Are you familiar with Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files? I have read the first 10 books so far and find them fun, thought-provoking, well written, and the best kind of snarky.

The wizard Harry Dresden is a ‘rough-around-the-edges’ Private Investigator and yes, resident wizard, who happens to sometimes help out the Chicago PD. I love the fact that the series is mostly set in Chicago. Midwestern Culture for the win! In the books, he deals with all sorts of magical creatures, magical humans and regular humans, sorting out the good, the bad, the chaotic, and the dependable, plus everyone in between. He is an inclusive guy who will help those truly in need but also gets himself into trouble. Think a magical, one-man version of “The A-Team”.

The emotions are well written, you feel like you are there with Harry. He’s a smart ass and a fan of nerd pop culture. The books can make you think (if you are in the mood to be philosophical) about good and evil, and the nature of villains. Sometimes in the Jessica Rabbit kind of way -“I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way”, sometimes in the style of Voldemort. Every book and every adventure is different.

Right now, I am reading the compilation of short stories now called Side Jobs, Stories from the Dresden Files. On the cover is a quote from Entertainment Weekly ” Think Buffy the Vampire Slayer starring Philip Marlowe.” I think that is a truly apt description.

Given what is going on in the world today, fighting evil in a book is a nice escape while still timely and relevant.

Thinking about the New Year (yay it’s 2021) and my “bucket list” for the next 1001 days or so, (it doesn’t start yet, but I have started thinking about it). I have some things to check off, go places I haven’t been in a while, see people I haven’t seen in a long time, have a fondue party, play a round of golf for real… stuff like that, and it got me thinking that I also want to learn new things. Skills perhaps, but just trying something to see if it resonates with me, do I want to learn more? Sometimes you have to learn a little to see if it clicks, or you get hooked.

Like Yoga, I have tried a few different yoga classes each with different instructors and while I didn’t hate it, I never really felt like I wanted to go back. It didn’t click with me. Nothing terrible, I wish I did like Yoga, and maybe I will find a type of Yoga or an instructor that I click with, anything is possible. Zumba clicked with me; I was happy, exhausted, and pumped at the end of a class. Certain Kickboxing classes resonated with me as well. Therefore, what do I want to “TRY” whether I actually really learn something or not, I want to try new things? Still thinking about that, I know I want to try things, putting it down on paper makes it real, and a touch intimidating… but I will get there.

A few more potential goals:

I have been reading Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. It has been fascinating. I will go into more detail in another post, but totally worth the read. Just finished Wizard and Glass, which is the fourth book in the series. One goal for 2021 is to finish the series.

I am loving The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. I want to finish the series this year and try some of his other works. So far, I am a fan!

The usual stuff, eat healthy, exercise more, stay in touch or reconnect with friends and family, the pandemic really put it into sharp relief, but I had been craving reconnecting with friends for some time. It has been so nice to reconnect with some folks over this past year.