author, Andy Weir

I started 2026 by reading books with a vengeance. I think what was really got me back in the swing of things was putting a book down right away when I wasn't immediately drawn in. Sometimes, this was after reading a few chapters. Other times, it was only after a few paragraphs. If I wasn't feeling it in that moment, I moved on and opened a different book. There are endless books available so why read anything other than ones where you can't wait to get to the next page??

My favorite books so far are both by Andy Weir, Project Hail Mary and Artemis. If you've seen the movie, The Martian, that's by this author as well! And, the Project Hail Mary movie, starring Ryan Gosling, is in theaters now. 

Project Hail Mary is for sure the best of his books. So imaginative and detailed. I also thoroughly enjoyed Artemis, but didn't get as sucked into the characters as deeply. The storyline would be better for young adults, if it weren't for some of the themes and language. I started The Martian, but put it down after a few chapters. Reading the story through the POV of the main characters thoughts was a little too stressful for me, especially since he had to work through so many problems as part of the storyline. I felt like his stresses became my stresses and I couldn't get lost in the story. I have heard Andy's got another book in the works and I'm so looking forward to it!

Footnote - you will love Andy Weir if you devoured the 3 Body Problem series (the books!, not the Netflix series, which was the worst case of book adaptation I've ever experienced!) Both Andy Weir and Liu Cixin, the author of 3 Body Problem, have the same detailed theories, rabbit holes, and storylines of space and physics. Contemplating string theory (multiple dimensions and times) is not for the faint of heart. But, if you are someone who can stretch your mind and consider things other than face value, these are two great authors for you! If you want to see a better adaptation of 3 Body Problem, search on Youtube for the Tencent Three Body English, which is a thirty (yes thirty!) episode series of the 3 Body Problem books created by Tencent, a Chinese company, right around the same time as the Netflix series came out.

love for Minnesota

Minnesota has gotten a lot of attention and ❤️ lately. Here's a glimpse into the beautiful life here. Seasons other than Winter truthfully are very short. Yet, Minnesotans take advantage of every day of the year. Even in the depths of Winter, people look forward to ice fishing, cross country skiing, and honestly just watching the snow fall. Negative forty degree windchill days will still have full attendance at an ice bocce tournament , golf on a frozen lake, or around a cozy table of a restaurant. Bundled up to be sure, but they are there and loving it all the same! Spring and Fall last just weeks it feels. But, those crisp mornings are some of the best of the year. The two months that is Summer is spent almost entirely at the lake, but taking advantage of farmers markets and hitting up our many county and state fairs are close behind.