読書の進め - Reading Recommendations, and Welcome to 2012

So, one of my blogging goals of 2012 (aside from actually making a real return to blogging, which is top 2012 priority), I've decided I want to make a concerted effort to blog about book news. I'm regularly reading articles about books that I love, and for some reason, in the past, I've never really blogged about them. No longer.

So, I'm sure that most of you receive the Shelf Awareness newsletter, but if you're anything like myself, you never more than scan it. Which means that you perhaps missed the interesting article I read today. About a small little book store in Tokyo called Dokusho no Susume (you can see the actual Japanese for that in the title), which means Reading Recommendations.

And that's exactly what this little book store is about - reading recommendations. The owner, Katsuyoshi Shimizu, stocks books that he recommends, and all throughout the store, you can find little pieces of paper with the books, saying to whom he would recommend them and when (based on mood, etc. . .). He'll also personally approach you and talk to you while you're browsing, to help you find just what you're looking for. (However, according to the report of one Japanese male, he waited and waited for Shimizu to approach him, but he never did. And when he went back to find Shimizu-san, Shimizu-san had disappeared)

How cool is that? If you'd like to read more about it, check out this article in the Mainichi Daily News.

I adore Japan, and I'm already whole-heartedly looking forward to my return in April, but now I've got yet another reason to be psyched. I'll definitely be taking a trip to Tokyo, and you can bet that, when I do, I'll be visiting this book store.


Since I already mentioned one goal of 2012, I'll end this with yet another. One I'm particularly psyched about. I've got all 3 volumes of the Japanese version of 1Q84 by Murakami Haruki, and now that I'm back in the states, I'v acquired an English copy. Since I'll be away from Japan for nearly four months, I'm going to keep my Japanese up by reading the Japanese version and using the English version as a guide, for places I really have trouble.

What are some exciting goals you have for yourself for 2012?

It's a new year, which means it's time for some resolutions!

It's weird. . .I am a VERY disciplined person. I am constantly giving up things that I love just to prove to myself that I am capable. I'm a vegan, I don't drink alcohol, I don't drink soda, I don't chew gum (and I literally used to be a gum addict), I eat minimal sugar, I don't smoke (and actually HATE cigarettes more than almost anything in the world), and the list of things that I DON'T do could really go on forever. I am super awesome, actually, when it comes to limiting myself.
I am not Catholic (I consider myself agnostic, actually), and yet Lent is one of my favorite holidays - I celebrate every year by giving up several things I love. I LOVE giving up things I love.

And yet. . .when it comes to resolving myself to DO something as opposed to NOT DO something, I find it close to impossible. I'm great at saying no, but I guess I have some trouble saying yes. Because of this, unless my New Year's resolutions involve not doing certain things, I fail miserably.

That is why this year, I have decided to try to phrase them differently. So this year, I'm going to try to look at things negatively and hope that, as a result, things turn out positively. :-) Did that make any sense?

So, without further ado, here are the things that I will NOT DO this year:

with regards to my blog -

1)I will NOT post less than 4 times every week (and I'll aim for not posting less than 6).

2)I will NOT enter any more non-international contests and have to have the book shipped to my mom (unless I DESPERATELY want the book)

3)I will NOT accept to review so many books that I don't get around to reading my own books.

4)I will NOT forget to comment on blogs that I love and entries that I find interesting.

with regards to just me -

1)I will NOT continue to believe that exercising only twice a week is sufficient for a healthy life.

2)I will NOT ever put off learning Japanese for a later day (and will thus learn Japanese - I just don't know how to look at this negatively)

3)I will NOT let myself be stressed out by other people's stress

4)I will NOT put off writing back my faraway friends for a later time that usually ends up being never.