2 upvotes, 5 direct replies (showing 5)
View submission: Drop Everything And Read: Week 2
Week 2 - Day 1
Date: 29 March 2018, Thursday
Time: 11:40pm (the previous day) to ~12:30am Book: The Hobbit by Tolkien
Yay I finished the book! Going to rewatch the movies soon to compare. I have a copy of a really old BBC Radio 4 dramatization of it but I listened to a few minutes and it seemed all over the place. Rather than the actual text just being read aloud, it was turned into a radio play. It was hard for me to understand because people were talking on top of each other, so messy. I also found Gandalf's voice (in the audiobook) funny, like kind of tricksy/untrustworthy, I definitely prefer the movie version. But maybe I'll listen to see how they performed the songs.
It's also the last day of the month tomorrow (well, today) so I'll try to finish at least one more book to add to my Read365 pile.
Comment by mrsrobin at 30/03/2018 at 12:21 UTC*
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Day 2
Date: 30 March, Friday
Time: 7:45pm to 8:15pm
Book: The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron and The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher
Tried some audiobooks while I was folding the clothes. At first it was the Pema Chodron one, but I wasted so much time finding the spot in the audiobook where I was in the book, because the files were not divided into chapters (18 in the book) but into 4 parts. It was also hard to follow, my mind didn't feel calm enough to absorb. So I switched to the Star Wars one, and that was easier to listen to. I'm at the part now where Luke just landed on Dagobah. Prior to that the Millennium Falcon just escaped into the asteroid field. The exchange between Han and Leia is great. The actors are doing such a good job. This is one of those books that I'd recommend the audiobook over the text.
Comment by mrsrobin at 31/03/2018 at 20:38 UTC*
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Day 3
Date: 31 March, Saturday
Time: 7-7:10, 8:10 to 8:20pm
Books: The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron and Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina
I finished the former but I'm trying to sum up what I've learned and I'm coming up blank. I feel like my mind went through it like a sieve through water. This is one of those books you are never really done with. I think I need to reread while taking notes, then reread my notes. The takeaway is that to be kind to others you at first have to learn to be kind to yourself. Towards the end of the book it moved to topics that made me uncomfortable, that I still couldn't accept, like learning to make peace with impermanence and even death, and not allowing yourself to aim for personal comfort. I am clearly not brave or have a "warrior" spirit that's supposed to continually break out of that complacency. Ah well.
Also just a heads up, I thought I still had more chapters to go but the book itself ended at the 85% mark, then the rest were Notes, Bibliography and an excerpt of another book. So it's like the feeling when you think a glass is full and you lift it up braced for that weight, but turns out it's almost empty so your hand shoots up in the air faster than you intended it to. iykwim.
With Brain Rules I got through one chapter while in the bathroom hehe. I actually have a small piece of paper taped onto the back of my Kindle, and brought a cheap pen with me so I can make notes like starting and stopping time and any summaries. Current topic is about whether morals are innate to children. I'm in the part talking about discipline and positive reinforcement. One thing I learned is that it says not to just tell a child "No!" but include a reason why, and studies show this increases compliance. And of course implementing swift punishment, but noting that punishment sometimes takes the form of not giving them attention. And to praise not just good behavior, but also the absence of bad behavior, e.g. "You did that all by yourself with no fuss!" You know, classic Psych stuff. But always good to hear again until it becomes second nature to think of that in the heat of a disciplinary situation, while praying for patience. Fun fact: "by 4 a kid will lie once every 2 hours. By 6, once every 90 minutes." Yep, not looking forward to the terrible toddler years and beyond. I suddenly appreciate that my eggo can't lie to me yet, because, you know, he still can't talk lol.
Comment by mrsrobin at 02/04/2018 at 14:53 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Day 4 Date: 1 April, Sunday
Time: (duration: about ten minutes) Book: Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina
My rest day today. Still tried to give it a go. At 60%
Day 5 Date: 2 April, Monday Time: a few pages over breakfast, then around 10:15pm Book: (same) Brain Rules for Baby
Finished the book earlier than expected. It ends at around 70%, after that it's just acknowledgements/thanks and the index pala.
I like how there's a conclusion chapter, then practical tips. It's basically the entire book in tldr form, with a few personal notes on what the author does in his own family. Good refresher, or if you're curious about what this is about and just want the tips right away with no need for all the science and research, skip straight to this section.
The author himself mentions that although the title says "for baby" (deliberately named to attract parents-to-be, such as pregnant women, because it's the time they are most likely to be anxious about preparing for a child, and reading what they can find) many of the lessons can still be applied until the child is older. I don't know about teen years though. It's a crazy ride.
Most of the lessons are things you have to practice very often until they become second nature, like empathy and verbalizing feelings. The book also talks about making sure your marriage vibes are good, by nurturing your relationship with your spouse, because kids are sensitive to that.
One quote I liked: "As a new parent, you may feel sometimes that all children do is take from you, but it is just a form of giving in disguise. [You think they're giving you stress or trouble...] but what they are really giving you is patience... [...] the honor of witnessing a developing personality [...] what a great privilege it is to be a steward of another life. [...] Parenting is all about developing human hearts."
In my own words: parenting makes your grinchy heart grow four times larger. You hear it all the time, and might scoff (I know I did), but it's true.
I think the only part I didn't like was about sleep. It has good advice on a few different schools of thought about baby sleep, and advises you to and your partner to talk about it and decide what to do. That's a very good plan. In theory. However, in real life, we kind of just followed our baby's lead. We were just too tired and sleepy, man. Maybe we'll do it differently for the second one? Idk. Every baby is different, and you are a different kind of parent with each child. So we'll see.
Anyway back to the book haha. Would recommend. Don't feel guilty about skimming some of the technical parts because you want to get to the parts you can actually use.
Comment by mrsrobin at 03/04/2018 at 16:28 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Day 6
Date: 3 April, Tuesday
Time: 11:40pm to 12:00am
Book: The Art of Living by Epictetus, translation/interpretation by Sharon Lebell
Progress: 0 to 42%
Felt lazy to read today but it was a case of "sayang naman my streak" plus "andyan naman na" with my Kindle already at arm's reach on my bed. So looked for something light for tonight. Never thought I'd think of an ancient philosopher as light reading, but this version is rather modern. It reminds me of the kindly but firm tone of Paul's letters in the New Testament, in a NIV or even CEV. It's a bunch of good advice grouped into loose categories, with some overlap or repetition in topics, but in a good reminder kind of way.
20 minutes was just enough before my mind started straying. I highlighted a lot of things and in this case wish I had the actual paper copy so it would be easier to have it near me and just randomly flip through.
Some of the ideas of this kind of philosophy (stoicism) are: know what you can and cannot control. Give your best at what you can control, and come to terms with what is outside you power. (Yeah sounds like the Serenity Prayer. The author also mentions the similarity.)
You can't control events but what you can control is your reaction to them. The trick is to react in a way like what if it happened to your neighbor. "Remaining detached and avoiding melodramatic reactions."
Sad things to think about: nothing is permanent, we should not get attached, whether to a favorite mug, because then we'll be sad if it breaks. Or to a family member, because death is part of life and it would be unreasonable to wish they'd live forever.
Something about freedom not actually meaning being able to do whatever we want, but comes from "understanding [and accepting] the limits of our own power and the natural limits [of the world]". So like, have reasonable expectations and you're less likely to be disappointed.
Nice quote: "If you find yourself in conversation with someone who is depressed, hurt, or frustrated, show them kindness and give them a sympathetic ear; just don't allow yourself to be pulled down too."
Comment by mrsrobin at 06/04/2018 at 03:55 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Day 7 Date: 4 April, Wednesday
Time: n/a
Book: n/a
I wasn't able to read because I was preparing for a sudden job interview. Here are my thoughts anyway on the DEAR activity: I've been relying too much on my nighttime reading to fulfill my daily quota. The disadvantage is that by pushing it to the end of the day, there are days when you're just too tired by the entire day. So for next week I'll try to get in a few minutes of morning or afternoon reading.