I didn't read as many books in 2018 as I have in some more prolific years, but I did read 30 books over the course of the last twelve months, including several that I immensely enjoyed and learned from. My favorite reads in 2018 included non-fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, YA, and bestselling literature:
As usual, my to-read list on Goodreads (which is currently at over 1000 books) is far too long for the amount of time I have to actually read (especially given that more new books are coming out all the time) - but I'm going to try to prioritize reading more in 2019 again and see if I can read at least 50 books next year.
This year I was also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to twelve theater productions! Four of them (if an Upright Citizens Brigade improv show counts) were seen during my trip to New York City with my husband in late March/early April, including two off-Broadway shows (Puffs, a Harry Potter parody; and the musical Avenue Q) and Lobby Hero on Broadway. Another four were put on by our local community theater, Avon Players in Rochester Hills: Boeing Boeing, Dial M for Murder, and the musicals Brides of Madison County and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Three more were part of "Broadway in Detroit": Something Rotten at the Fisher Theater, and Wicked and Aladdin at the Detroit Opera House. And the final show we saw in 2018 was the musical Cabaret at the Whiting in Flint, MI.
We always try to make an effort to see as many theater productions as our schedules (and bank accounts) will allow - because my husband and I both love to see live shows and to support local theaters - but this year was definitely our record so far. (In fact, we actually had tickets to see thirteen shows, but ultimately decided not to see our local community theater's production of Steel Magnolias in September, as it was only a week after my D&C for my miscarriage, and we didn't feel particularly up for what we knew would be a very emotional drama.) 2019 is shaping up to be another exciting (and potentially record-breaking) year for theater for us - we already have tickets purchased for nine shows, all in the first half of 2019, including the rest of our "Broadway in Detroit" season tickets and Avon Players season tickets. I've also been toying around with the idea of taking a long weekend to Stratford, Ontario to see a few plays (since it's already been 13 years since I've last been!!). Whether or not we take a Stratford trip or decide to see any plays in July-Dec 2019 will likely depend on how quickly we're able to get pregnant again, and when my due date ends up being - but it's certainly possible that we'll break our record of twelve shows throughout the course of 2019!
- Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor
- An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
- Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes
- Educated by Tara Westover
- Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
- Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
- The Facts of Life by Paula Knight
- The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist
- Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick by Maya Dusenbery
- Starglass by Phoebe North
- If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
As usual, my to-read list on Goodreads (which is currently at over 1000 books) is far too long for the amount of time I have to actually read (especially given that more new books are coming out all the time) - but I'm going to try to prioritize reading more in 2019 again and see if I can read at least 50 books next year.
This year I was also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to go to twelve theater productions! Four of them (if an Upright Citizens Brigade improv show counts) were seen during my trip to New York City with my husband in late March/early April, including two off-Broadway shows (Puffs, a Harry Potter parody; and the musical Avenue Q) and Lobby Hero on Broadway. Another four were put on by our local community theater, Avon Players in Rochester Hills: Boeing Boeing, Dial M for Murder, and the musicals Brides of Madison County and the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Three more were part of "Broadway in Detroit": Something Rotten at the Fisher Theater, and Wicked and Aladdin at the Detroit Opera House. And the final show we saw in 2018 was the musical Cabaret at the Whiting in Flint, MI.
We always try to make an effort to see as many theater productions as our schedules (and bank accounts) will allow - because my husband and I both love to see live shows and to support local theaters - but this year was definitely our record so far. (In fact, we actually had tickets to see thirteen shows, but ultimately decided not to see our local community theater's production of Steel Magnolias in September, as it was only a week after my D&C for my miscarriage, and we didn't feel particularly up for what we knew would be a very emotional drama.) 2019 is shaping up to be another exciting (and potentially record-breaking) year for theater for us - we already have tickets purchased for nine shows, all in the first half of 2019, including the rest of our "Broadway in Detroit" season tickets and Avon Players season tickets. I've also been toying around with the idea of taking a long weekend to Stratford, Ontario to see a few plays (since it's already been 13 years since I've last been!!). Whether or not we take a Stratford trip or decide to see any plays in July-Dec 2019 will likely depend on how quickly we're able to get pregnant again, and when my due date ends up being - but it's certainly possible that we'll break our record of twelve shows throughout the course of 2019!
