Every year, like many people, I concoct a list of resolutions to make me a better person. These range from trying to be more active to cutting back on screen-time. And because these resolutions are difficult or boring, they rarely last more than a few months at best. Today, I wanted to share some fun and quirky New Year’s resolution ideas and some fun books that you can check out to help you reach these goals. We’re going for creative, here though, so you won’t find books on weight loss or organization. Rather, the point of this challenge is to help you really expand your horizons and try something totally new. I hope you have some fun!
Try New Apple Varieties
Apples of North America: 192 Exceptional Varieties for Gardeners, Growers, and Cooks (Tom Burford)
Growing up, I thought that apples came in three varieties: red, green, and yellow. But, there are hundreds of types of apples on the market today, including Fuji, Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Granny Smith, Envy, Cosmic Crisp, Opal, and Pink Lady. Why not try to sample as many of those varieties as you can? What a delicious way to get your daily serving of fruit!
Cultivate a Window Garden
While it’s too cold out to really get into gardening right now, you can start off your year with a green thumb by adding some lovely houseplants to your collection. This book will tell you all kinds of helpful hints for helping your new leafy green friends survive and thrive. Start with a plant or two and slowly expand your house into an indoor jungle by the end of the year! Not only do plants help reduce stress and increase the oxygen in your living space, but they look nice and can make great conversation pieces!
Be an Armchair Explorer
Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders (Joshua Foer)
I love to learn about new places and people, but the idea of actual travel–time spent in the car or on a boat or at the airport makes my skin crawl. I love to explore, but I hate to travel. So, whether you’re a reluctant traveler or something else prevents you from renewing your passport and hopping the next plane to Europe, consider exploring the world from the comfort of your own favorite reading nook! The library has tons of travel books, including titles that focus on locations of special interest, those that no longer exist, and those that are just too dangerous for the average tourist to visit. Of course, you can also learn about popular destinations like Tokyo or London, too–we have books on those topics as well!
Stun Your Friends, Family, and Foes with the Magic!
I’m not suggesting that you actually learn the arcane arts of sorcery. But, there are tons of cool tricks that you can learn and use to impress your friends, family, and even your enemies. I’m a sucker for a good magic trick, and some of my favorite college memories involved my friends and I going to see magicians performing on campus. Whether you want to learn a quick card trick or something more complex, this book should be a good starting point to help you get your feet wet.
Catch Up On Your Reading
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List (James Mustich)
As a librarian, I will always advocate a resolution that ends with you reading more books. Always. So, why not make that your resolution for the year? You can start small (3-5 books for the year) or get crazy, with a reading goal of 100+ books. If you’re not sure where to start, books like this, which give you a robust “must-read” list are a great place to look. With 1,000 titles to choose from, you’re sure to find something that you’ll love!
Participate in a Big Year
Birds of Ohio: The Birding Pro’s Field Guides (Marc Parnell)
In the world of birding, a “big year” refers to a personal challenge where a birder tries to identity as many varieties of birds as they possibly can over the course of a year. These challenges, which often involve months of planning, can be done over a wide geographic location, or something more narrow, such as looking for birds in your state or hometown. Since this librarian assumes that the reader is new to the idea, I suggest you start your first “big year” by focusing on birds of Ohio. We have plenty of guidebooks to get you started!
Be Your Own Barista
But First, Coffee: A Guide to Brewing from the Kitchen to the Bar (Jordan Michelman)
There is nothing I enjoy more in the early mornings than sitting down with a book and a strong cup of black coffee. In fact, I most often drink my coffee black, making exceptions once every couple of months to get some sort of frou-frou coffee drink with lots of steamed milk and whipped cream. Whether you’re looking for the best way to make a simple cuppa or are hoping to make your own fancy lattes, affogato, or even espresso martinis, then this is the book for you!
Solve a Murder
Murder Most Puzzling: 20 Mysterious Cases to Solve (Stephanie Von Reiswitz)
Okay, so this book won’t actually help you solve a real-life murder, but it will give you some fun and interesting murder mysteries to solve. Expand your mind and play detective with this collection of puzzles and brainteasers, accompanied by fully-illustrated crime scenes and eccentric characters. I actually gave this book a chance last year, and it was a great way to unwind at the end of the day, with a cup of tea and a murder case!
Write Your Novel
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel (Jessica Brody)
One of the first things they teach you in library school is Ranganathan’s Laws, which in part state that every reader has their book and every book has its reader. I think this can be expanded to include the idea that every writer has their book, as well, and everyone can be a writer. If you’re looking to try your hand at putting pen to paper and finally writing that novel you’ve been dreaming about since you were in school, then consider this your call to action! Jessica Brody’s book is one of my favorite writing guides, and a great roadmap for how to plot out your novel, using a common structure seen in many different famous and well-received novels that have come before.
Learn Essential Skills
How to Fix Anything: Essential Home Repairs Anyone Can Do (Popular Mechanics Press)
One of the best gifts you can give yourself is to learn some practical life skills. And being able to do small, simple home repairs is a great place to start. You don’t have to possess the complete skill set of a professional handyman, but being able to fix things like squeaky hinges or removing the stink from your sink are basic skills that everyone should know. This book goes room by room to show you how to fix various cracks and creaks around the house, and when you’re done, we have plenty of books on other home-repair topics that you can try next.
