A day in the life of ...: 2020

2020 Goal: One book per month ...

October's read, Friend Request by Laura Marshall, was another random pick and recommendation from Book Depository. This book was definitely another one of my top books from 2020. I could not put it down!

It was around this time that I attempted to read Michelle Obama's biography called Becoming. A friend lent me her copy but I just couldn't get into it. I gave up after a few short chapters.

I realized I wanted to read for pure enjoyment only and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

I have read a few James Patterson titles over the years and decided to attempt another one of his books. Jack and Jill was a good read and another book that was hard to put down. It has inspired me to read more James Patterson titles in 2021.

With him being a popular author with a ton of different books, I imagine I'll be able to find some of his titles at the local library here in Taipei.

I had a library card back in the day though I'm not sure what happened to it. I may get another and start borrowing some books rather than buying all of them!

This book! Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney was another page-turner. The narrative fluctuated between two different time periods which left me slightly confused at first. About a third into the story, information was presented which made me put down the book to rethink the entire first part with this new twist!

I enjoyed the book immensely! The story messed with my mind, made me cringe in parts and kept me excited to keep on reading!

I finished this book in a few short days, allowing me to start my eleventh book for the year 2020!

My current read: Hotel K by Kathryn Bonella

2020 Goal: One book per month ...

December has brought a whole bunch of rain. It hasn't let up in weeks. Hiking has taken a backseat and Christmas events have taken over! I am extremely thankful to be living in a place where life hasn't stopped because of Covid-19.

It's another cold, rainy morning so a blog about my 2020 book list seemed fitting. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides was one of the better random picks (and recommendations) from Book Depository. This was one of the best reads of the year, indeed! I burned through this book in less than a week, barely wanting to put it down!

Enjoying my book at the community pool

In August, I was very excited to start my third Harlan Coben book called The Woods. It did not disappoint!

This was another read that I couldn't put down. After googling the title, I was reminded that there is a miniseries on Netflix based on this book. I am going to put it on my 'to watch' list right now!

The weather started cooling down a bit by September and I recall this image being taken on a rainy weekend. It was around this time that Levi started sleeping above my head like this. It only lasted for a month or so but she was doing it on a daily basis. Gotta love cats and their short habits.

I was working my way through my fourth Harlan Coben book, Tell No One, and enjoying it immensely. Google has just informed me that a French thriller film was released in 2006 based on this novel. Who knew?! Maybe I'll have to add that to my 'to watch' list as well!

With 2020 quickly coming to an end, keeping on track with a one book per month goal has been a proud accomplishment and an enjoyable one! I am inspired to keep reading! A few friends have suggested an e-reader, but I am quite content to stick to paperbacks for the time being!

Sunday December 6th, 2020 (cont'd)

Silver grass season is getting rained out this year ... glad to see some along the trails

An old temple along the Yingge trails and blue skies!

The trails were mucky and empty

Taipei way off in the distance where it was definitely raining

Sunday December 6th, 2020

Took some Taipei Hikers out of rainy Taipei to find some sunshine near Yingge (鶯歌區)

A gorgeous tree along one of the trails

Overlooking Taoyuan, I think

This tree was one of my favorites of the day

Saturday November 28th, 2020 (cont'd)

Hiking at Fire Mountain (火炎山) in Miaoli (苗栗)

Wandering around Sanyi (三義)

Fire Mountain (火炎山)

Saturday November 28th, 2020

Escaped rainy Taipei for a very sunny hike in Miaoli (苗栗)

At Fire Mountain (火炎山) in Miaoli

Sunday November 22nd, 2020 (cont'd)

At the Yueshanhu Cliffs (月扇湖大岩壁) in Shiding (石碇區)

An old farmhouse along the trails

A gorgeous day with some lovely views: our lunch spot

Sunday November 22nd, 2020

At the Yueshanhu Cliffs (月扇湖大岩壁) in Shiding (石碇區)

Some charcoals ovens from the mining days

Lovely off the beaten path trails

2020 Goal: One book per month ...

Cruising through dry November has been much easier than anticipated. The glass is almost full! Last Sunday, a group of us went for a delicious thanksgiving dinner at one of the western restaurants in Taipei and the majority of the table neglected to drink. I thought I would crave alcohol or miss it but I don't. Huh! That being said, I am looking forward to a somewhat wet December where plenty of festivities are planned!

In April, I started reading A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I was not inspired and found myself struggling to get through the first 200 pages. Also, the new semester was in full swing and things got rapidly busy.

As the end of the April was approaching, I realized I was nowhere near finishing the 600+ page book nor was I interested in continuing. I had nothing else to read so I picked up Blubber by Judy Blume.

I have a very old Judy Blume set with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, which is probably my favorite childhood book and one I've read a gazillion times, Otherwise Known as Shelia the Great, Then Again, Maybe I Won't and Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret. Blubber was an easy read and a story I've maybe only read once. In looking at this list, I don't think I've ever read Then Again, Maybe I Won't. I will have to add that to my 2021 list!

In May, I discovered Harlan Coben. I learned about him when Netflix was advertising a mini-series called The Stranger. The story looked interesting and I thought it may be fun to read the book first as I was struggling to find something to read.

I ordered The Stranger from Book Depository and burned through it. It was hard to put the book down. About halfway through the story, I started looking at other Harlan Coben titles. He has written a ton of stuff and it was hard to choose what to read next. I ordered Missing You to read in June. It was also a very enjoyable read!

I liked The Stranger so much that I attempted to watch the mini-series on Netflix but couldn't make it through the first episode. I tried more than once but ended up giving up. Part way into May and the story, Missing You, I had another Harlan Coben title on the way to my house, but I'll save that story for the next post!

Tuesday November 17th, 2020

At the Pingding Ancient Canal Trail (坪頂古圳步道)

Saturday November 14th, 2020 (cont'd)

Hiking at White Rock Mountain (白石山) in Daxi, Taoyuan (大溪,桃園)

Ended the hike at the CKS Statue Park

Saturday November 14th, 2020

A gorgeous 10KM hike at White Rock Mountain (白石山) in Daxi, Taoyuan (大溪, 桃園)

At the CKS Statue Park

2020 Goal: One book per month ...

Reading on the Loboc River in Bohol, The Philippines

At the start of 2020, I decided it was time to pick up reading again. I started with a book recommended by my cousin called Wild by Cheryl Strayed. It was a great read that was interesting, inspiring and relatable.

I started the book at some point in January and finished it on the 31st while vacationing in the Philippines.

Reading at a different location along the Loboc River

February's book was The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I read this story decades ago when I first moved to Vancouver, BC. I remember it being a refreshing story and knowing I'd be on vacation for the start of February, the book seemed fitting.

I cruised through the story and enjoyed it even more the second time around. I finished the book while waiting for my delayed flights out of Bohol and out of Manila. Not even two weeks into the month of February and my second book was finished!

I was heading home to a forced and unpaid two-week holiday (the new semester start date had been pushed back for all schools nationwide) due to Covid-19. The Taiwan government knew most people were returning home from the Chinese New Year holiday and it was their way of having a quarantine period without locking down. I had no idea how Coronavirus was going to change the world at this time.

Waiting in line to buy masks

I started the book The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson. It was an appropriate read for what was going on in Taiwan and around the world.

Masks were nowhere to be found in Taiwan in mid-February so Taiwan quickly set up a mask rationing program making them available to everyone.

A mask-purchasing app was made stating which pharmacies had masks, how many they had and what time they would be selling them at. This resulted in many lineups around the city with people watching dwindling numbers on their phones as masks were being purchased in real time. Those standing near the backs of lines always looked more nervous. No one wanted to wait in line for an hour only to be told there were no masks left.

I spent some time familiarizing myself with the app and understanding the charts so I knew what pharmacies were best to go to. This became part of my weekly routine for a month or two and waiting in line seemed like a good time to get some reading done!

Around April, Taiwan had produced enough masks to change the program which then allowed one person to buy nine masks every fourteen days with their health card. The line ups ended which meant finding time in my regular schedule to fit in reading started. It proved a tad challenging in April but I'll save that for the next blog post.

Sunday November 1st, 2020 (cont'd)

The Elephant Trunk Tunnel (象鼻隧道) in Hualien (花蓮)

The day involved a lot of scrambling up and down boulders and rope climbing

The weather was perfect but there was zero escape from the hot sun

The final climb before reaching the old coastal road

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