Building a Bucket List 106-112

106. Visit the Forbidden City in China
107. Visit the Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco
108. Visit the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
109. Go Sky Diving
110. See the Burj Khalifa
111. Visit the Archaeological Park and Ruins of Quiriguá
112. Drive the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail

Reading Jan 1-11

1. Feed by Mira Grant
 

You may remember this one from last year but it's a personal favorite. Sometimes you just need to read an awesome zombie book. This novel combines a zombie horror movie with a political thriller and no one is safe. Particularly not the main characters. It also seems to be an especially appropriate read leading up to the primaries in real life. Granted, the stripper congresswoman running for office might be a better candidate than some of the real life candidates.

2. Deadline by Mira Grant

Second book of the Newsflesh series. Also, ridiculously awesome. I would really love to see this series get made into a movie.

3. Blackout by Mira Grant

Once I started the series, I felt the need to keep reading. Oddly enough, this is the only one of these books that I have a paper copy of. The other two I have as kindle editions that I read using the Kindle App on my phone. In case you are wondering, I love pretty much every word that Seanan McGuire has written, both as herself and as Mira Grant.

Currently Reading:

eBook on My Phone: The Magicians by Lev Grossman

Audiobook on Audible: Lock In by John Scalzi

Paperback on my Nightstand: Confidence Game by Michelle Welch

Please note that all links are affiliate links to Amazon.com. This is less for monetization purposes and more to make it easy to find and recognize the books.

Weekly Weigh-In Jan 11

One of my goals for this year is to get outside for a hike or outside activity each weekend. This week we checked out the lower garden trail at The Grotto.  It's January in Portland so everything is a nice evergreen color. The Grotto still has the lights up from their Christmas display so it was interesting to compare what we saw then with what we can see in broad daylight. The lower garden path is pretty short and about every 25-50 feet there is an alcove with a bronze scene from the life of Jesus. It was a nice mini urban adventure but we probably won't go back to the Lower Garden Path. That said, we are definitely going to visit the Upper Garden path sometime in the Spring or early Summer.

Regarding the rest of my physical activity, it was a pretty normal work week so my step count looks much closer to my 10,000 steps a day goal. I wasn't really disciplined about my workouts but I was able to focus on getting good quality sleep and reasserting my normal sleep schedule. I only logged my food on 2/7 days last week so that is definitely something to work on.

Goals for this week:

1. Log my calories completely on at least 3 days
2. Avoid eating Dairy
3. Increase the number of workouts from last week's number

Statistics:

Morning Workouts: 0
Lunchtime Weight Lifting: 0
Evening Dog Walks: 1
Bedtime Yoga: 3
Step Counting:
     Monday: 8030
     Tuesday: 10860
     Wednesday: 10119
     Thursday: 7426
     Friday: 10187
     Saturday: 5811
     Sunday: 5471

     Weekly Average: 8272
     Last Week's Average: 3862

     Weekly Total: 57904
     Last Week's Total: 27038

     January Average: 5988
     January Total: 59882

Current Weight: 254.2 pounds
Last Week: 253.2 pounds

Weight Loss/Gain: 1.0 pounds gained

Starting Weight: 249.4 pounds
Highest Point: 255.2 pounds
Lowest Point: 238.4 pounds

Building a Bucket List 99-105

99. See the Empire State Building
100. Visit the Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche
101. Visit the Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve
102. Visit Machu Picchu
103. Visit Antigua, Guatemala
104. Go Scuba Diving
105. Visit the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area

Books Read in 2015

I was able to squeeze in a fair amount of reading between work, classes, and traveling. A number of these books are ones that I was re-reading because I love them. Featuring prominently are books from independent authors and new releases from authors that I enjoy every word they write. 

My hope for 2016 is that I read more books than 2015 and that my reading list has a bit more diversity in it.

What are your reading goals for 2016?

1. On Basilisk Station by David Weber
2. The Honor of the Queen by David Weber
3. The Short Victorious War by David Weber
4. Field of Dishonor by David Weber
5. Flag in Exile by David Weber
6. Honor Among Enemies by David Weber
7. In Enemy Hands by David Weber
8. Echoes of Honor by David Weber
9. Ashes of Victory by David Weber
10. War of Honor by David Weber
11. Crown of Slaves by David Weber and Eric Flint
12. The Shadow of Saganami by David Weber
13. At All Costs by David Weber
14. Storm from the Shadows by David Weber
15. Torch of Freedom by David Weber and Eric Flint
16. Mission of Honor by David Weber
17. A Rising Thunder by David Weber
18. Shadow of Freedom by David Weber
19. Cauldron of Ghosts by David Weber and Eric Flint
20. Pocket Apocalypse by Seanan McGuire
21. Libriomancer by Jim Hines
22. Codex Born by Jim Hines
23. Unbound by Jim Hines
24. Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear
25. Winter's Heat by Cristin Harber
26. Introductions by CL Stone
27. The Game by Terri Schott
28. Priceless by Shannon Mayer
29. Garrison's Creed by Cristin Harber
30. The Change by Teyla Branton
31. Innocent in Las Vegas by AR Winters
32. Green Eyes in Las Vegas by AR Winters
33. Red Roses in Las Vegas by AR Winters
34. Cupcakes, Trinkets and Other Deadly Magic by Meghan Ciana Doidge
35. Baggage Claim by Amanda Tru
36. Prudence by Gail Carriger
37. Parasite by Mira Grant
38. Symbiont by Mira Grant
39. Feed by Mira Grant
40. Deadline by Mira Grant
41. Blackout by Mira Grant
42. Countdown by Mira Grant
43. San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats by Mira Grant
44. How Green this Land, How Blue this Sea by Mira Grant
45. The Day the Dead Came to Show and Tell by Mira Grant
46. Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton
47. The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K Hamilton
48. Circus of the Damned by Laurell K Hamilton
49. The Lunatic Cafe by Laurell K Hamilton
50. Bloody Bones by Laurell K Hamilton
51. The Killing Dance by Laurell K Hamilton
52. Burnt Offerings by Laurell K Hamilton
53. Blue Moon by Laurell K Hamilton
54. Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K Hamilton
55. Narcissus in Chains by Laurell K Hamilton
56. Cerulean Sins by Laurell K Hamilton
57. Incubus Dreams by Laurell K Hamilton
58. Micah by Laurell K Hamilton
59. Danse Macabre by Laurell K Hamilton
60. The Harlequin by Laurell K Hamilton
61. Blood Noir by Laurell K Hamilton
62. Skin Trade by Laurell K Hamilton
63. Flirt by Laurell K Hamilton
64. Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton
65. Hit List by Laurell K Hamilton
66. Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire
67. A Local Habitation by Seanan McGuire
68. Redshirts by John Scalzi
69. Live Free or Die by John Ringo
70. An Artificial Night by Seanan McGuire
71. Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire
72. One Salt Sea by Seanan McGuire
73. Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire
74. Chimes at Midnight by Seanan McGuire
75. The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire
76. A Rose Red Chain by Seanan McGuire
77. The Heir (The Selection) by Kiera Cass
78. Spirit Hackers by Aaron Crocco
79. Arena Mode by Blake Northcott
80. Assault or Attrition by Blake Northcott
81. Final Empire by Blake Northcott
82. The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox
83. The Housewife Assassin's Deadly Dossier by Josie Brown
84. The Housewife Assassin's Handbook by Josie Brown
85. All Fall Down by Erica Spindler
86. Manners and Mutiny by Gail Carriger
87. Chimera by Mira Grant
88. The Park Service by Ryan Winfield
89. Isle of Man by Ryan Winfield
90. State of Nature by Ryan Winfield
91. Quantico by Greg Bear
92. Ridiculous by DL Carter
93. Fool's Errand by Robin Hobb

Weekly Weigh In Jan 4

The Holiday Season was rough on my willpower this year so I'm up a bit of weight that should drop off once I get back into strict logging of calories. I definitely disappointed myself last year so, this year I really need to be strictly disciplined. My biggest goal for the year is to continue to be more active. The good news is that since I spent most of the last week at home relaxing, I have no where to go but up this week. Of course, this week is starting with snow and ice so I need to be even more diligent.

Statistics:

Morning Workouts: 3
Lunchtime Weight Lifting: 0
Evening Dog Walks: 0
Bedtime Yoga: 2
Step Counting:
     Monday: 517
     Tuesday: 10634
     Wednesday: 8784
     Thursday: 5125
     Friday: 1109
     Saturday: 151
     Sunday: 718

     Weekly Average: 3862
     Last Week's Average: 6473

     Weekly Total: 27038
     Last Week's Total: 45314

     January Average: 659
     January Total: 1978

Current Weight: 253.2 pounds
Last Week: 245.4 pounds

Weight Loss/Gain: 0.8 pounds gained

Starting Weight: 249.4 pounds
Highest Point: 254.6 pounds
Lowest Point: 238.4 pounds

Building a Bucket List #92-98

92. See the Tokyo Tower
93. Visit the Wrangell St. Elias National Park
94. See the San Antonio Missions
95. Learn how to surf
96. See Christ the Redeemer in Rio De Janerio
97. Visit the Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve
98. Visit the Palenque ruins