Reading Challenge update

Some of you will remember that at the beginning of this year, I vowed to make reading time a priority in 2012.  To help me, I signed up for the Goodreads 2012 Reading Challenge so I could keep track of books I wanted to read (well, and so I could get a cool progress meter thingy for my blog’s sidebar).

So here we are, a third of the way through the year, and how am I doing?  My stated goal was to read 30 books in 2012. 

Well, looky there—so far I’ve read 11 books this year.  (To many of you, I’m sure that sounds like not much at all.  To those people I say, SHUT UP.  In 2011 I only had time to read 13 books all year.  Don’t kill my buzz.)

Earlier in the year, I had a list of books I wanted to read, so I got on the waiting list at the library for them. [Sidebar: public libraries rule, y’all.  They are important and wonderful and I literally can’t imagine life without them.]  Every now and then, I get a robotic call from the library telling me that “An item you requested…is ready to pick up.”  Which is nice, because I’ve had a steady stream of reading material coming in all year.  This system has been working great for me.

UNTIL NOW.  Suddenly my biggest reading challenge is not being able to keep up with my waiting list books as fast as they come in.  And these items aren't renewable, because other people are waiting for them.  I have two books out, two books waiting.  So...about 1700 pages to read by the end of the month.  (Before this library onslaught, I actually bought a book with actual money--well, a gift card--and two friends loaned me books.  Oh, and I got two books for Christmas that I haven’t cracked open yet.  Not to mention a backlog of magazines.  All of these will just have to wait now.)

So yeah, reading material is piling up and there may soon be a reading gridlock here at Boogaloo Acres.  But that’s okay.  As problems go, “too many books” is right up there with “too much wine.”  I’ll take it.  I feel more like me when I'm reading a lot.

It feels good—downright luxurious, actually--to once again have a work schedule that gives me some down time and doesn’t require my home life to be full of constant multi-tasking, so I can focus on really letting myself get absorbed in a good book. 

What have you been reading lately?

Comments

[Stacy]

Aimee, I haven't gotten to the Colette book yet. That's one of the ones I got for Christmas, and all these other books keep jumping ahead of it in my queue because I know I can read that one anytime. It's very pretty, I can tell you that much. :)

[Stacy]

Toni, wow! I'm in awe of your reading speed. And stunned by the fact that there are people who brag about not reading. What a weird thing to be proud of.

[Stacy]

Gaidig, at least it's nice to know I'm not the only one who has this problem. :)

[Aimee]

I read a crapton of books last year. I don't remember what half of them were. I seem to go through stages of reading a million and then reading one, really, really slowly. Like, I finally read Gabriel Garcia Marquez's autobiography, and it took me forever. Right now, I'm actually in the middle of nothing, and I must remedy that, it feels so wrong. (By the way, how is the Colette sewing book? I've been doing zero crafting, but I still like the books!)

[toni]

This is my second year of doing the challenge and I love seeing my progress. I'm one of those people who reads an ungodly amount of books in a year (my goal this year is 150 and I'm 28 books ahead), but I think any reading goal is a good one! Especially since leaving the insulated world of Borders, I'm meeting people who don't read at all and brag about it.

[Gaidig]

I definitely find that the internet and knitting get in the way of my reading. Even 13 books in a year is way more than I've done recently.

[Stacy]

Citizenrosebudz, the internet is definitely a distraction! I've been trying really hard not to turn my computer on when I get home in the evening. When I do turn it on to "check just one thing," I always end up getting sucked into something else and then there's no time to do anything offline (like read).

[Stacy]

Lar, glad to know the sky thing isn't just me! I looked up "The Dud Avocado"--might add it to my "books to read EVENTUALLY" list. :)

[Citizenrosebudz]

I've been a terrible reader as of late- I blame my internet connection! I've bought books and they've gone unopened, collecting dust. I think this year is the year to take time offline and re-explore the written word.

[Camelia Crinoline]

Public libraries are the best. They are my happy place. I find taking a book in my bag everywhere I go is good for getting through them fast because I read 5 mins here and there if I have to wait for something.

[AsianCajuns (Lar)]

I'm right there with you about books and public libraries, Stacy! And congrats to you for reading 11! I thought I was doing good being on my sixth (I think. I'm not keeping track well). I just finished "The Dud Avocado" -- I'd say add it to your pile, but I don't want it to be the feather that breaks the back/stack!
p.s. Re: photographing the sky. I swear it's not you, it's the sky. My Atlanta/Decatur sky photos were always washed out.