Reignition of My Reading Mode

One of my 2009 resolutions was (yeap, since I haven’t been up to it lately) to read one book a week. Don’t get me wrong – I am from the Quality’s School of Thought. I’ve been putting away my dream-cap for a while now since I turned middle age and I have been snoozing most of the time (Read : My great escapism of reality – shish I was really freaking out getting wiser :P).

Hey, move over Reader’s Block, I need to start again and these are a couple of books I should put my hands, mind and soul on: -

1. "Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life"

This self-help book by Gail Blanke, a professional motivator and contributor to Real Simple magazine says that stuff is just "life plaque" holding us back from achieving our true potential. Miss Blanke seems to promise that tossing stuff into a garbage bag will be the ultimate catharsis. "If we can't decide what to throw out of our clothes closets, how in the world are we going to decide what to throw out of our mental closets—closets that are overflowing with the debris of indecisions?" she writes.

p.s. Woooo…Mak thinks I keep too much stuff and books and it is true. I still keep “Cerita-cerita dari Asia” compilation of 3 books – the books I read till now since I was 8. It’s 2009 but I cannot part with my 2006’s Cats and Dogs calendar – a thoughful gift from a dear friend. I, too, have in my heart-shaped tin box treasure 3 pieces of RM1-coin minted back in 1971 – the year my soulmate was born. My Readers’ Digest compilation dated back to 1964 . They are too precious to me. Hmm..after writing this down, I think I can chuck away other ‘thoughful stuff at that point of time’. Yes, this week will be it – the day I trash my hopeless, thoughtless past. Paper lama boy, don’t forget to stop at my house ok? :P

2. “No Opportunity Wasted (“NOW”) – 8 Ways to Create a List for the Life You Want”

This book starts with the author’s (my Prince Charming Amazing Race’s Host Phil Keoghan) personal experiences - how he almost lost his life in a diving assignment, and how after he miraculously survived, he resolved to do the things he must do before he died. He shared his "List for Life" and the obvious reasons why everyone should consciously find ways to experience a "no opportunity wasted" life.

Phil encourages his readers to write down their lists for life and 8 featured themes as a guide: face your fear, get lost, test your limits, take a leap of faith, rediscover your childhood, shed your inhibitions/express yourself, break new ground, and aim for the heart.

p.s. Phil Keoghan? Knowing that he has come out with this book makes me adores him even more. A successful person should not merely be judged based on how much money they make or how popular they are – it is so good to know how much he has affected ordinary people’s life to fulfill their dreams.

p.p.s. I come to know that the price of knowing things is that the more you know you don’t know (confusing aye?:). So, once you start reading, you know you will never stop reading more and more…..