a cute toaster

I’m reading Fuck It: The Ultimate Spiritual Way right now after seeing it on Twitter (courtesy of @bellaluminara!) and Youtube. I’ve been reading it in small chunks because my reading list is so full right now, but every time I read it I smile, and I continue to smile after I close the book. It’s a good quick introduction to Eastern philosophies of giving up attachment and living in the moment described in a distinctly Western manner.

The author, John C. Parkin, is British and writes in a very conversational style with heaps of typical British humour. Aside from being approachable and funny, the book has made me think about the way I automatically react to things, and the automatic background “self-talk” in my head. I’ve been aware of self-talk since my mid-teens, when I became a mediator but without some reminding that little voice can creep up on me and start shouting. Sometimes that’s okay (“Hey you – you’re awesome at sitting in traffic! High-five!”) but often it’s not.

I’ve been trying it out; saying fuck it to anything that makes me anxious or worried. So far it works and it makes me smile.

In 2012 I plan to record all of the books I read to see just how much I read in a year. I’m finishing up some re-reads right now (The Mists of Avalon, The Eagle and The Raven, and Mary, Called Magdalene – yes, I read more than one book at a time) and I’ll start with something new on January 1st.

I opened  a Goodreads account; it’s odd that I haven’t done it before now. It will take me days to go through and rate everything so I’ve just done a cursory search and rate.

Here’s to literary awesomeness in 2012!