inspiring. Great quotes are interspersed throughout the text, and so are interview links to her MarieTV show.
Having said all that, though, the book is also slightly annoying. Maybe it's because she's young and confident, and not at all humble? I like confidence, and she does acknowledge her help along the way, but she's slightly cocky. This has gotten her far, but it doesn't resonate all that well with 69=year-old me. She's also very informal in her language and tone, and sometimes it's fun and other times it become annoying. I really dislike her use of the F-bomb and other crude expressions, but it does feel authentic when she does, because that's who she is... I could still get the message and not be offended. Just don't think it's necessary.... And maybe her confidence and cockiness and language will help her connect with her generation and those younger--I'm guessing she's about Eli's age, so it will be fascinating to see what he thinks of it. In the meantime I encouraged him to watch some MarieTV so we'll see how that hits him.
Here's her table of contents so I can remember how she organized her philosophy:
1. The Tropicana Orange - the story of her ambitious, indefatigable mother
2. Your Road Map to Results
3. The Magic of Belief
4. Eliminate Excuses - Good stuff here to be on to yourself
5. How to Deal with the Fear of Anything (Reframe it as excitement, for example)
6. Define Your Dream
7. Start Before You're Ready - (Best advice of all, I think, since I'm prone to research and prepare to death before jumping into the arena)
8. Progress Not Perfection (Kind of like Jody Moore's B- work philosophy)
9. Refuse to be Refused - also applicable to me who doesn't want to push people too hard
10. The World Needs Your Special Gift - another good argument for jumping into the arena
11. Epilogue - I really liked this-- "Go beyond yourself. Think in terms of we not me." In other words, your dream will be more satisfying and joyful if you include others or lift others as part of that dream. Very good chapter here.... One headline is "Be a figureoutable force for good at work."
She cites a lot of research and does it in a way that is simple. Sometimes overly simple, but she doesn't get bogged down in details and cites her sources so you can check it out if you want more detail. I appreciated that. Carol Dweck, for example, is one of her sources.
Others' quotes I liked:
"Most misunderstandings in the world could be avoided if people would simply take the time to ask, "What else could this mean?"" Shannon L Alder - page 97
"A surplus of effort could overcome a deficit of confidence." Sonia Sotomayor - page. 159
"There are two types of pain you will go through in life: the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces, while regret weighs tons." Jim Rohn- page 155
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity." Amelia Earhart - page 140
"He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how." Viktor Frankl - page 135
"There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophy." Friedrich Nietzsche - p. 107
"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim." Nora Ephron
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