Books, baby!

So last year I read a sum total of, as it turns out, 17 books. Pathetic, right? So this year of course I want to beat that. Here's the books I have on my list so far:

The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Unfinished Tales by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Talkies
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
The Education of an Illustrator by Heller/Arisman
The Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft

Six so far and more to be added! I'm currently still on my first book and loving it. So much history and curious tales. Its fantastic and I'm having a great time.

Any suggestions from you guys on what I should read?

2014

So the old year is out and the new year is in. 2014 has arrived, have you accomplished your goals of the past year? Yeah, me either. Want some helpful tips I learned myself? Even if you don't I'm still going to write it. Cool?

MIKE D. BURKE'S TIPS FOR ACHIEVING GOALS THIS YEAR:

1. MAKE THEM SMALLER- Break your goals down into manageable chunks.
2. MAKE THEM PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE-It'll be really annoying but tell someone you know all your goals, tell everyone. Use Facebook, twitter, schemer, google+, your mothers social group.
3. WRITE THEM DOWN- Keep track of them yourself as well. Keep a journal, a blog, write them down and post them on your fridge. Write them down.
4. HAVE A WAY TO CHECK THEM OFF

Now taking my own advice, here are my goals for 2014:

1. START MY CAREER
2. MARCH-OCT GO ON 1 TRIP A MONTH
3. PAY OFF A BILL OR TWO
4. GET FITTER
5. FINISH PROJECTS
6. SAVE $10 A MONTH
7. SET AN EASY TO FOLLOW BUDGET
8. BE A BETTER HUSBAND, FRIEND AND PERSON
9. BECOME MORE ORGANIZED
10. COMPLETE COMIC BOOK
11. READ ALL THE BOOKS I OWN
12. PICK UP MORE FREELANCE WORK
13. BLOG AND ADVERTISE MORE
14. BE MORE RESPONSIBLE
15. BE MORE OPEN
16. BE MORE CHARITABLE
17. JOURNAL MORE, CREATE MORE MEMORIES
18. GET GOALS DONE AND ACCOMPLISHED

A lot to work on, I know. Good luck to all of us!! 2014!!!!