Friday, February 28, 2025

FROM THE SPINE - FEBRUARY 2025 BOOK REVIEWS

February 2025

Single parenting is tough. I got to be a single parent for a week. No one died, but it was sketchy a few times. The kids and I did some AI experiments. Jet has been watching Pokémon fusion videos, so we had different AIs draw some Pokémon fusions (Millie)(Jet) for us.  The kids have had several snow days/hazardously cold stay-home days, so we started teaching them to contribute to the household chores more deliberately. So far, this has been a huge success. I highly recommend teaching hard work early and often. Fun fact- Kansas can swing from -30 degrees wind-chill to 70 degrees in a week. 


Anyway, here are the books I finished and my reviews of them:


Fiction Books

Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett (Mac B. #1)

Mac is a normal kid with only one pair of blue jeans. The Queen of England recruits Mac to find the Crown Jewels, which have been stolen. On his flight to England, Mac’s Gameboy is stolen. The Queen gives Mac an incriminating note from the President of France and his choice of Corgi side-kick to rescue the stolen treasure. Mac breaks into the Louvre and steals the Mona Lisa planning to trade it to the President of France for the Crown Jewels. Then his plan falls apart. I won't spoil the twist for you. Jet liked this short book. He’s got it down in his Battle of the  Books folder. The best part is when Mac emulates Freddy the Corgi and licks his way out of a bad spot. 


This is for spies in training and anyone who appreciates a good pair of blue jeans.

(Rated G, Score 7/10, audiobook read by the author, 1:19)


Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis

Many people are familiar with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JRR Tolkien, but did you know there is a space trilogy written by CS Lewis about the same time? This is book one of the space/time trilogy. Ransom, the main character and professor of languages, is kidnapped by two men (Weston and Divine) heading to Mars. They knock him out, load him on their spaceship, and launch before he wakes up. On the way to Mars Ransom learns that this is a second trip for the men to Mars and that he will be a human sacrifice to the natives on their arrival. But when they land, Ransom uses distractions to escape. He runs away and explores the landscape of Malacandra, which is the name for the planet that the natives use. Ransom meets and learns to communicate with a hross, one of the planet’s three rational races of creatures. The hross takes Ransom back to his village and teaches him the language, survival, and customs of the hrossa who are the planets’ poets. Ransom spends some weeks living amongst the hrossa and developing his understanding of the language. Next, Ransom is summoned by Oyarsa, the ruler of Malacandra, so he obeys the summons. On his trip, he meets a sorn named Augray. The seroni are the scientists of the planet and look most like humans in form. Augray carries Ransom the rest of the way to see Oyarsa on the island of Meldilorn. On the island, Ransom meets a pfifltriggi, the third race on Mars. The pfifltriggi are craftsmen and tinkerers. 

Finally, Ransom meets Oyarsa and discovers the whole story. Oyarsa questions Ransom about Earth and the two men who brought Ransom to Mars. Because of his greater mastery of the language Ransom can explain and learn many things from Oyarsa. Weston and Divine are brought before Oyarsa for killing three hrossa. Oyarsa banishes them by sending them back to earth in their ship with 90 days' worth of food and air. Their ship is rigged to be unmade in 90 days, and the men barely make it home before it disappears. This is a tough story. It shows, in story form, how far we have fallen from kindness to greed. Like in A Wrinkle in Time, Earth is shown to be a dark, silent planet. A planet cut off from the splendor of heaven. I find it incredible how well Lewis could see these aspects and write them into the story.


I recommend this book to anyone interested in space/time travel or philosophy.

(Rated PG, Score 10/10, paperback 158p., audiobook read by Geoffrey Howard, 5:26) 


Carl’s Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman (Dungeon Crawler Carl #2)

Carl and Princess Donut are right where Book One left off. They are trapped in a video game, except it’s real life. Earth is now Dungeon Crawler World, which is a combo game/reality TV show for the alien universe. All surviving humans are contestants. Carl and Donut survived the first couple of training floors in book one so they get to pick race and class attributes. Mongo, their pet velociraptor, is growing along with them. As he learns and levels up his size changes dramatically. At the start of the book, he’s chicken-sized and at the end, he’s more like a horse. Mordecai, their game guide, gets promoted to be Donuts manager, which means they drag him all over the next level. Floor three is called Over City and it has new enemies and dangers. Carl gets dumped into a creepy circus quest. He and Mordecai prepare a plan that gets morphed and adapted as the story plays out. He ends up cutting a deal for later floors, reuniting a family, and rescuing Donut and Mongo along the way. When they find a bigger town, they get stuck in a new quest. They have to solve a murdered-prostitutes-raining-from-the-sky mystery. The book ends with their transition down to the fourth floor right before a massive magical doomsday explosion. This book didn’t get me quite as wound up as Book 1. Maybe I was in a better place while I read it, or maybe knowing the characters and writing style helped take some of the edge off. The author does a good job dressing up deep struggles and tensions in gore and game dressing. Like a good video game, the story is complex, the plot is unpredictable, and there are deeper themes, but visibly you can get lost in the design and graphics. My favorite character in this one is Mongo. He’s funny. 


This is for mature gamers. 

(Rated R, Score 7/10, ebook, 364p.) 


The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm

This fun little book is on Jet’s Battle of the Books list. He had already read through it, so when we listened to it, he could answer all my “What happens next?” questions for the first time instead of the other way around. The story is about a young boy named Bell who lives on Mars. Bell lives in the American bunker/camp, which is built in some of the lava tubes on Mars. There are camps for other countries joined by an underground train, but the Americans have been isolated from the other countries because an old accident killed one of the Americans. The story introduces all the characters in the American camp as Bell goes about his days. One day, the elderly camp botanist dies. Then, the other adults in the camp begin to get sick. The kids keep the camp moving for a few weeks, but the load gets to be unbearable. Bell and another boy take the train to get help. They stumble into a wedding in one of the other camps. When the French commander hears about the sickness in the American camp, she immediately sends her medic and other helpers to the Americans. The kids spend a month in the French camp while the adults recover from the virus. When the adults are recovered, they force the Americans back into isolation. The separation is devastating for the kids. Bell, being the youngest, kindest, and therefore, most dangerous, finds a way to unlock old secrets, heal old wounds, and restore the lion pride of Mars. The Mars in this story is nothing like the Mars in Lewis’ story, but there are some similarities. We are all broken, and we all make mistakes. We need each other and we need grace, love, and forgiveness. We can’t survive on our own. 


This is for lion cubs who like space stories.

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Maxwell Click, 5:46)


Non-Fiction Books

Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John M. Gottman

I’ve been working through this book for a while now. I was finally able to finish it. The author argues that raising emotionally intelligent kids is very important for their health, success, and overall well-being. Gottman includes a test to help determine your parenting style: Dismissive, Disapproving, Laissez-Faire, and Emotion Coaching. Dismissive parents make kids feel like their emotions don’t matter. Disapproving parents might punish kids for having big negative emotions. Laissez-faire parents let kids do whatever they want, leading to kids with boundary issues. Emotion coaching parents help kids learn to identify their emotions and have a much healthier set of skills for handling all different types of emotions in different contexts. There are 5 steps in emotion coaching: 1- Be aware of the child’s emotions. 2- Recognizing the emotion as an opportunity for intimacy and teaching. 3- Listening empathetically and validating the child’s feelings. 4- Helping the child verbally label emotions. 5- Setting limits while helping the child problem-solve. Walking through these steps helps the parents and the kids. It builds skills. It builds relationships. It makes feelings safe. It establishes healthy boundaries. It gives kids better words to describe what they are feeling. 

Gottman includes three additional sections to help parents. The first chapter describes the negative impact that marriage problems and divorce have on the kids in the family. Gottman warns against the four horsemen of the apocalypse in marriage: 

1-Criticism- attacking your partner and blaming.

2- Contempt- expressing disgust and undermining respect. 

3- Defensiveness- kills listening.

4- Stonewalling- one partner shuts down and becomes non-responsive.

When these appear in a relationship, they can be very destructive and difficult to address. It is hard to understand just how damaging and stressful these situations are for kids. 

The second chapter explains how fathers have a powerful, critical role in emotion coaching. Fathers will impact their kids in life-changing ways, whether present or absent. They have an amazing influence. Dads, your words and actions carry more weight than anyone else in your child’s life. What a challenge. Embrace it.

The third chapter walks through the emotional needs kids will have in each stage of development from infancy to adulthood. Each stage has its challenges and growth areas. Parenting is a journey and it is very helpful to have a sort of a map of what that journey can hold. 

This book is very helpful and very challenging. Thank you, Eric, for walking me through this. I’ve been working on emotion coaching my kids. It’s a process. Having a plan and words to help has been a game-changer. 


This is for anyone trying to raise a small human. 

(Rated PG, Score 9/10, audiobook read by Roy Worley, 8:04, paperback 240p.)


Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

I think one of the best parts about this book is that it follows its own advice. The author breaks down his approach to slow productivity into three simple parts: 1- Do fewer things. 2- Work at a natural pace. 3- Obsess over quality. If the problem you are trying to solve is a frantic obsession with business, writing a book with 37 tips for slowing down wouldn’t quite work. I like the slow, simple outline of the book. I like the author’s style. The message is perfect for me (and probably for you) at this time in my life and career. I’ve been so busy, so distractible, and ready for change. The author offers hope, wisdom, and permission to let go of the chaos. Logically, it makes sense how we got to this point where we are trapped in a digital spiral of doom, email, IMs, video meetings, and despair. The busier we look, the more productive we must be right? Right? No. It’s probably the opposite. By being busy we dilute our work. We don’t get deep into the work that matters. We stay on the surface answering status emails and reporting no progress because we haven’t had any time or space to focus. So, instead of burning out or silently quitting, we need to do less. Permit ourselves to not be a slave to email and chat requests. Breathe. Take walks. Schedule time for our most valuable projects. Say no, politely, and firmly to projects we can’t, shouldn’t, or don’t want to do. Understand our value and our sweet spots, then do more of that. Say no to meetings. And when we look back, recognize that real work takes time, persistence, and a different sort of approach. Of course, life requires balance. You can’t implement all these ideas immediately without consequences. You might get fired. And then again, you might not. I think we have more freedom to choose the right pace than we know. So, slow down. Breathe. Say no. Protect your time and space for creation. Give up the things that don’t matter to focus on the things that do. Say, like Nehemiah, when distractions come, “I am doing a great work, and cannot come down.” Work at your craft. Develop your taste. Rest after seasons of furious activity. This is how you keep from burnout. 


This is for the tired, frantic, busy souls.

(Rated PG, Score 10/10, audiobook read by the author, 6:17)


Preview/Currently Reading-

Leadership is Language by David L. Marquet (36%)

Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #5) (42%)

Whisper by Mark Batterson (34%)


I track my books in a database called Goodreads. It might help manage your reading lists. 


Final Thoughts- 

Slow down. Watch an afternoon movie once a month as therapy. It will restore your soul. 


I heard this quote, and it stuck with me. I’ve been pondering it a lot this month. “If we don’t make time for our friends, we won’t have any.” Make time for the important people in your life. Build friendships. Show up. Let go of the rush and be there with them. 


One of the most powerful and emotional bits of reading I experienced this month was hidden in Lion of Mars. Bell is talking to the French Commander about the old botanist who died. He asks, How do you stop missing someone? The commander has a simple but profound answer: Remember them. I’ve been missing some people from my journey lately. Winter is dark, lonely, and sad. But memories can shake some of that loose. I’ve been working to remember and record some of my best moments. Those memories are lights from the past, healing the present and helping me plan more memorable adventures for the future. I don’t want to give away the ending, but winter ends. Spring is coming. 


Thanks for adventuring with me. 


Joshua

Instagram: Fromthespine

PPS. I’m looking to grow and improve this little experiment. If you have benefited from it and would like to support my ability to buy better books or run with some other ideas I have been working on, here is your opportunity. You could think of it as an investment or buying me a coffee.  

Friday, January 31, 2025

FROM THE SPINE - JANUARY 2025 BOOK REVIEWS

January 2025

January is always so cold. It can be tough. It follows the joy and hope of the holidays with dark days and cold weather. Millie and I celebrated birthdays. Lots of people called me old, so it must be starting to show. I have been looking back at last year and comparing how well I am moving around this year to crutches and a big nasty brace last winter. It feels really good to be strong enough to be asked to move heavy things again. 


Anyway, here are the books I finished in January and my reviews of them:


Kids Books

The Little Bird’s Nest by Amber Waters

My mom bought this beautiful little book for Millie for her birthday. The young lady who wrote the story and painted the pictures is a childhood friend of my sisters. The story is about a little family of birds and a little family of humans. The mommy and daddy birds build the nest and raise the baby birds. The mommy and daddy humans explain the birds’ behaviors to the kids. We went through the same stories last year with a pair of robins building a nest in our tree. We didn’t get to see the baby birds, but we learned a lot watching the nest building. I enjoyed this beautiful watercolor book. 


The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Savage Carlson

Armand is a hobo in Paris. Just before Christmas, his spot under his favorite bridge is stolen. Armand is indignant, but the three children and their dog in his spot steal his heart. No one knew Armand had a heart. The kids and their mother are homeless because their father died and they have no money or a place to stay. Armand shows the kids around Paris while their mother is working a laundry job. The children find several places to sing carols and earn enough coins to eat pancakes. Their mother is outraged. Her pride won't allow begging. She sends Armand away. The next day, Armand finds the children about to be “rescued” by some do-gooder ladies. He hustles them away from the bridge and takes them to live with some gypsy friends he has. The children blend in with the gypsy children, and even Armand finds a warm tent to stay in with the gypsy men. The family goes to a big feast for the homeless hosted near Notre Dame for Christmas. The small relief for the family doesn’t last. The gypsies disappear when a policeman comes around asking about one of the men. Armand finally makes a decision. He will get a job. He and the mother can earn enough to pay rent and keep the children safe and warm. So he makes the ultimate hobo sacrifice- he gets a bath. He bathes the dog who is supposed to be white too. Together, Armand and the newly white dog, Jojo, go looking for a night watchman job, but what they find is a miracle. They find a job working for a kind man as caretakers. They must open and close a small set of shops, manage keys for shopkeepers, and maintain the area. The job comes with a place to stay big enough for the family. The new job changes Armand from hobo to hero. He walks tall and proud as a working man of Paris. 


This book was recommended by my mom as we learn about homelessness. It was hard to track down and I couldn’t find an audio version. The writing is clever and funny, even though it deals with difficult subjects. Thanks, Mom, for helping me learn to see with new eyes. 


Fiction Books

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials #2)

Book 2 picks up directly after the ending of Book 1. Lyra Silvertongue entered a new world.  There she meets a new character, Will. The pair join forces. They discover that there are parallel universe Oxfords that can be accessed through little windows between the worlds. They learn that evil occupies all the worlds. They learn to trust and rely on each other. In their adventures they meet adults who try to control them, children who try to fight them, and some kind of powers who try to help them. A creepy old rich man steals Lyra’s alethiometer and promises to return it to her if she steals a special knife for him. Lyra and Will hunt for the knife, and after a fight with the previous owner of the knife, Will becomes the new bearer of the Subtle Knife. He sustains a terrible wound which is the mark of the bearer. Will learns how to use the knife to cut windows between the worlds and then how to close them. Lyra and Will discover Mrs. Coulter (Lyra’s evil mother) talking to the creepy old rich man when they return with the knife. The kids don’t trust either adult, so they steal the alethiometer and escape. But now Mrs. Coulter is on their trail. She wants the knife and she wants Lyra. Book 2 ends with a cliffhanger leading toward a massive war in Book 3. Lord Asriel and other dark powers muster their strength. These stories have a dark, ominous tone. It’s a bit heavy for this time of year. I’m curious to see how the war works out, but we might wait for spring. 


This is for anyone who loves the awkward second volume in a series.

(Rated PG, Score 6/10, audiobook performed by full cast, 8:57)


The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Some books are therapeutic. This little book is that type. Mackesy wrote this book for everyone- from eight to eighty-year-olds. It’s filled with over 100 beautiful drawings of the boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse as they interact. The dialog is simple and very profound. The boy is lonely when he meets the mole. The mole loves cake. The fox is usually silent because he’s been hurt by the world. The horse is the strongest. The characters look at the wild which is scary and beautiful with storms, night, snow, and spring. I love this book and reread it often. It reminds me of many good, healthy truths. 


This book is for everyone. It is deeply therapeutic. Get the hardback and read it with a warm beverage to refresh your soul. 

(Rated G, Score 10/10, Hardback)


Defending Elysium by Brandon Sanderson (Skyward #0.5)

I spent a lot of time looking for this little book because it was the only piece of the Skyward series I hadn’t read. I bought it on Kindle, but then I found this version online for free. This story bridges the gap between today and Skyward. It is a small snapshot at the time in human history when we were aware of other sentient races but could not escape the solar system. The main character, Jason Write, works for the Phone Company. The Phone Company manages all interactions between humans and aliens after the humans shot down the first ship full of ambassadors coming to Earth. Jason is on a mission to a space platform called Evensong. Jason mashes two seemingly separate cases together. A missing alien (Varvax) ambassador and young lady who has lost her memory and ability to walk. The Phone Company has been trying to keep Earth safe while also developing cytonic powers in a few individuals, Jason being one of them. But the universe is a big place, and the other races with cytonics have been watching the humans. Humans are unpredictable, growing in power, and eventually, they will learn how cytonics work for faster-than-light (FTL) space travel. The Varvax and others aren’t willing to risk their peace, so they are a threat to human advancement and freedom. The story ends with Jason’s choice to take cytonics to the masses and help his race travel to the stars. 


This is for anyone thinking about jumping into the Skyward series.

(Rated PG, Score 8/10, ebook, 78p.)


Armada by Ernest Cline

Zack Lightman is just a high school video game nerd living in Portland, OR, until the aliens show up. Zack and his fellow nerds get recruited into the Earth Defense Alliance (EDA) to help pilot drones to defend the Earth against alien invasion. The EDA has been using video games to train drone pilots for decades. The plot looks like a video game, too. The aliens send three waves of fury at the earth. Each wave gets bigger and meaner than the previous. Zack and his gamer buddies unite and take the fight to the enemy. They have been training for years to fight this battle. There are lots of twists and turns in the fight, lots of drama and surprises, and lots of weird emotions. There are countless references to video games, movies, and pop culture. The story style is like Ready Player 1 mixed with Ender’s Game and Star Wars, but I think that’s the point. The end felt a bit rushed like maybe the author ran out of time during his book contract. This book and Defending Elysium both try to tackle the question of how humans will handle alien interaction. Can we be trusted to talk to aliens? We can’t even get along with ourselves. We can’t even take care of the one planet we do have. These questions are bigger than me. I’m just trying to raise kind kids and make a positive difference in my friends’ lives. 


This is for gamers, nerds, and alien movie fans. 

(Rated R, Score 7/10, audiobook read by Wil Wheaton, 11:50)


Non-Fiction Books

Excellent Advice For Living by Kevin Kelly

I've seen different lists of wisdom from this author over the years, so when I learned he had a book collecting his little proverbs, I added it to my list and I got it for Christmas. (Thank you, Peggy). There are 212 pages worth of short lessons. I don’t understand or agree with all of them, but that makes it even more interesting. Here are some of the ones that resonated best with me:

~ Being enthusiastic is worth 25 IQ points.

~ You don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.

~ Whenever you have a choice between being right or being kind, be kind. No exceptions. Don't confuse kindness with weakness.

~ Friends are better than money. Almost anything money can do, friends can do better. 

~It's not a compliment if it comes with a request. 

~With sharp things always cut away from yourself.

~Calm is contagious. Be calm to help others. 

~If you can't tell what you desperately need, it's probably sleep. 

~Each time you connect to people, bring a blessing; then they'll be happy to see you when you bring them a problem.

~All guns are loaded.

~You have to first follow the rules with diligence in order to break them productively.

~Your growth as a mature being is measured by the number of uncomfortable conversations you are willing to have.

~Buy used books. They have the same words as the new ones. Also, libraries. 

~You are as big as the things that make you angry.

~A superpower worth cultivating is learning from people you don’t like. It is called "humility."

~Pay attention to who you are around when you feel your best. Be with them more often.

~Done is much better than perfect. 

If you have your own bits of wisdom that you live by, send them to me. I'm collecting them.


This is anyone looking for little bits of wisdom.

(Rated PG, Score 10/10, hardback, 212p.)


A Street Cat Named Bob and How He Saved My Life by James Bowen

Winter is a brutal time to be on the streets. I’ve been learning about life on the streets a bit through people from church who serve and help the homeless people here in Wichita. My mom recommended this book after we were talking about understanding better how some folks can end up in such hard circumstances. James is a street performer in a drug rehab program living in assisted housing when he is adopted by Bob. You know how cats are. They are quite persuasive. Sometimes they just adopt you. Bob is a young ginger tom cat who shows up on James’ doorstep and sticks around. This book is their story. Bob and James get clean together. Bob has fleas, an infected leg wound, and a bad habit of eating out of the trash bins. James is working to kick a heroin habit. Together, they get better. James takes care of Bob and Bob makes James much more successful as a street performer (busker) and magazine seller. James talks about being invisible when he is on the streets. Bob makes them visible. Bob joins James on the streets of London, riding the bus on James’ shoulders. Bob breaks down social barriers and quickly makes friends. As their friendship goes on, Bob becomes a bit of a celebrity. Taking care of Bob gives James more purpose and direction. It motivates James to kick his drug habit, get a better job, and reconnect with his family. I found this story to be enlightening, warm, and helpful for seeing the world from new perspectives. As my friend Dave says, “But for the grace of God, there go I.” This book encouraged me to stop treating people like they are invisible. 


This is for cat lovers and anyone serving the poor or homeless. 

(Rated PG-13, Score 8/10, audiobook read by Kristopher Milner, 6:03)


Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink

Extreme Ownership is the best leadership book I have read in a while. Jocko and Leif trade off writing and reading sections in the following form: War Story, Principle, Application to Business. There are three parts: 

1- Winning the War Within: Extreme Ownership, No bad teams, only bad leaders, Believe, and Check the Ego.

2- Laws of Combat: Cover and Move, Simple, Prioritize and Execute, and Decentralized Command. 

3- Sustaining Victory: Plan, Leading up and down the chain of command, Decisiveness and Uncertainty, and Discipline equals freedom.  

Chapter 1 is Extreme Ownership, which shows how the most effective leaders have to take extreme ownership of everything in their world- the good, the bad, the wins, the losses, the failures, and so on. Only when a leader is willing to take responsibility for everything that affects the mission can they truly make the hard decisions and commitments it takes to lead and win in tough environments. 

My top 3 takeaways:

1) Prioritize and Execute. Relax. Take a look around. Make a call.

2) Simplify. 

3) Don't ask your boss what to do. Tell him what you intend to do.

Remember, “The enemy gets a vote.” You can have a perfect plan, but you still have to adjust, adapt, and overcome. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone hunting for some actionable leadership improvement content. The lessons are simple, clearly explained, and supplemented with examples from the military and the private sector. 

(Rated R, Score 9/10, audiobook read by the authors, 9:33, hardcover, 384p.) 


All It Takes Is a Goal by Jon Acuff

Jon Acuff is funny, positive, and excitable. I like his style, and this little book was just what I needed in the dark of winter. Jon talks about being a late bloomer and finally unlocking his potential with the power of goals. He explains that there are three types of goals he uses: easy goals, middle goals, and guaranteed goals. He also explains two different ways to generate goals: dreams or fears. Goals can be used to win at any of the five big games of life: career, finances, relationships, health, and fun. 

 

Easy goals are easy. They are designed to get you out of your comfort zone and try out new things. Sometimes they can be a tiny step to generate momentum on that big scary dream you have. An easy goal should sound unimpressive when you tell your friends and take less than an hour per week. They should feel good. You should reward yourself for completing them. Examples of easy goals would be: going for a walk, having lunch with a mentor, eating one new type of vegetable, or taking an art class. 

 

Middle goals are harder than easy goals. They should grow out of easy goals. You can grow your easy goals into middle goals if you find something you enjoy. Middle goals are important for going slow and calmly toward a dream. Middle goals should take about five hours a week. Middle goals can also feel good and start to take big chunks out of a monster dream or fear. Middle goals will require some restructuring of your schedule to fit in. Middle goals should not be over the top into the chaos zone. Middle goals would be to go to the gym two times per week, sign up for a class to advance your career, meet with a group of friends every week to talk about life, or work on your vegetable garden.

 

Guaranteed goals are hard. These are the big goals that will change your life. These are the goals that you integrate into your calendar. They are guaranteed because if you put in the work, you will absolutely win in one of the big games of life. A guaranteed goal sounds impressive or impossible if you tell your friends. It will take deliberate scheduling. It will change your priorities. I realized I have some of these types of goals already set up in my own life. I just didn’t know what to call them. They look more like systems. A guaranteed goal looks like this: complete 150 CrossFit workouts this year, spend 800 hours crafting book ideas, review your personal finances each week, and write down 1-3 actions to improve during your review, complement your wife 365 times this year. 

 

How do you know if you are winning? Scorecards. Scorecards need to be visible, and usable. They can take any useful form. I have a few scorecards that I use and I am trying to think up other areas that a scorecard would help. The kids use a bingo card version of a scorecard for their monthly reading goals. I have a spreadsheet to track my 10,000 pushups each year. How do you score your progress?

 

One more big topic covered in the book is the Best Moments List. You can make this list by writing down any/all of your best moments. They will fall into one of the following categories: experiences, accomplishments, relationships, or objects. Sometimes they will fit into more than one category. Building this list allows you to see those areas of your life that can be leveraged to make more awesome best moments. It will also give you data to see which category you are wired to appreciate most.


This is for anyone looking for better language and targets about goals. 

(Rated G, Score 9/10, audiobook read by the author, 5:37)


Preview/Currently Reading-

Leadership is Language by David L. Marquet

Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John M. Gottman

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley

Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive #5)


I track my books in a database called Goodreads. It might help manage your reading lists. 


Final Thoughts- 

I made From The Spine stickers. Let me know if you want one. I think they are awesome, but I’m biased and proud of them. There is a small flaw on them that makes me smile. It was created in a very specific, accidental way. If you can tell me exactly how it was made, I’ll buy you a book of your choice. 


Last year, when I got injured playing soccer, I lost all kinds of good things that I had been getting out of playing soccer. Lately, I have been trying to define what those things are so that I can try to replace them with other sources. I lost the exercise, the camaraderie of team sport, the stress relief, the safe place to express big emotions, the satisfaction of being good at something after years of effort and training, and many other things. I’m still pondering what that means. I’m still trying to fix my running gait. Unfortunately, it’s still wobbly and imbalanced. But as I work through all of these thoughts and experiences, it is becoming clear that it is a miracle that I can walk. There’s a story in Mark 2 about a paralyzed man whose friends bring him to Jesus, and Jesus, seeing their faith, heals the man. I feel like that man. With the faith of my wife, my surgeon, my friends and family, and my physical therapists, I have been restored. I love miracles. What an honor to live one. 


Thanks for adventuring with me. 


Joshua

PS. Instagram: Fromthespine


PPS. I’m looking to grow and improve this little experiment. If you have benefited from it and would like to support my ability to buy better books or run with some other ideas I have working, here is your opportunity. You could think of it as an investment or buying me a coffee