This week I finished two books: Patti Smith’s M Train and William B. Irvine’s A Guide to the Good Life. I enjoyed both of them but also found myself putting them down and picking them up a lot, which means I might not have actually enjoyed them as much as I thought. The Irvine book in particular was interesting in that it was all about Stoicism, in which a life of tranquility is sought over a life of fame or material prosperity. The book argues that materialism is an addiction that will never be fully satisfied, and that a life full of peace is the best type to sustain.
In reading that, I began to evaluate what exactly I want out of my own life. I wrote a decent amount this week (ten pages or so–not great, but at least a start) and had a blast. Sometimes it is hard to remind myself that my biggest goal in life is to have fun and enjoy things day-to-day. I also watched the first half of season 1 of The Leftovers, made it to the gym once, ran a little bit, and visited family for Mother’s Day. I was also pretty inefficient, and my new goal is to try to get rid of those times of the day when I am all-out wasting time. I don’t mind the video games or the TV so much as the internet scrolling, so I’m trying to minimize that. I’m also trying to decide just how much to cut down on sugar, alcohol, and unhealthy food.
What was great this week: I applied for two jobs that I would be thrilled to get, I spent very little money
What was okay this week: working out, reading, writing
What could really be improved still: eating healthier.
Goals for this week (something new I’m doing):
- Finish an essay about the Edmund Fitzgerald
- Read two books
- Make it to the gym twice, and make sure to run at least 4 days this week
Til next time!
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