I’m back on my old long book kick. Just started the Count of Monte Cristo

Just finished War and Peace. Took me a good 6 months so I’ve been itching for my next book.

This week I started Comanches: The history of a People. I’ve read a few fiction books on the tribe but am excited to learn more about them.

For automotive repair the 3 best resources I’ve found are youtube, buying a Haynes repair manual, and the ALLDATA website. Youtube has videos for doing most things on your car/truck, a Haynes repair manual walks you through a ton of basic to advanced procedures (it pays for itself), and repair shops use ALLDATA. It’s more advanced and a bit less intuitive but a great resource. I get it free through my local library which is great too!

The library: It’s nothing sexy but I’ve always had luck going to the library and grabbing all of the books off the shelf on the subject I’m learning. I then sit at a table and quickly scan through the stack. After finding the ones that seem the most valuable of the lot I take those home and work through them. I was lucky to live in a major city so my library had a ton of content.

To throw another recommendation into the mix: Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Currently my favorite book and could certainly take a year to read

I tried the audio book on a road trip. Heard all of the great things about it so I downloaded it. Took me over and hour to figure out it’s fiction and not nonfiction. I listened to about 2 hours and it wasn’t bad but I didn’t get pulled in like everyone else seems to have been. It’s one of those books I feel like I should finish but just don’t have the interest to.

I’ve had on my bucket list to do a short book/long cigar afternoon at some point and I’ve been saving this book for that afternoon.

I’m on the otherside of the coin. I was remote like many during covid then recently took a job where I have a 40min commute 2 days a week. I wasn’t happy about that to start and thought I wanted full time remote. I’m 4 months in now and I love it. To me it feels like the best of both worlds. My drive isn’t a hard 40 min and I get through podcasts and calls to friends/family. I just bring my laptop and dock at home or office which is easy. It has been great seeing and meeting people. I try to structure my days so I get meetings in person and focus work done on WFH days. Not for everyone but some, like me, might be surprised that they like a blend more than they think.