The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion

20.9 - Lucky Me! - Kate.x.'s task: Summerthing Better
Everyone always seems to feel better in the summer. But maybe we can make that better feeling last all year round. For this task, read a non-fiction book on a subject that you think you need to improve on to feel better. For me this would be either a healthy eating book or a finance guide as these are the two areas of my life I think I need to sort out. So, for example, I could read Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating or The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness. Books that teach you how to eat healthy, improve your fitness level, sort out your personal finance, be a better parent, tackle time management, or overcome fears that hold you back would all be appropriate.
Required: Explain how your book fits the task when you post

Kate.x.

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Kate.x.

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This thread is now open for questions.

If I am learning how to quilt, would a quilting book count?

ok, so being in the military, leadership is a huge thing, and I know that certain aspects are definately a weakness of mine - so I could read Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times - which looks at his various strengths and applies them to a modern setting

I know that I need to workout more. I think I will read The Core Performance: The Revolutionary Workout Program to Transform Your Body & Your Life would that work?

What about learning a new skill you have wanted to learn for a while? I just got From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking and hope it fits for this task because I have been wanting to learn millinery for a long time!

A Girl's Guide to Money - Laura Brady?

I'm doing a home study course on geology and I need to find out more about real life volcano eruptions to help me get a better grip on what I'm learning. That will make me happy and get me a course pass! So I guess it would be ok to read a book about a volcanic eruption for this task?

What about a book related to work? I'm a lawyer and have a lot of new cases defending the department of corrections and prison guards. Could I read Inside: Life Behind Bars in America?

Or, for parenting books, could I read Toddler: Real-life Stories of Those Fickle, Irrational, Urgent, Tiny People We Love? It's not a how-to book, but reading about the stories of other people's toddlers usually serves to give me more patience with my own.

Would this work to help improve my nerves while under pressure? Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool

I'm a teacher and the more I read about brain research, the more my classroom changes for the better. Could I read Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School?

Heather in KS

The budget crunch has led to people leaving my company - voluntarily and involuntarily (not doing well) - and not being replaced. My normal caseload is supposed to be 84 but is now 110+. I plan to read Managing Stress: Keeping Calm Under Fire by Barbara J. Braham.

Would this work for this task?

Bea wrote: "The budget crunch has led to people leaving my company - voluntarily and involuntarily (not doing well) - and not being replaced. My normal caseload is supposed to be 84 but is now 110+. I plan to..."

Yes, that would work. And sorry to hear that, that must be stressful.

Kate.x.

Heather KS wrote: "I'm a teacher and the more I read about brain research, the more my classroom changes for the better. Could I read [book:Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and Sch..."

I'm guessing the classroom changing for the better would make you feel better so yes.

Kate.x.

Joanna wrote: "What about a book related to work? I'm a lawyer and have a lot of new cases defending the department of corrections and prison guards. Could I read [book:Inside: Life Behind Bars in America|27596..."

The parenting book would be fine.

Kate.x.

Erin (NY) wrote: "If I am learning how to quilt, would a quilting book count?"

Does it make you feel better or improve your life? If so yes.

Kate.x.

Dee wrote: "ok, so being in the military, leadership is a huge thing, and I know that certain aspects are definately a weakness of mine - so I could read [book:Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for T..."

That sounds great, and good luck.

Kate.x.

Riona wrote: "What about learning a new skill you have wanted to learn for a while? I just got From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking and hope it fits for this task because I have been..."

Do you think it'll improve you?

Kate.x.

Valorie wrote: "Would this work to help improve my nerves while under pressure? Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool"

I think improving your nerves would improve your life, so yes.

Kate.x.

chucklesthescot wrote: "I'm doing a home study course on geology and I need to find out more about real life volcano eruptions to help me get a better grip on what I'm learning. That will make me happy and get me a course..."

Yes thats fine. And good luck with your course, it sounds hard.

Kate.x.

Fiona (Titch) wrote: "A Girl's Guide to Money - Laura Brady?"

That's fine and a book I may have to read as well!

Kate.x.

★Meghan★ wrote: "I know that I need to workout more. I think I will read The Core Performance: The Revolutionary Workout Program to Transform Your Body & Your Life would that work?"

That would be fine Meghan.

Kate.x.

i was thinking of reading The Freedom Writers Diary. i teach at a low-income school, and i need to find something to inspire myself AND my students. granted, i teach 3rd grade, so i don't think i could do exactly what the author did with her students, but i would like to instill in them the desire to work and fight for social change and justice.

would it work? thanks for your help! :)

I am implementing a new design of the website that my husband and I run, so I would like to use GUI Bloopers 2.0: Common User Interface Design Don'ts and Dos or Designing for the Social Web. Finishing the redesign will definitely improve my life!

Would Plato, Not Prozac!: Applying Eternal Wisdom to Everyday Problems work. It is not specific to any one thing but it looks like it will help me out.

Thanks. Great idea for a challenge!

Hettie

Kate wrote: "Riona wrote: "What about learning a new skill you have wanted to learn for a while? I just got From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking and hope it fits for this task becau..."

It would definitely improve my career - i am a fashion designer/custom seamstress and it would give me another skillset to make myself more versatile and marketable. Does that work for the task?

Kate wrote: "Valorie wrote: "Would this work to help improve my nerves while under pressure? Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool"

I ..."

Thanks Kate!

Riona wrote: "Kate wrote: "Riona wrote: "What about learning a new skill you have wanted to learn for a while? I just got From the Neck Up: An Illustrated Guide to Hatmaking and hope it fits for th..."

It does. I am jealous of your skills, I would love to do something like design, but am tragically bad at making anything.

Kate.x.

Hettie wrote: "Would Plato, Not Prozac!: Applying Eternal Wisdom to Everyday Problems work. It is not specific to any one thing but it looks like it will help me out.

Thanks. Great idea for a challe..."

I think a little Plato would benefit us all, I could certainly do with reading that book!! Enjoy it and let me know if it helps (then I might buy it!)

Kate.x.

Gayla wrote: "I am implementing a new design of the website that my husband and I run, so I would like to use GUI Bloopers 2.0: Common User Interface Design Don'ts and Dos or [book:Designing for th..."

That would be fine, good luck with the redesign!

Kate.x.

kiki wrote: "i was thinking of reading The Freedom Writers Diary. i teach at a low-income school, and i need to find something to inspire myself AND my students. granted, i teach 3rd grade, so i ..."

It really depends if it would improve your life, but as I completely approve of you using this to improve others life, if by inspiration alone. I think it would be suitable for the task. Great job!

Kate.x.

Kate wrote: "chucklesthescot wrote: "I'm doing a home study course on geology and I need to find out more about real life volcano eruptions to help me get a better grip on what I'm learning. That will make me h..."

Thanks Kate x

Kate wrote: "kiki wrote: "i was thinking of reading The Freedom Writers Diary. i teach at a low-income school, and i need to find something to inspire myself AND my students. granted, i teach 3rd..."

great, thank you. i think it WOULD improve my own life. sometimes i feel like i'm just babysitting, and that my students are so unmotivated because of what they see around them. if i could help them see that there's more out there than drugs, gangs, and teenage pregnancy, then i would feel like i really accomplished something!

kiki wrote: "Kate wrote: "kiki wrote: "i was thinking of reading The Freedom Writers Diary. i teach at a low-income school, and i need to find something to inspire myself AND my students. granted..."

It's amazing what you do. Keep it up!

Kate.x.

kiki wrote: "Kate wrote: "kiki wrote: "i was thinking of reading The Freedom Writers Diary. i teach at a low-income school, and i need to find something to inspire myself AND my students. granted..."

Good for you kiki! Kids need more role models like you!

awwww, thanks! nice to hear that from outside sources!:)

How about a book about conservation: No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process ?
from goodreads:
Colin Beavan hopes to explain to the rest of us how we can realistically live a more "eco-effective" and by turns more content life in an age of inconvenient truths.

Deedee wrote: "How about a book about conservation: [book:No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the P..."

Hi Deedee, How would that improve your life? Kate.x.

Kate wrote: "Deedee wrote: "How about a book about conservation: No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way o..."</i>

I thought [book:No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process would fit this task because it would give advice about changing your life, moving away from consumerism and materialism and back to basics and the things that really matter. I've been reading this book, and the author says that is his goal, also, but halfway through the book, he has yet to figure out how to accomplish that goal. (As anyone who has lived with a baby knows, disposable diapers are very, very good, even if they are not eco-friendly!) So this book will not fit this task; I'll claim it elsewhere.

I think getting in shape is very important, and so I was thinking about reading Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner (it is a memoir-ish).

If that does not work, would Transforming Feminist Practice: Non-Violence, Social Justice and the Possibilities of a Spriitualized Feminism. I believe that feminism is all about accepting people which will make me a better person.

Also, if that does not work, how about Burro Genius: A Memoir? It's a book about a man that was treated terribly when he was in school because he was a Hispanic Indian that has dyslexia. I plan to be an ESE teacher in just a few short years, and I could possibly be dealing with students with dyslexia. Plus, I think it will help me teach students from a different culture better, too.

Thank you!

♥Meagan♥ wrote: "I think getting in shape is very important, and so I was thinking about reading Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner (it is a memoir-ish).

If that does not work, woul..."

Hello,
I think the first book would be fine.

Kate.x.

Yay, thanks so much! :)

Also, could you check on Burro Genius for me? I'm thinking about moving it :)

♥Meagan♥ wrote: "Yay, thanks so much! :)

Also, could you check on Burro Genius for me? I'm thinking about moving it :)"

Hi Megan,
How would Burron Genius improve your life?

Kate.x.

I already explained why in Message 42, when I asked the first time :)

Also, if that does not work, how about Burro Genius: A Memoir? It's a book about a man that was treated terribly when he was in school because he was a Hispanic Indian that has dyslexia. I plan to be an ESE teacher in just a few short years, and I could possibly be dealing with students with dyslexia. Plus, I think it will help me teach students from a different culture better, too.

♥Meagan♥ wrote: "I already explained why in Message 42, when I asked the first time :)

Also, if that does not work, how about Burro Genius: A Memoir? It's a book about a man that was treated terribly when he was ..."

Ah so you did, sorry about that. I can see how it would improve others lives and I take it your the altruistic type thus it would improve your life? If so it fits, those lucky kids to have such good teachers! Makes me miss school.

Kate.x.

yeah, totally changing mine - i'm going to read Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide - if its approved - over the last few years, i've noticed the more bread and stuff that I eat, the worse I feel and while my doc hasn't diagnosed me as having issues, when I cut that stuff out of my diet, I feel better, want to work out etc...so i'm going to read a guide about it - and hopefully try out some of the recipes

Kate wrote: "♥Meagan♥ wrote: "I already explained why in Message 42, when I asked the first time :)

Also, if that does not work, how about Burro Genius: A Memoir? It's a book about a man that was treated te..."

Thanks so much! :)

Dee wrote: "yeah, totally changing mine - i'm going to read Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide - if its approved - over the last few years, i've noticed the more bread and stuff tha..."

That would improve your life! actualy somewhere I have a good gluten free recipe. Let me check.

Kate.x.