It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of March.
I hope wherever you’re at, spring has arrived. (Well, unless you’re in the southern hemisphere.) Here in Nebraska, we’ve had a rough start to spring. Because of a bad winter of ice and snow, the ground was already soaked. Many rivers had large ice jams. So when we had a weekend of blizzard conditions in the west, and lots of rain in the east, things went from bad to worse.
Parts of our state, along with places in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri, have experienced the worst flooding we’ve ever had. In addition to buildings and homes destroyed across many places, because we are an agricultural state, there were significant impacts to land and loss of livestock. It will take a long time and a lot of money to recover. But, seeing how everyone has come together to help our fellow Nebraskans has been amazing. And we’ll be forever grateful to those in other states who have sent truckloads of hay and feed for stranded livestock.
Although I’m not looking forward to allergy season, I am definitely looking forward to warmer days so I can sit outside and read.
WHAT I’M READING
This month, I shifted focus to knocking off several plays from my Shakespeare list. By listening to audiobook versions of a number of plays I’d previously read, I can work though those quickly. This gives me more time to devote in the coming months to plays I haven’t read.
Here’s my Shakespeare list for the month.
Othello, the Moor of Venice
Othello, a general in the Venetian arms, secretly marries Desdemona. Rodrigo, a former suitor for Desdemona seeks revenge by conspiring with Iago, another soldier, to bring down Othello. Iago orchestrates a plot to convince Othello that Desdemona is having an affair.
Othello is one of Shakespeare’s more psychological plays. We see how Othello’s fear gets the better of him. And we see how anger and jealousy cause people to take drastic actions to get revenge. The more times I read this play, the more I enjoy the psychological complexity of both Othello and Iago.
Rating: 4.5/5
The Tempest
After being shipwrecked, Alonso, the King of Naples and his crew encounter magic and sorcery. Prospero, a magician living on the island, controls the spirit, Ariel, and the creature, Caliban, to reveal the truth of Alonso’s power. Through a series of magical interactions, Prospero reveals he is the rightful Duke of Milan.
While Shakespeare again uses revenge and power as themes, the reason I love this play is the integration of magic. Prospero’s use of sorcery to control Ariel and Caliban, and control events on the island, adds depth the play. Setting the entire play on an island means characters have little chance to get away from each other. They must battle their own fears, the physical conditions, and Prospero’s magical influences.
Rating: 5/5
Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing is one of the more lighthearted Shakespeare plays. Well, at least in regards to how it ends. It’s all about love, marriage, and family dynamics. The play centers on the relationships of two couples – Hero and Claudio, and Beatrice and Benedick. Hero and Claudio are young and fall in love. As their marriage is arranged, Beatrice and Benedick, both of whom claim not to believe in love, share quick-witted banter and sarcasm that others around them perceive to be signs the two are actually in love. But like all Shakespeare plays, there’s a twist. Hero’s uncle, an illegitimate brother of her father, seeks to cause problems by implicating her in an affair the night before her wedding.
Much Ado About Nothing is about love, but also about honor and jealousy. While Hero and Claudio are the epitome of young love, I am drawn to Beatrice and Benedick. Their interactions show Shakespeare’s humor. The sharp tongued Beatrice proves to be an intellectual equal to the sarcastic, and slightly egotistical Benedick. Their word play reflects Shakespeare’s ability to use language to create tension and add depth to characters.
Rating: 4/5
Julius Caesar
It’s only fitting to read Julius Caesar during March. The whole Ides of March thing comes from this play, in case you haven’t read it. Caesar receives warning that he should “beware the ides of March,” but doesn’t take the soothsayer’s advice. A group of conspirators, led by Brutus, murders him out of fear he will become too powerful. After Caesar’s death, Brutus and other conspirators vie for control, attempting to justify their actions as they seek honor.
This is one of the most well-read Shakespeare plays for good reason. Centered on actual historical events give the play a sense of realism. But as Shakespeare reveals the psychological ramifications for the conspirators, readers/viewers see the humanity behind the history. While Shakespeare certainly takes fictional license, adding dialogue and monologues shows the impact these moments in history can have on those who lived them.
Rating: 4.5/5
Book Challenge Update
In addition to Shakespeare, I did finish one book this month. This was one that had been on my To Be Read list for a long time. I wish I’d read it sooner.
THE POWER OF HABIT by Charles Duhigg
Charles Duhigg, an author and researcher, developed an interest in neuroscience while working as a reporter. Focusing his writing on habits and productivity, he has written several books on how our brains work when it comes to getting things done.
In The Power of Habit, Duhigg uses case studies from neurology, psychology, and business to illustrate how habits are formed. We all have habits, whether they are consciously built or develop over time simply through us not paying attention to daily activities.
The book is divided in several sections to illustrate how habits can be developed and changed for both individuals and organizations. He expands basic Cue-Routine-Reward methods to show how anyone can learn new habits. For individuals, developing better habits help us achieve bigger goals and keep us focused. For organizations, leaders who help employees develop better habits not only increase work production, but also can help the organization as a whole grow through innovation.
While some of the technical science might be a little hard to understand at times, Duhigg does a nice job of tying the science together with case studies and applications. As a college student, I had some behavioral psychology classes. I was always fascinated by how the brain works in terms of how people learn. So this book was right up my alley. The basic ideas of developing habits are practical and can be recreated for anyone interested in changing a habit.
Rating: 5/5
In fact, I was so interested in the this book that I plan to do my own 30 day habit challenge in April. I will use the research presented in this book to try to change one of my own habits. And I’ve created a group for others who might be interested in joining me in this habit challenge. For more on the group, you can check it out HERE.
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