My back hurts as I sit in a chair trying to lean forward. But not too far forward. Paul says I have to be careful not to hyperextend my back. Paul is my physical therapist. He teached me strecthes and exercises and all kinds of moves designed to torture my back into shape. From pain to normal. Sometimes it feels like it works and other times it just hurts.

I'm reading two books at the same time. Now that it's 2014, I have decided on a new old strategy to read more consistently. I love reading. I always have. Ever since I can remember, somone has read to me or I have read to myself,. I love to read aloud. I've always been good at it.

The problem for me has always been making time to read consistently on a regular basis. I think my head is full of so many things that I can't decide what to do for any length of time. I always want to do everything, which usually means I wind up doing few things particularly well. Anyway, I decided to practice what I preach and do what I tell my students to do. Read every night for 20 minutes. Write every night for five. Can't be that hard, right? If I do it, great. If I don't do it, I'll try again the next day. Real life. Real reading Real writing.