Lifestyle of Learning 2024 Edition: Volume 2

 

February 1-29

- I read The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanne Cannon, The Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf, I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl by Joyce Hansen.

- I am reading Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor by Kathryn Lasky and Heroes of the City of Man by Peter Leithert.

- I learned about the roto-sphere and saw one of the nine that remain on public display. Read more about roto-spheres at this site.

- I have been making some red winged blackbird observations. I have been wondering if they migrate during the winter or if they hunker down during these cold months. I have noted that on the warmer days this month a couple of male blackbirds have made an appearance and then they are not to be seen when the cold descends again. I believe that they stay for the winter hunkered down in cozy homes nestled at the base of the cattails and reeds.

- I observed a great horned owl at Mama's. Two days in a row it has roosted in a tree outside the house. I knew that great horned owls were large but to see just how large it is... breathtaking! Wow!!! Do you see it?!!

- On a beautiful day, Herb and I took a walk at the nature center. The view, with it's trees stripped down, was starkly stunning. We observed some ducks and the birds were quite active.

- I did some ax throwing! This was a first for me and it was a good time.

- I made another trip to New Mexico. I made this trip alone and it was centered around Torrance County. I went to church and heard a sermon related to a chapter in 1 Samuel. I played lots of games with the family, had great conversations with friends and family, and ate some delish food.

- I saw a performance of In the Heights. Twice!

- I have been continuing to journal.

- I watched journaling related videos by February and June. 

- I listened to the following podcasts: X22 Report; The Snake River Killer; Zone 7; The Case; Unspeakable Crime: The Case of Jessica Chambers; Mind of a Monster; Life Without: The Untold Story of Heath Stocks; Bone Valley and The Snake River Killer and am presently listening to Counter Clock.

My 24 Hard Things for 2024

In 2023, I declared 23 Hard Things that I aspired to do and committed to focusing on. As a whole, it was successful. I'm going to give it another try in this new year. Here are my 24 Hard Things for 2024 

1) Read 48 books, in addition to books of the Bible that get read. Reading 48 books was one of my hard things in 2023 and, given the fact that I read soooo many more than that, it may seem that it is not quite right to still consider this to be a hard thing for this next year. However, I intend on devoting significantly more time writing in 2024 which will make it more difficult to devote time to reading. Additionally, 12 of the 48 books need to come from my personal library and 12 of the 48 need to be memoir, biography or autobiography. 

2) Replace gutters.

3) Trim trees.

4) Get rid of the van.

5) Edit and curate the attic quarters.

6) Have at least one adventure per month.

7) Use or purge extra scrapbooks.

8) Purge a minimum of 1800 items.

9) Lift weights a minimum of 48 times.

10) Track expenditures a minimum of 275 days.

11) Take vitamins a minimum of 275 days.

12) Floss teeth a minimum of 275 days.

13) Write at least 12 letters.

14) Graph monthly spending by category for at least 6 months.

15) Learn 12 songs on the mandolin.

16)Write 60 blog entries, can be any combination of my blogs.

17) Dance.

18) Do 100% of Balancing the Sword Volume 2.

19) Take at least 12 spectacular photographs.

20) Learn a new skill.

21) Get the boys mending completed.

22) Have the big trash hauled off.

23) Reorganize the Christmas ornaments.

24) Try 25 new recipes.