Tag: London

Top 20 in 2020

31 December 2020

Two thousand twenty. Twenty-twenty. 2020

I’m sitting here on the cusp of the New Year, looking back over the last 12 months. And what a year was 2020.

And in looking back, I decided to list my Top 20 of 2020 broken down into Top 5s in 4 categories.

1-5 — Top 5 Books I Read in 2020

I had a stellar reading year. I read 235 books. Yes, some of these were rereads, but I always have some rereads. I always have a hard time choosing any fave, but I highly recommend these 5 (in no particular order).

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune – a young adult urban fantasy about a group of orphaned magical youth and their case worker. I found this story so enchanting and whimsical with beautiful prose. The book has great character development, wonderful world-building, and imaginative characters. I fell in love with each and every one of the orphans. And as lovely and wonderful as the story is, this story is also a timely read. Because this is a story about being different, about living authentically, about fighting prejudices and stereotypes, and about changing the system by changing the minds of one person at a time. This is a story that asks tough questions. That demands us to question our preconceived notions. That examines what it means to be a family, to be our authentic self, to be alive instead of just living. This is a story to be read and reread. To be cherished. And to be shared.

Becoming by Michelle Obama – I always liked Michelle Obama. Now I even respect her even more. What an amazing and inspiring story. I listened to the audiobook while following along with the physical book. I loved hearing Michelle read her own story. I particularly enjoyed hearing about her early life growing up on the South Side of Chicago. I understand her desire to not be in politics, but I think she would make a great political leader. And then I recommend following up with the Netflix documentary about her book tour.

The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith – an intriguing premise and from the first chapter, I immediately loved Claire:

Claire lived by the firm moral philosophy that one could never have too many pockets, too many books, or too much tea.

The idea that unwritten stories exist in their own library that’s in hell, but not completely a part of hell. And that librarians are normally deceased mortals who once were these unwritten stories authors. So imaginative with fantastic world-building and character building. I loved it so much I read it in one day. This is truly a book dedicated to stories.

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge – this book provides an eloquent discussion on race and institutional racism in the UK. While it is UK-specific, the broad discussions about racism, structural racism, feminism, and class are applicable anywhere. Ms. Eddo-Lodge clearly did an immense amount of research and is a testament to the book’s truth. This book is an important read and a great resource to start the hard discussions. Racism is a real and persistent problem. And it’s going to take voices like Ms. Eddo-Lodge to help facilitate the tough dialogue to find solutions

The Wolves at the Door by Judith L. Pearson – a nonfiction book that reads like a fiction spy thriller about America’s greatest female spy. She did so much important work during WWII that THREE governments honored her with their highest civilian honors. This was such an incredible read. Not only did she have to overcome the challenges of gender (which funnily enough she faced more after the war), but also disability. Her story is one that should be a must-read.

5-10 — Top 5 Puzzles I Completed in 2020

As an avid jigsaw puzzler, I completed a lot of puzzles this year. I don’t keep track of numbers (haven’t found a puzzle tracking app yet).

The Season Tree by Schmidt Puzzle
Rebel Girls by Gibsons Puzzles
Waiting for Our Humans by Better Co.
Garden Peacock by SunsOut
Sleepy Time by Vermont Christmas Co.

11-15 — Top 5 Moments I Had in 2020

  • Going to London with one of my besties to celebrate my birthday
  • Meeting one of my penpals and dear friends in real life
  • Moving to Okinawa
  • Eating at the Chicken Shack in Iwakuni
  • Collecting sea glass on Sea Glass Beach

16-20 — Top 5 Balcony View I Photographed in 2020

And that’s my Top 20 for 2020.

What were some of your top 20s in 2020?

London: My Top 5 Places To See

5 February 2020

In January, I opted to go to London for my birthday. I hadn’t been to London in over 20 years. So I spent the week in this fabulous city being a geek, gawky tourist.

Like most vacations, it’s impossible to do everything in one week. But with some planning (thanks to my local friends who gave us great advice) and some flexibility, we saw a lot.

I also recommend going in the off-season. I got a lot of cocked eye-brow looks and questions when I announced I was going to London . . . in January. But let me tell you, January was the best time to go. We dealt with minimal crowds and no lines. Yes, we wore winter coats, scarves, and sometimes hats. But the weather actually wasn’t that bad. And more importantly, no lines (or queues as they say in the UK).

So without further ado, here are my top 5 must-see things in London.

Continue reading “London: My Top 5 Places To See”