*On my list to finish by the end of the summer.*

It's July, which is my birth month -- and this year is a big one, I'm turning 50! Because I swim in a gene pool shared by long livers (three of my grandparents lived past 95, and one lived until 102!), I figure I'm only halfway done. So to celebrate my birthday, I've decided that for every day for the first two weeks of this month, I'm going to share images and words representing what I hope the next 50 years will have more of. Time to say it and claim it, by gum. And maybe, if what I say resonates with you, you'll be inspired to get more of these things for your next 50 years, too.

So many books, so little time.

~ Frank Zappa

When I was a kid, I was a voracious reader. I would read anything I could get my hands on. I remember there were several times that my mom would literally beg me to "go outside and get some fresh air" -- and I would, by taking my book outside and finding a shady spot to continuing reading. In fresh air.

(My mother despaired of me sometimes, it's true. Still does, honestly.)

After law school, I went through a phase where the last thing I wanted to do was pick up a book -- I'd had enough of that the previous three years, thankyouverymuch. But then I moved to London, and took a train an hour out of town every day to the office, and an hour back. I quickly discovered that a two hours of commuting time was perfect for reading, so my reading habit became crazy again: about 2 books every week for almost two straight years. It was wonderful.

Then I married, moved to a city with no public transportation to speak of, and became a parent to an infant. My book habit fell to the sidelines. Nowadays, the only time I read is whenever I travel for business, on the plane or in my hotel room. And every time I get lost in a book, I wonder to myself, "why don't I do this more often?"

So for the next 50 years, I hope that I read more. Lots more. Voracious more. It's one of my joys, so it's time to get back to it.

Soundtrack: The book of love by Peter Gabriel