Those of you who know me well will be shocked by this: I haven't been reading much lately. In fact, I've had to force myself to read.
As a child, I once (once!) told my parents I didn't feel like reading. They took me to the hospital. I had to have my tonsils out. I have always been a voracious reader.
But as a writer, I've been finding it increasingly hard to read. I see things that don't make sense, badly written passages and so on, in a different way than I used to, and I miss my old style of just tearing through books.
I've been trying to fix this by telling myself to read a book a week, but it hasn't worked. It's made reading a chore, and that's even worse.
So, I've made a resolution. I read a new novel for 15 minutes a day. I can read longer, of course, but 15 is all that's required. It can be an author I've read before, but only books I haven't read before count. I started the day after my birthday, and I will continue until my next birthday.
In those two weeks, I've read three novels and am partway through the fourth. True, some days I got the 15 minutes in right before bed (and I set an alarm on the Palm to make sure I truly did the full 15!) but I haven't missed a day.
Related, I'm also planning a 'three strikes' policy. I've always been one to finish books even when I hate them, but now that just doesn't seem to make sense. So, a book gets three strikes. If there are three separate instances of ridiculous characters or insane interpretations of situations or "too stupid to live" behaviour, the book is no longer worth my time.
My current book is at two strikes (one for a character, in one paragraph, going from "OMG they're demons you can't even be friends with one" to "you're pregnant by one? congrats" and being genuinely happy. urgh) and based on how it's going I anticipate the next one coming later today. :) SO then I'll just admit that this woman's best-seller status makes no sense and move on with my life.
I know I'm not the only one who'd like to read more than I do. Perhaps this resolution would work for you too? 15 minutes isn't that hard to find, but if it is make it 10, or even 5.
But do read.
Monday, July 28, 2008
101 in 1001 update: July 28, 2008
I HAVE been working on these, but I haven't been posting. Things feel very... scrambly these days. Not sure why. Objectively, I probably have the easiest schedule of anyone I know, and it bothers me that I feel so out of control. However. That's not what this post is about. :)
From the last post:
YES, I did add fourteen things to the list of things that make me happy, getting said list to 49.
YES, I re-did Artist's Way week 10.
YES, I've had a great July birthmonth. No surprise, I way over-planned, but I've backed off the unnecessary ones and am still just having a great month.
YES, I donated the remaining book I had set aside for book crossing.
YES, I finished another book by an author new to me. In fact, I read three more. I've created a resolution regarding reading, which I'll post about right after this, and it's really helping.
YES, we kept trying to toilet train the cat. It's feeling a touch futile. She will use the toilet (with a bowl of litter therein) if she has only one thing to do on a particular visit. If she has two, one goes in the bowl and the other on the floor. Hmm. We'll keep trying. :)
NO, I didn't get the free rice total to 113,000. I DID get to 110,000, which isn't bad.
NO, I didn't finish the string bag. I made a shawl for a dear friend instead.
NO, I didn't finish the back of the sweater of doom. And I likely won't start it again until September, since I'm now making a shawl for my cousin's fiancee for the wedding.
Not too shabby. PLUS, I played paintball (SO fun... if you're a Facebook friend you can see the pictures there, although I spared the world a picture of the bruise, a good two inches across, on my rear end. You're welcome. :)
Since I have now finished Raoul's first draft (WOO HOO!) I am about to embark on a month's vacation. I first need to finish judging entries for a writing contest, which I expect to finish by tomorrow. Wednesday I plan to spend re-installing XP on my laptop (I'm such a party animal!) and then the vacation time truly begins. I'm a bit terrified of what I'll do with no writing (and no reading writing-related books either - it's a break, darling!) for a month, but I'm also excited to find out.
So, 101-wise, I will:
- add 5,000 to my free rice total to get me to 115,000 (I'll try for more, but given that the laptop'll be out of play for at least one day, it might be tough)
- add 10 things to each of the lists: things I like about me, things about me, things that make me happy
- keep reading new and old favourite authors
- finish my string bag, since it'll require maybe half an hour - just needs the handle finished!
- make the shawl for the upcoming wedding
- carry on torturing... err... toilet-training the cat
- move on to week 11 of the Artist's Way. Finishing Raoul took a lot of focus, and I let this slide. Back to it.
- carry on with private #101 (I think I may have missed one week)
Have a great week!
From the last post:
YES, I did add fourteen things to the list of things that make me happy, getting said list to 49.
YES, I re-did Artist's Way week 10.
YES, I've had a great July birthmonth. No surprise, I way over-planned, but I've backed off the unnecessary ones and am still just having a great month.
YES, I donated the remaining book I had set aside for book crossing.
YES, I finished another book by an author new to me. In fact, I read three more. I've created a resolution regarding reading, which I'll post about right after this, and it's really helping.
YES, we kept trying to toilet train the cat. It's feeling a touch futile. She will use the toilet (with a bowl of litter therein) if she has only one thing to do on a particular visit. If she has two, one goes in the bowl and the other on the floor. Hmm. We'll keep trying. :)
NO, I didn't get the free rice total to 113,000. I DID get to 110,000, which isn't bad.
NO, I didn't finish the string bag. I made a shawl for a dear friend instead.
NO, I didn't finish the back of the sweater of doom. And I likely won't start it again until September, since I'm now making a shawl for my cousin's fiancee for the wedding.
Not too shabby. PLUS, I played paintball (SO fun... if you're a Facebook friend you can see the pictures there, although I spared the world a picture of the bruise, a good two inches across, on my rear end. You're welcome. :)
Since I have now finished Raoul's first draft (WOO HOO!) I am about to embark on a month's vacation. I first need to finish judging entries for a writing contest, which I expect to finish by tomorrow. Wednesday I plan to spend re-installing XP on my laptop (I'm such a party animal!) and then the vacation time truly begins. I'm a bit terrified of what I'll do with no writing (and no reading writing-related books either - it's a break, darling!) for a month, but I'm also excited to find out.
So, 101-wise, I will:
- add 5,000 to my free rice total to get me to 115,000 (I'll try for more, but given that the laptop'll be out of play for at least one day, it might be tough)
- add 10 things to each of the lists: things I like about me, things about me, things that make me happy
- keep reading new and old favourite authors
- finish my string bag, since it'll require maybe half an hour - just needs the handle finished!
- make the shawl for the upcoming wedding
- carry on torturing... err... toilet-training the cat
- move on to week 11 of the Artist's Way. Finishing Raoul took a lot of focus, and I let this slide. Back to it.
- carry on with private #101 (I think I may have missed one week)
Have a great week!
Monday, July 7, 2008
101 in 1001 update: July 7, 2008
One day into the week and I'm already behind. Ah, well. :)
Last week:
YES/NO, I donated my bookcrossing books. I was to do two, but only did one. I will take the other one out tomorrow morning when I go for my run.
NO, I did not finish my string bag. I made a shawl instead. :)
NO, I did not finish the back piece of the sweater of doom. See above note about the shawl I made. :) I've got maybe six rows left. This week.
NO, I did not do Artist's Way week 10. I did 'do' it, I guess, but this particular week holds a lot of truths for me and with the first two days of the week off I didn't give it as much as I'd like to, so I'll repeat it this week.
YES, we did move into the "litter box gone, bowl in the toilet" stage of toilet training the cat. She is bemused, and no doubt muttering to herself about my insanity. We're currently at about 60% compliance. Don't ask what happens the other 40% of the time!
YES, I did private #101.
YES, I did add 5,000 to my free rice total, to get me to 105,000. 105,700, to be precise.
YES, I did read another new author. Emily Barr. I LOVED the book until the last few chapters, when it fell apart. Sigh.
YES, I did babysit R and B on Friday night. I believe they were left relatively unscarred by the experience. :)
YES, so far I did follow through on my July plans for a great birthmonth.
In addition:
- I tried something new at Starbucks (task #72) - Chai Latte. Not bad!
So not bad!
This week:
- I will get the free rice total to 113,000.
- I will add fourteen things to the list of things that make me happy, getting said list to 49.
- I will finish the string bag.
- I will re-do Artist's Way week 10.
- I will finish the back of the sweater of doom.
- I will continue on my July plans for a great birthmonth.
- I will donate the remaining book I have set aside for book crossing.
- I am partway through another book by an author new to me. I will finish it.
I will also relax and enjoy Raoul, which is nearing the end. :)
Oh, yes, and I will run a 10-mile race in Toronto the morning of July 13th, so this might not get updated until Monday (or even Tuesday, given that Monday's my birthday and if I don't feel like doing this I don't gotta. :)
Last week:
YES/NO, I donated my bookcrossing books. I was to do two, but only did one. I will take the other one out tomorrow morning when I go for my run.
NO, I did not finish my string bag. I made a shawl instead. :)
NO, I did not finish the back piece of the sweater of doom. See above note about the shawl I made. :) I've got maybe six rows left. This week.
NO, I did not do Artist's Way week 10. I did 'do' it, I guess, but this particular week holds a lot of truths for me and with the first two days of the week off I didn't give it as much as I'd like to, so I'll repeat it this week.
YES, we did move into the "litter box gone, bowl in the toilet" stage of toilet training the cat. She is bemused, and no doubt muttering to herself about my insanity. We're currently at about 60% compliance. Don't ask what happens the other 40% of the time!
YES, I did private #101.
YES, I did add 5,000 to my free rice total, to get me to 105,000. 105,700, to be precise.
YES, I did read another new author. Emily Barr. I LOVED the book until the last few chapters, when it fell apart. Sigh.
YES, I did babysit R and B on Friday night. I believe they were left relatively unscarred by the experience. :)
YES, so far I did follow through on my July plans for a great birthmonth.
In addition:
- I tried something new at Starbucks (task #72) - Chai Latte. Not bad!
So not bad!
This week:
- I will get the free rice total to 113,000.
- I will add fourteen things to the list of things that make me happy, getting said list to 49.
- I will finish the string bag.
- I will re-do Artist's Way week 10.
- I will finish the back of the sweater of doom.
- I will continue on my July plans for a great birthmonth.
- I will donate the remaining book I have set aside for book crossing.
- I am partway through another book by an author new to me. I will finish it.
I will also relax and enjoy Raoul, which is nearing the end. :)
Oh, yes, and I will run a 10-mile race in Toronto the morning of July 13th, so this might not get updated until Monday (or even Tuesday, given that Monday's my birthday and if I don't feel like doing this I don't gotta. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)