Update on #38 and #81

#38: Read all the books on my bookshelf

I finally finished Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert. More about that later...

Technically, I wasn't supposed to buy any new books until I finished all the books on my bookshelf. But since the next book on my list is Rebel Angels, a follow up to A Great and Terrible Beauty... I figured I need to buy the third and final book in the Libba Bray series, The Sweet Far Thing, because I plan to read it next, next.

#81: Keep a list/diary of all the books I read and what I thought of them.

I think I'm going to eventually start a new blog for just this goal - (I love that I say eventually... I should add this to my 101 so I actually do it...) but for now... I'll just do it here.

Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Many people recommended this book to me, and I heard and read many things about it and wasn't ever really interested in reading it. I had categorized it as a "self-help" book, and I had unsuccessfully tried to read a self help book before (A New Earth, Eckhart Tolle - and just a note on this book: I REALLY tried to read it. I couldn't get passed the first chapter... my mind would just wander and I could not get into it... and so I bought it on CD - to "enjoy" on my long commute to work - but the droning monotone of the author put me to sleep - which isn't good if you're trying to drive... so, I said "To hell with it."). I didn't have any interest in trying again.

My roommate was cleaning her bookshelf out one day and I saw that she had it, so I borrowed it and read it... and loved it.

I love so many things about the book - mostly just how free she became and how honest she was about the things she went through. I want to move to Italy and get fat... then move to India and find God (and get un-fat) and then move to Indonesia and discover pure happiness.

It's definitely a self-help type of book - the life lessons are embedded in her life stories. But it was entertaining as well... which is always great. It's inspired me in some ways, to take what I have and make the best of it, and to stop worrying about stuff... in general. I have one life to live and I'm gonna live it...

Favorite quotes/mantras from the book:

"I will not harbor unhealthy thoughts anymore"

"As smoking is to the lungs, so is resentment to the soul"

"God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen."