This summer may actually mark a record in terms of how few books I have read (for a variety of reasons). I read twelve books in July 2013, then 5 (2014), then 4 (2015) and then a very paltry 2 for July. Reasons range from general lassitude from summer heat to getting sucked into TV to work pressures to stupid eye problems so all over the place.

Now, I think the summer temps are slowly going down (we had a frigid 85 yesterday :-)), my eye is half-getting better and half-me getting used to it, I saw Halloween candy in the shops, and we’re finished up with our TV series for now. (Looking for new ones though. Any recommendations?)

Of the two books that I read and complete, one was really good and one umm…. wasn’t. (Review of the good one to come.)

The Really Bad Book:

The Five Dysfunctions of the Team – Patrick Lencioni (2002). This is a leadership book widely touted as a great tool for teams and managers, but when I read it, I found it to be really problem-focused instead of solution-focused which led me to having rather a stressful and negative read. However, I may be the outlier here as a lot of people found it to be very useful and relevant. It wasn’t my best book read this summer by a long shot, but you might have a differing opinion. Overall grade was yuck.

I also picked up and rapidly put down the new book of essays written by Jessie Klein, head producer for Inside Amy Schumer. (I missed the big clue about her writing for Amy Schumer of whom I’m not a fan. I found the book to be less than pleasing and regret the hour I spent trying to read it. (Sorry if you’re a fan! Nothing personal.))

But – let’s not dwell on the negative. I had a good weekend…

I spent eight hours at graduation which was actually a lot more fun that I had anticipated. I met a lot of new people, schmoozed around a bit, and it wasn’t as terribly boring as people have reported beforehand. However, I’ve been telling people this, and now they’re saying “Well, wait until May and the BIG graduation.”

Sigh. I’m still holding out hope that it will be better than people report. You just can’t discount how important this ceremony is for the majority of the grads and their families, so I’m doing it for them really.

That was fun but ate up rather a lot of Saturday. The remainder was spent recovering (!), reading and watching the movie Spotlight. (Excellent film about the exposure of the Catholic Priest/child abuse scandal in Boston and elsewhere.)

Sunday was a catch-up day. (One notable event was that I did manage to go to Office Depot and get some of the Post-It tab sticky things so that I can organize my notebook. Pics to come as I’m sure you’re all on tenterhooks watching how this plays out.) Dinner with friends and then early bed.

It was a good weekend. How about you?