8-1-2022
Well, it’s August now…
Does anyone actually keep up with New Year’s Resolutions?
I mean, we are eight months into the year? Are you guys still working on your list?
One of my goals for this year was to read more. Seeing as how this is such a vague goal, I actually set a number of books I wanted to have read by the end of the year.
24.
Seemed like a big number considering I don’t even remember the last book I read all the way through. However, it’s really only two books a month.
That has got to be pretty attainable, right?
I don’t have kids yet, I work from home so no commute time, and my to-be-read pile is stacked wayyy too high for a previously avid Book-It reader.
I’m not doing too hot though, and by “not doing too hot” I mean, I haven’t really finished a book yet.
Will this be yet ANOTHER failed resolution for me?
If failed resolutions were always my goals - I am one of the biggest success stories, let me tell you.
Will I be able to complete this goal? Stay tuned.
8-10-2022
A couple of weeks ago, I made a remark that audiobooks seemed like cheating when it comes to “reading” books.
For one thing, you aren’t reading, necessarily, but listening. That’s kind of no different than a podcast, right?
*Buzzer sounds* WRONG.
Let the world (or my small corner of the world that is subscribed and reads these things) take notice that I admit I was wrong and I take it back.
Audiobooks are pretty great. You have so much freedom with reading.
Yes, reading.
You can let your mind wonder and soar through the pages of a great book without being tied down to one spot and committing that time to doing nothing else.
Don’t get me wrong though.
On Sunday, my husband and I used up a good portion of our afternoon in cozy spots in the living room with mugs of hot tea just enjoying flipping through the pages of a physical book (well, he used a Kindle), but you get the point.
To me, there is something special about holding a book you are enjoying in your hands. The feel of the binding, the texture of the pages, the smell (iykyk) that is unlike many other feelings.
I can appreciate a Kindle and all of its features too. Cory loves to tell me about why it’s so great. “I just really love the dictionary function”. or “Man, it’s so nice that is has a backlit screen”. and so on.
Anyways, back to the audiobook thing.
In the last several days, I’ve already completed 4 1/2 books just by having the ability to listen (read) and do other things.
I’m able to accomplish my goals and not wrestle as much with feeling guilty over how I’m spending my time knowing I have bigger responsibilities that need to take priority.
For me, that’s a pretty incredible thing.
At this point, I am on #8 book of my 24.
So, if you’re following along still, it’s the eighth month of the year and I’m only eight books in - that means I’m still way behind.
By the end of this month, I need to be magically finishing book #16.
Can I do it? Probably. Maybe.
Am I going to pressure myself or feel badly that I’m behind on one of my goals? No.
I’ve already accomplished quite a bit this month. This year, honestly.
I am going to just keep working at it and see how it goes.
My list of resolutions goes on, but so do my days. How I spend them is more important to me than marking off a checklist.
I am proud of myself and I forget to remind myself of this.
So, I’ll keep striving for my best and keep ya posted.
Thanks for listening (reading, ha).
Love you!!
Love this, Cayla. That's a really great point about not meeting your own goals and being happy with the life that you ARE living. I've been thinking about that very thing because I'm way behind on my reading goals, too. I don't think I'll meet my goal, but...so what?
I would love to hear about the books you've read! I cannot belieeeeve you've read that many in only a couple weeks. Audiobooks totally count.