Saturday, 2 January 2010

List of Books Read 2010

Books Read 2010


Geektastic:Stories from the Nerh Herd - Ed. Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci
Unearthing Your Ten Talents: A Thomistic Guide to Spiritual Growth through Virtues and the Gifts - Dr. Kevin Vost
Iorich - Steven Brust
Life of Me - Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Lockdown - Alexander Gordon Smith
Geektastic:Stories from the Nerh Herd - Ed. Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci
Noah's Castle - John Rowe Townsend
Lockdown - Escape from Furnace I - Alexander Gordon Smith
Rose Sees Red - Cecil Castellucci
Silverwing - Kenneth Oppel
Sunwing - Kenneth Oppel
The Poison Eaters - Holly Black
The Wrong Book - Nick Bland
Firewing - Kenneth Oppel
Lullaby Moon - Rosie Reeve
Tracker's #1 - Patrick Carman
Lion's Lunch - Fiona Tierney and Margaret Chamberlain
I Spy - A Skeleton - Jean Marzollo and Walker Wick
The Life of Me (Enter at Your Own Risk) - Hank Zipzer Book 14 - Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
Rose Sees Red - Cecil Castellucci
A Crazy Case of Robots - Barnes & The Brains #3 - Kenneth Oppel
Solitary - Escape from Furnace Book 2 - Alexander Gordon Smith
A Bad Case of Ghosts - Barnes & The Brains #1 - Kenneth Oppel
Welcome Summer - Little Scholastic - Nancy Davis
A Strange Case of Magic - Barnes & the Brains Book 2 - Kenneth Oppel
Death Sentence - Escape from Furnace Book 3 - Alexander Gordon Smith
The Confession of Saint Patrick and Letter to Coroticus - Translated by John Skinner
Thirteen Days to Midnight - Patrick Carman
City of the Dead - The Haunting of Derek Stone 1 - Tony Abbott
Called to Life - Jacques Philippe
Seeking Christ in Reading - Eugene Boylan
Loyalty to the Church - St. Josemaria Escriva
The Way - St. Josemaria Escriva
Msgr. Josemaria Escriva: A Man Fitted to the Needs of the Church - Cardianl Franz Koenig
The Beatification of Msgr. Escriva - Flavio Capucci
Ideals in Youth - Cormac Burke
Furrow - St. Josemaria Escriva
A Way to Holiness - Cormac Burke
The Forge - St. Josemaria Escriva
Christ is Passing By - St. Josemaria Escriva
Food for the Soul - Federico Suarez
The Ventures of Faith - Cardinal John Henry Newman
Opus Dei and it's Critics - Cardinal Joseph Hoeffner
Process Theology and Secularization - Edwin C. Garvey
Msgr. Escriva de Balaguer: His Love for the Church - Alvaro del Portillo
How to Pray - Rev. Francis Luna
Conversion of the Children of God - St. Josemaria Escriva
Christ Triumphs Through Humility - St. Josemaria Escriva
Time for God - Jacques Philippe
A Plan of Life - Joseph M. Muntadas
In the School of the Holy Spirit - Jacques Philippe
The Hunchback Assignments - Arthur Slade
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire - Gordon Korman
The Dead End - Poison Apple Book 1 - Mimi McCoy
This Totally Bites! - Poison Apple Book 2 - Ruth Ames
Bites: Scary Stories to Sink Your Teeth Into - Edited by Lois Metzger
Busy Day - Under The Sea - Miora Butterfield and Lee Wildish
Kid Builder Tool Kit - Salina Yoon
The New Baby Calf - Edith Newlin Chase and Barbara Reid
The Clone Codes - The McKissacks
Bayou Dogs - The Haunting of Derek Stone 2 - Tony Abbott
Be Careful What You Wish For: Ten Stories About Wishes - Edited by Lois Metzger
The Red House - The Haunting of Derek Stone 3 - Tony Abbott
When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead
The Ghost Road - The Huanting of Derek Stone 4 - Tony Abbott
What Am I - Little Scholastic - Salina Yoon
Bite Me - Christopher Moore
White Cat - The Curse Workers Book 1 - Holly Black
Crazy Circus World - Jayce O'Neal
An Alien at Saint Wilfred's - Adrian Plass
How Green Was My Curate - Fred Secombe
The Theatrical Tapes of Leonard Thynn - Adrian Plass
A Curate For All Seasons - Fred Secombe
Goodbye Curate - Fred Secombe
The Chestnut King - 100 Cupboards Book 3 - N.D. Wilson
The Viper's Nest - 39 Clues Book 7 - Peter Lerangis
Boom! (or 70,000 light years) - Mark Haddon
A Brand New Me - Hank Zipzer 17 - Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Re-Gifters - Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, Mark Hempel
The Dark Deeps - Hunchback Assignments II - Arthur Slade
Hello Vicar! - Fred Secombe
Stress Family Robinson - Adrian Plass
Jacob the Baker - Noah benShea
Jacob's Journey - Noah benShea
Jacob's Ladder - Noah benShea
Benchpress - Sven Lindqvist
Yazmeenka Goes Electric - Teresa Henryka Panjer & Erin Panjer
Dead Water Zone - Kenneth Oppel
Mercury - Hope Larson
Mercury - Hope Larson
Vacations From Hell - Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Claudia Gray, Maureen Johnson, Sarah Mlynowski
Sea Change - Aimee Friedman
Debt is Slavery - Michael Mihalik
Instructions - Neil Gaiman & Charles Vess
Chiggers - Hope Larson
Chiggers - Hope Larson
Leepike Ridge - N.D. Wilson
Smile - Raina Telgemeier
The Primal Blueprint - Mark Sisson
How We Live Now - John Twelve Hawks
The Emperor's Code - 39 CLues Book 8 - Gordon Korman
My Daddy and Me - Amy F. Sklansky and Ard Hoyt
Beige - Cecil Castellucci
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Goth Girl Rising - Barry Lyga
Let It Fall - Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Calling All Cars - Lego City Adventure - Sonia Sander
Beige - Cecil Castellucci (Expanded playlist while reading)
A Wierd Case of Super-Goo - Barnes and the Brains #5 - Kenneth Oppel
An Incredible Case of Dinosaurs - Barnes and the Brains #4 - Kenneth Oppel
A Creepy Case of Vampires - Barnes and the Brains #6 - Kenneth Oppel
The Seventh Level - Jody Feldman
In The Time Of Noah - N.D. Wilson
The Dragon And The Garden - N.D. Wilson
A Tale Of Two Tales - Hank ZipZer 15 - Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver
The Christmas Ship - Dean Morrissey
Ship Of Dream - Dean Morrissey
You Are Special - Max Lucado & Sergio Martinez
If Only I Had A Green Nose - Mac Lucado & Sergio Martinez
Emily The Strange - The Lost Days - Rob Reger, Jessica Gruner and Buzz Parker 
Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Nighttime - Too Dark To See - Todd Strasser
Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Archvillian - Barry Lyga
How To Build A Snowman - Little Scholastic - Jo Moon
Here Comes Easter ! - Caroline Jayne Church
Grumpy Bird - Board Book - Jeremy Tankard
Gray Horses - Hope Larson
Gray Horses - Hope Larsom
Gray Horses - Hope Larson
Fancy Nancy: Ohh La La! It'd Beauty Day - Jane O'Connor and Robin Priess Glasser
Fancy Nancy: Tea Parties - Jane O'Connor and Robin Priess Glasser
Nana's Getting Married - Heather Hartt-Sussman and Georgia Graham
Stick Man - Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Boy Proof - Cecil Castellucci
The Queen Of Cool - Cecil Castellucci
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Chiggers - Hope Larson
Mercury - Hope Larson
Gray Horses - Hope Larson
salamander dreams - Hope Larson
salamander dreams - Hope Larson
Villainology - Arthur Slade
Monsterology - Arthur Slade
Copper - Kazu Kinuishi
Clubbing - Andi Watson & Josh Howard
Token - Alisa Kwitney & Joelle Jones
Nighttime - Too Scared To Sleep - Todd Strasser
Nighttime - Too Dark To See - Todd Strasser
The Greatest Goal - Mike Leonetti & Sean Thompson
salamander dreams - Hope Larson
The Haunted House That Jack Built - Helaine Becker and David Parkins
Not That Kind Of Girl - Siobhan Vivian
Storm Warning - 39 Clues Book 9 - Linda Sue Park
Grandma's Gloves - Cecil Castellucci & Julia Denos
Grandma's Gloves - Cecil Castellucci & Julia Denos
Wolverine - Old Man Logan - Mark Millar, Steven McNiven
The Golden City - John Twelve Hawks
Not That Kind of Girl - Siobhan Vivian
Villainology - Arthur Slade
Monsterology - Arthur Slade
Invasion of the IQ Snatchers - Arthur Slade
Build This City - Lego City - Scholastic
The New York Four - Brian Wood and Ryan Kelley
Benchpress - Sven Lindqvist
Burnout - Rebecca Donner and Inaki Miranda
Kimmie66 - Aaron Alexovich
Jacob the Baker - Noah benShea
Jacob's Journey - Noah benShea
Jacob's Ladder - Noah benShea
Good As Lily - Derek Kirk Kim and Jesse Hamm
Confessions Of A Blabbermouth - Mike & Luiose Carrey and Aaron Alexovich
The Live-Forever Machine - Kenneth Oppel
All Aboard - Lego City Adventure - Sonia Sander
Alex O'Donnell and the 40 Cyber Thieves - Regina Doman
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
The New York Four - Brian Wood and Ryan Kelley
Burnout - Rebecca Donner and Inaki Miranda
Kimmie66 - Aaron Alexovich
Re-Gifters - Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, Mark Hempelh
Good As Lily - Derek Kirk Kim and Jesse Hamm
Confessions Of A Blabbermouth - Mike & Luiose Carrey and Aaron Alexovich
Clubbing - Andi Watson & Josh Howard
Token - Alisa Kwitney & Joelle Jones
Chiggers - Hope Larson
Mercury - Hope Larson
Gray Horses - Hope Larson
Salamander dreams - Hope Larson    
Smile - Raina Telgemeier
Cooper - Kazu Kinuishi
Kin - Good Neighbors Book 2 - Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
Kith - Good Neighbors Book 2 - Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
The Clockwork Angel - Infernal Devices Book 1 - Cassandra Clare
Purrsnikitty - Kathy Broadsky and Cameron Bennett
Postcards from Penguin - 100 Book Covers In a Box
The Radleys - Matt Haig
Nighttime - Too Afraid To Scream - Todd Strasser
Miss Fortune - Poison Apple Book 3 - Brandi Dougherty
Here Comes Christmas! - Caroline Jayne Church
The CrossBones - Skeleton Creek #3 - Patrick Carman
The CrossBones - Skeleton Creek #3 - Patrick Carman
Daddy Sneaks - Sharlene Weingart
Mommy Takes Away - Sharlene Weingart
Ivy Loves To Give - Freya Blackwood
Boo Hoo Bird - Board Book - Jeremy Tankard
Mockingjay - Hunger Games 3 - Suzanne Collins
The North Star - Peter H. Renyolds
Rose's Garden - Peter H. Reynolds
From Athiesm To Catholicism - Dr. Kevin Vost
The King's Taster - Kenneth Oppel
The Adventures of Meno #4 Uh-Oh Sick! - Tony & Angela DiTerlizzi
The Adventures of Meno #3 Yummy Trip! - Tony & Angela DiTerlizzi
Shark Vs. Train - Chris Barton & Tom Lichtenheld
Ghost Hotel - Canadian Chills #2 - Arthur Slade
The Huanting of Drang Island - Northern Frights #2 - Arthur Slade   Half Brother - Kenneth Oppel
Lego City - Ready For Takeoff! Sonia Sander
My Two Holidays A Hanukkah and Christmas Story - Danielle Novack and Phyllis Harris
Here Comes Christmas - Caroline Jayne Church
Mad At Mommy - Komako Sakai
8 Spinning Planets - Brian james and Russell Benfanti
Eat Stop Eat - Brad Pilon
Eight Days - A Story of Haiti - Edwidge Danticat and Alix Delinois
The Littlest Christmas Star - Brandi Dougherty and Sanja Rescek
Goldilocks and the Three Bears - Samantha Berger and Amy Cartwright
Draugr - Northern Fights #1 - Arthur Slade
Eternal - Cynthia Leitich Smith
Tantalize - Cynthia Leitich Smith
free stallion - Amber Tamblyn
free stallion - Amber Tamblyn
Elimination Experiment Workout - Brad Pilon
The Zen Of Nutrition - Brad Pilon
Hallowed Knight - Arthur Slade and Dann O. Leveille
Hallowed Knight 2 Death Knell - Arthur Slade and Dann O. Leveille
Hallowed Knight 3 Blood Dimmed Tide - Arthur Slade and Dann O. Leveille
City of Bones - Mortal Instruments Book 1 - Cassandra Clare
Knuffle Bunny Free - Mo Willems
Jingle Dancer - Cynthia Leitich Smith, Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
Santa Knows - Cynthia & Greg Leitich Smith, Steve Bjorkman
Peg and the Yeti - Kenneth Oppel and Barbara Reid
City of Ashes - Mortal Instruments Book 2 - Cassandra Clare
Oink? Margie Palatini and Henry Cole
The Wonderful Book - Leonid Gore
Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique - Jane O'Connor & Robin Preiss Glasser
Now You See Me ... - Jane B. Mason & Sarah Hines Stephens
Mac Integration Basics 10.6 - Apple
Plain Kate - Erin Bow
Grandma Loves - Sharlene Weingart
Cyborg: The Second Book of thew Clone Codes - The McKissacks
Indian Shoes - Cynthia Leitich Smith
Let It Snow - Maryann Cocca-Leffler
I Spy Santa Claus - Jean Marzollo and Walter Wink Jr.
I Love School - Hans Wilhelm
It's Christmas Time! Salina Yoon
The Snow Day - Komako Sakai
Winston of Churchill - Jean Davies Okimoto and Jeremiah Trammell
The Unknown Soldier - Linda Granfield
Blessed - Cynthia Leitich Smith
Fat Vampire: A Never Coming Of Age Story - Adam Rex   
Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo - Greg Leituch Smith
Holler Loudly - Cynthia Leitich Smith & Barry Gott
Vunce Upon A Time - Siobhan Vivian & J. Otto Seibold
Rain Is Not My Indian Name - Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Loki Wolf - Arthur G. Slade
City of Glass - Mortal Instruments 3 - Cassandra Clare
Rose Sees Red - Cecil Castellucci
Geektastic:Stories from the Nerh Herd - Ed. Holly Black & Cecil Castellucci
John Diefenbaker: An Appointment With Destiny - Arthur Slade
Return of the Grudstone Ghosts - Arthur Slade
Emiko Superstar - Mariko Tamaki & Steven Rolston
Water Baby - Ross Campbell
Emiko Superstar - Mariko Tamaki & Steven Rolston
Water Baby - Ross Campbell
Kin - Good Neighbors Book 1 - Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
Kith - Good Neighbors Book 2 - Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
Kind - Good Neighbors Book 3 - Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
The P.L.A.I.N. Janes - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
Janes in Love - Cecil Castellucci & Jim Rugg
The New York Four - Brian Wood and Ryan Kelley
Burnout - Rebecca Donner and Inaki Miranda
Kimmie66 - Aaron Alexovich
Re-Gifters - Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, Mark Hempelh
Good As Lily - Derek Kirk Kim and Jesse Hamm
Confessions Of A Blabbermouth - Mike & Luiose Carrey and Aaron Alexovich
Clubbing - Andi Watson & Josh Howard
Token - Alisa Kwitney & Joelle Jones
Kind - Good Neighbors Book 3 - Holly Black & Ted Naifeh
The Mighty Skullboy Army - Jacob Chabot
Zombies Calling - Faith Erin Hicks
The War At Ellsmere - Faith Erin Hicks
Zombies Calling - Faith Erin Hicks
The War At Ellsmere - Faith Erin Hicks
The Knife Of Never Letting Go - Chaos Walking #1 - Patrick Ness
The New World - Chaos Walking Prequel - Patrick Ness
You Are My Sunshine - Caroline Jayne Church
The Red Pyramid - Kane Chronicles Book 1 - Rick Riordan
The War At Ellsmere - Faith Erin Hicks
The More We Get Together - Caroline Jayne Church


I started keeping track of the books I finished reading in October of 1995, and movies watched in January of 1996. I have lists for:
All Books Read by Year
Favorite Books By Year
All Movies and TV Series Watched by Year
Favorite Movies and TV Series by Year


I also do a Top Ten List of books each quarter and for the year. They can be found here. I was also asked to pick a Top Ten Catholic Books I have read, you can find that list here (and occasionally I add a note when I come across something exceptional.)



Friday, 1 January 2010

New Year's Day 2010

It is the beginning of a new year, a new decade and for me, a new phase in my life. In the last 2 years I have graduated college and finished my university degree. Convocation will be this spring, and it is the first time in my life I will not be a student. I have been in university either part or full time since 1988. I, in part, have always defined myself as a student. For the first time in my life I am at a point where I do not have specific academic goals or plans. It is a little unsettling at times. I will also be turning 40 this year and that is supposed to be a mile-marker of sorts in life, the whole 'over the hill' thing and all.

It has been said the only thing we can count on in life is change. Three of my favourite quotes on the subject are:

"Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth."
C.S. Lewis - Essay on Hamlet

"There is nothing so constant as change. Meet it. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Learn from it.
The one thing you can be absolutely sure of in your life is change. It's the only thing that never changes. The law of nature is that you either grow or you die; there's no in-between. So, what have you chosen so far? Are you growing in every area of your life? Hey, it's not enough to be growing and looking great just because you work out. That's only a small part of your life. What about your emotions, spiritual life, family, friends, career, hobbies? Are they growing as your body does? Become a complete person and not an in-shape and great-looking version of an incomplete person. There's way more to life than just working out. Go with the flow and embrace changes in all areas of your life. The change will do you good."
Robert Wolff, PH.D. - Bodybuilding 101

"It's Very Important to understand the difference between dreams and goals. Dreams are things we wish for--things you enjoy thinking about but don't really know when they'll happen. Goals, on the other hand, are specific things you have decided you need to accomplish within a clearly defined period of time."
Bill Phillips - Body For Life

My life has changed drastically from where I thought it would be 10 years ago. At that time I expected to be ordained and a minister or still involved in parachurch ministry. Yet over my time doing a religious studies and theology degree I became convinced of the validity of the Catholic Church and returned home there. Then, after my work injury and nearly 3 years off work, I moved from the dream of being a professor to working fulltime in IT. I have also gotten back in shape and lost weight twice in that time, first, through Body for Life and then P90X. So I continue to try to have focus and direction in my life. I try to set goals for the body, mind and spirit. I try to set specific goals in each area but use these guiding rules to help me achieve them:

Daily Goals:

1. To get enough sleep.
2. To eat right & exercise daily.
3. To refuse to be a perfectionist.
4. To carefully control finances.
5. To ask for help when needed.
6. To pray and read the Bible daily.
7. To not pressure self into planning my entire life today.

One of the tools I use is journaling. I am currently on my 37th volume since August of 1994. Each term, I journal on these questions.

Guiding Questions:

Who are you?
What do you want?
Where are you going?
Who do you serve?
Who do you trust?

I am now a student of life, with the goal of learning to be. To become better at being. To be a better man, husband and father. Over this past year I have also learned to purge. I went through all my stuff and got rid of what is no longer needed. I only kept course notes from a few courses, not 10 full years of university notes, assignments and research. I even purged my old journals. I only have the current one.

I am looking forward to the changes in the year ahead. We will be moving, though at this point we still do not know where. The kids are growing and changing daily. 2010 looks to be an interesting year. So happy New Year.

Peace and Strength!
Yours, learning to be
Steven R. McEvoy

My Homepage
My Blog
LinkedIN

CompTIA IT PRO, A+ ITT, A+ DT, A+ RST, Network+, Security+
Microsoft MCSE, MCSA, MCP, MCTS, MCITP, MOS

"The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it."
- Leo Rosten