New Year!

It's been quite a while since I've written an entry. While much has changed since I have returned from my Summer in the District of Columbia, I still think of it often. In fact, it made several appearances in the law school applications that I wrote and am nervously awaiting hearing about...
But, in the meantime I have made 2 'New Year's Resolutions'
1. To not drink Soda. That's right, quit cold turkey.
2. To read 12 books. For those that think I read, well...I have fooled you.
Seeing as it's January 9th, I'm doing pretty well. I haven't had soda (one day was really tough, but otherwise I'm managing) and I finished my first book. It was "To Timbuktu" and recounted travels of a couple that traveled to Thailand, Morocco, Laos, Vietnam and worked in China and Mali. Basically, it just reignited the travel bug I have fought on and off since my time in Sheffield in 2011. It was a light read that had illustrations by the guy while the girl wrote. I would recommend it for a plane ride or something.
Both of these resolutions are going to be difficult to keep throughout the year. I'm actually more hopeful for the soda one than the book one. But, these are the other 11 books I hope to read by years end.
1776 by David McCullough
My Journey by Tony Blair
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Globalization and its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz
Keynes by Robert Skidelsky (I read this book a few years ago, but seeing that I have now taken 3 economics courses since then, I figure that I would have a different perspective)
Smoking Typewriters by McMillian
The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross
The Healing of America by T.R. Reid
Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden
America in the Age of Decline: Time to Start Thinking by Edward Luce
and, the last one that I have started and hope to finish by the end of the month: The Future of Freedom by Fareed Zakaria
I hope those of you who made resolutions are able to stick with them! Those of you who didn't, keep on keepin' on.
-Tim