Prelude

I decided to start this blog because this year I challenged myself with two ambitious goals: 1) to run my first marathon (something I’ve always thought I could do, but have never tried to prove) and, 2) to read every title from a book list (something it seems like my mother was always trying to get me to do when I was young).  Since I started reading science fiction in college I have only come across one or two that I didn’t love, but I still don’t know much about the genre so it seemed to make sense to completely overwhelm and irritate myself with the stuff now.

The Hugo Awards were the easy victim because Robert Heinlein is the most frequent winner and I figure if every other winner blows goats, I’ll at least be assured of six or seven great books.  My marathon goal will be the Space Coast Marathon because it is 1) In Florida and 2) Does a space themed marathon not make sense?  Whether I will be able to actually accomplish either one of these goals, let alone simultaneously, is doubtful and probably ludicrous but I’m going to give a crap.

Friends and family have suggested I read through the Hugos chronologically but I cannot resist the opportunity to submit myself to the fate of the many-sided die.  The method therefore, is as follows: Each decade will be numbered 1 – 10 with ties sharing a number and being read successively.  A roll of the decahedral die will determine the order for each decade.  As a result of three ties (’66, ’93, ’10), there will be three deathmatches over which I will rule as supreme arbiter and my judgments will result in a Colbert-Bump-like jettisoning of one title over the other FOR ALL TIME.  I'll start a new book every Sunday and I'll try to post a couple times a week.

I think the challenge of trying to read a book a week and training for a marathon in one of the most dangerous pedestrian areas of the country should provide enough hijinks/tragedy to make this blog fun.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  Enjoy!