Monday miscellany - 8Jan2018

Happy New Year! Life got quite busy toward the middle of 2017 and I just fell out of the habit of updates. It's a new year, and time to get back on track.

First, a quick review of last year's goals:

• Read 10,000 pages - For the first time in many years, I actually failed to make my reading goal, coming in at just under 5000. If I count graphic novels, that adds another 3500 or so, but still puts me short. Still, hopefully I can reach 10,000 pages this year.
• Do 10 101List items - To be honest, I lost sight of the 101List that served me well for a while. My latest 1001 days expired and it was a month before I even noticed. I probably did complete several of the tasks, but I think the time has come to move away from the 101List and perhaps start a more general to-do list or bucket list. I won't be carrying this goal forward anymore.
• Isengard to Minas Tirith (Gandalf and Pippin's path) - I'm at 337 of 517, so there was some movement over the year, but I stalled out for a while. I should get there this year though.

So, with that said, my goals for 2018 are:

• Read 10,000 pages
• Isengard to Minas Tirith
• Lose 25 pounds - There is a number I'm trying to reach, but I'll just put it as how much I want to lose rather than admit that number.
• Put together master to-do/bucket list

Moving on to the weekly update format:

What I've been reading... Since last update, I finished Brian Staveley's _Providence of Fire_, and read Neil Gaiman's _Norse Mythology_ and Brian McClellan's _Sins of Empire_. I also read the entirety of Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics, including the ones not on the main story arc, such as the Death compilation. Adding to my graphic novel tally was Alan Moore's _Watchmen_, which was fascinating but perhaps slightly dated in a post-Cold War society.
My current book is Brandon Sanderson's _Oathbringer_, book 3 in his Stormlight Archive series. I'm on page 796 of 1248. Yes, you read that number correctly. I'm very glad I'm reading it on Kindle.

What I've been crafting... Since last update, I finished the Star of Donegal crochet afghan, and Papillon Creations' _Around the World in 80 Stitches_. I finished the knight panel of Teresa Wentzler's _Fantasy Triptych_, and will work on the castle panel later this year.
I am currently stitching on the shepherd boy panel of the gigantic MarBek Nativity.

Fumbling toward fitness The remainder of 2017 was pretty much a loss as far as fitness goals. I am trying to climb back on that wagon, and did make it to Curves today. I am trying to get back into a Monday/Wednesday/Friday routine with it.

One Little Victory DH and I capped off our 2017 with an empty-nest trip to Asheville, NC. We had a wonderful time, seeing a family friend and enjoying lots of good food and good beer - we visited 3 breweries and 2 cideries, and there is so much more we could have done. We will have to go back sometime.