Currently reading, just read.

I've been making an effort to take a break during my lunch hour and spend some time reading. I had been in the habit of eating quickly and getting back to my work immediately after that. Lately I've found that my little reading break actually seems to make the day go by faster. Or maybe I'm just convincing myself of that. Either way, I'm enjoying it.

I've finished Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You. I really enjoyed it. It's been a while since a book has made me emotional. This one did. I also laughed, a lot. 

Another good laugh was from A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. This was my first of Bryson's books but I'd heard that a number of his were great, and this one absolutely was. A Walk in the Woods is a non-fiction book about his decision to walk the 2,100 mile long Appalachian Trail accompanied by his out of shape friend whom he hadn't really interacted with in about 25 years. You can imagine. When I first started this book I was certainly entertaining the thought that maybe this hike was something I would do someday. I've been daydreaming about getting away from work and schedules and exploring nature I'd yet to see. But, as soon as Bryson started mentioning the hazards of the trail, like black bears and hypothermia, I quickly abandoned that thought. This book, much like Through Painted Deserts, brings up the point of how awesome the little luxuries in life can be when you're away from them for so long. I've definitely experienced that. My dad, cousin and I spent three days and two nights in the woods of Pennsylvania a couple of summers ago and the first thing we did when we hiked out was eat a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke. It was so delicious.

Just this past weekend I started Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. I already have the feeling that this will be one that I read many times over and over.