currently reading
I buy a lot of books. These days I gravitate toward books with "practical" information. Here's what you'll currently find my nose in.
The Renaissance Soul
Margaret Lobenstine
I use to admire those individuals who knew at an early age exactly what they were going to be when the grew up. Really? That must be nice.
I can't say that I fell into that camp myself. I'm constantly jumping back and forth between ideas about which kind of career I want, which hobbies I should pursue, even the type of clothes I should buy. It drove me nuts that I seemed to be unable to make up my mind and just choose something and stick with it. The problem was thinking that I was supposed to limit myself somehow. Turns out I don't have to.
I don't need fewer intererests - I need to focus on a handful of them for as long as I feel challenged or interested. When the bloom begins to fade I can add another from my list and work that into my day to day routine.
Currently, I have two dozen items on a list that I'm going to work my way through. While some things may never become more than an entry on that list, a great many of them will become a part of my life. Reading this book has made it possible for me to recognize that having multiple interests is a trait to encouraged - not stifled. I don't have to wrestle with that all or nothing thinking I'm prone to.
The Renaissance Soul has great tips and techniques for lining up your interests with your values and offering approaches to incorporating them into your daily life without making you feel overwhelmed or scattered.
50 Robots to Draw and Paint
Keith Thompson
I like my robots.
For some time I've been on the lookout for a book that focused just on techniques for drawing robots and yesterday my bitching and moaning finally paid off.
Keith Thompson has gathered a collection of different types of robots from several different illustrators and conceptual artists and broken down some of the techniques behind drawing them.
He shares tip about tools and drawing techniques whether you prefer to work with traditional materials, electronically or both. What was really helpful was his advice on thinking about the tasks that the robot would perform and making sure your design took these things into account. For example, a robot exposed to heat might have a ceramic outer shell whereas a personal assistant robot might have a skin made up of a padded material. Good stuff!
Feeling Good - The New Mood Therapy
David D. Burns, M.D.
Raise your hand if you want to feel good.
Again, while rolling around in my local Chapters store I came across a stack of these paperbacks and picked one up.
Although the book is targeted toward anyone who may be suffering from depression, Feeling Good will gve you great insight into why people act the way they do. If you know any people, you can learn a thing or two from this book. You know people, right?
Essentially, the book tells you that your emotions are the result of your thinking. Change your thinking=Change your mood. Unlike a lot of self help books on the market that may get you revved up in the short term, this one gives you actual tips, exercises and techniques to change behaviors that affect your mood.
In a survey of 500 mental health prefessionals from all 50 states, the number one book (out of a list of 1,000) therapists recommended to their patients out of a list was Feeling Good.
The Penland Book of Jewelry
Lark Books
Penland is an education centre in North Carolina and has some of the most talented teachers in the world.
The artists in the book share the techniques they use to create some of the most stunning jewellery and metal craft I have ever seen. The book is loaded with great photos, step step instructions for the techniques as well as artist bios.
The section on Marilyn da Silva was worth the cost alone.
Start Late, Finish Rich
David Bach
When it comes to writing, Bach seems to be as prolific as Stephen King. He offers some great advice although if I hear “latte factor” one more time, I'm going to buy a gun.
Bach offers straight forward how-to tips on getting it done. “It” being getting your ass out of debt and socking some cash aside so you aren't forced to work when you're 80.
All Bach's books should be required reading in high school.
Industrial Interiors
Ferrit Kuyas
If photos of empty industrial buildings are something you enjoy then you'll love this book.
These are a collections of images taken of an eight year period from 1988 to 1995.
Apparently, during this time recession hit Switzerland and over 400 square kilometers of industrial space was shut down. Kuyas took hundreds of beautiful photos of of these building interiors and this book is the result.
Party of One - The Loners’ Mainfesto
Anneli Rufus
I stumbled across this one at my local Chapters.
It caught my attention first because of the title. Party of one was something I used to say to the hostess at a restaurant when I would eat by myself.
If you're a “loner” or know someone who is you'll find this book will provide some real insight as to why some people simply prefer their own company at times.
What I found to be the most enlightening was learning that just because you want to be alone does not mean that you don't like people or have something wrong with you.
Rufus writes about loners in the world of art, literature and advertising and explores how loners have been viewed through history and in different societies. Worth the read.
Getting Things Done
David Allen
This book has changed the way I organize my life, or at least the way I organize my junk mail.
Getting Things done is chock full of great, practical apply-now kind of advice. Some of this stuff is so simple you end up shaking your head at the brilliance of it.
While I have not fully drank the kool-aid on all of Allen's systems, I have gotten a good grip on how I handle all the bits of paper that come into my life on a seemingly hourly basis. Lower your stress and give this one a read.
