The Goal

So, in order to save money and expand my horizons, I recently got rid of my cable. I did, of course, subscribe to Netflix in order to help with my lack of my mind-numbing entertainment, but I'm still hoping that I will be a bit choosier about what I commit myself to watching. I am also intending to accomplish more thesis work this way. I won't turn on the television and exclaim "Oh my God! There's a *insert the title of any television show* marathon today and I really have nowhere to be. Come here doggie, let's snuggle!" I really have wasted a lot of time watching television. I also use it to help me fall asleep, which I know is bad for you, and as background noise, which often took over as my primary activity depending on what was on. Anywho, I'm hoping that will all change and there will be a Sam Revolution! I could be setting my sights too high, but I'm optimistic about this! It's like a delayed New Year's Resolution. Besides, spring seems like the more appropriate time to make changes anyways. Who wants to start life anew when the five inches of snow that were on the ground the day before are still there. I digress.

Now, onto the project. I want to try to read for two hours every night-ish (let's not get too carried away at first) for fun. I always complain that during school I don't have time to read for fun, but the fact is that once I'm done with my school work I'd rather vegetate in front of the television than to spend more time in a book, even though I love to read. Then, when holidays come around I spend my time reading pop books like Dan Brown and vampire smut. Consequently, I own books like Dorian Gray, Frankenstein, The Last of the Mohicans, Sherlock Holmes, etc., which I have never read or have only read parts of. So, my goal with this two hours a night of reading is to finally commit myself to reading a bunch of this classic literature I am often embarrassed to admit that I've never read. What can I say? My high school kind of sucked when it came to reading this stuff. So, my goal is to post maybe once a week-ish or however often I am compelled to reflect upon what I'm reading. Perhaps this will keep me on track.



Book 1: My first book, inspired largely by the beautiful spring weather today, is Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Today was a day that made me want to sit outside and think. Additionally, my favorite literary era (in theory, because, as we've discussed, I've never completely read a bunch of these books) is the American Romantic period and I often lump the Transcendentalists in there with Cooper, Hawthorne and the like. So, I'm excited and ready to get reading! On my mark...get set...GO!