DEAR Monday: To read in 2012 | Living La Vida Normal

I call it DEAR Monday because when I was in elementary school, yes I know that was in the last millenium, the reading time during school was called Drop Everything and Read or DEAR. I also found that I would complain a lot about another Monday coming along and I decided to be nicer to Mondays. Mondays are the days I come to my little corner of the Internet and write about what I’ve been reading or plan to read. Here’s the first one for 2012!

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A couple of real-life friends on Twitter and I are trying to get together a book club. I know that will definitely help me read more. We’re definitely in the beginning stages: figuring out what to read and when to meet? I hope we decide on books ahead of time so I can try to get them from PaperBackSwap (if you sign up using this link I get a book credit). I love using that site to declutter books I’ve read in exchange for books that I want to read. The only drawback has been that sometimes I wait for a very long time before a book becomes available. I have plenty of books to read already so that usually hasn’t been a problem.

I didn’t meet my reading goal for 2011. I had intended to read 25 books and I read 15. Apparently, a lot of things got in my way of reading very much last year. (Ha! I remembered that 2011 was last year and not this year) My goal for 2012 is 25 books. I hope that I have a better chance this year, I’m starting out with a stack of books to read already – a nice mix of fiction and non-fiction.

The first 9 books on the list

The books that I already have on the to-read list:

At Knit’s End: Meditations for Women who Knit Too Much by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee – The Yarn Harlot – I’m planning on one a day
Meditations for Women who Do Too Much by Anne Wilson Schaef – I’m planning on one a day, since they’re dated
Short Girls, a novel by Bich Minh Nguyen
A Weekend to Change Your Life by Joan Anderson
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Knit in Comfort by Isabel Sharpe
A Delicate Balance: Living Successfully with Chronic Illness by Susan Milstrey Wells
Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself by Arthur J. Barsky, MD and Emily C. Deans, MD
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

I hope to be much more successful this year with my reading goal. I’ll definitely be keeping track of it all on goodreads and I’ll keep writing about reading on Mondays.

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What are you going to be reading in 2012? Do you set a reading goal? Would any of you be interested in participating in a linky party? Let me know in the comments and I’ll get one set up.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=619945335 Cheryl Perry

I have had great success with PAPERBACK SWAP. It has saved me a boatload of money.

http://www.livinglavidanormal.com SimplyGabriela

yes, according to their site I’ve saved almost $400. It’s been a great help to me. Thanks for stopping by.

http://whendidibecomaknitter.wordpress.com/ Keri

I would love to participate in a reading goal too. I loved reading as a child and in the last few years have gotten back to it a little more. A few years a go I was reading a book a week. Now I get a couple finished a month. I’ve read the Life of Pi. I remember it being engaging and slightly odd. Enjoy.
Let me know if you do a link party, (maybe you could have coincide with the yarn along? Since there is a reading section to those posts too.)

http://www.livinglavidanormal.com SimplyGabriela

Thanks for your comment! I will definitely let you know about a link party, it’s something I’ve been thinking about… maybe I should just say “If I build it, they will come”
What day is Yarn Along? Isn’t it on Fridays…

http://www.absolutelybananas.com/ bananas

Hi Gabriela, thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment – it’s fun to read through and learn about your delightful family! I have not read any of the books on your list, and I’m adding them to my wish list now, as we speak.
Here’s to a productive and happy 2012!

http://www.livinglavidanormal.com SimplyGabriela

Thanks for coming over for a visit here! We are quite a bunch. Do you have a place where you list what books you’ve read? I’m always looking for more recommendations to add to my wish list.

http://napiligal.wordpress.com/ Napiligal

My goal this year is to read a book a month. I am almost done reading The Summer Guest and am going to read Mary and O’Neil by the same author. After that I plan to read The Hundred Foot Journey. Since ia only read for about 45 minutes at night before I turn out the light, this might be a big challenge. Does reading Knitting patterning books count?! Dont think I’ll include them in my goal but will list them on my blog page.

http://www.livinglavidanormal.com SimplyGabriela

I had never thought of knitting pattern books as part of my count. I don’t think I’ll count them because I’m usually just looking at one pattern in the book. That’s a good idea to include them on your blog! I’ll go check it out.

Katiiz95

real life friend here.. Lets hope together we can make it to and past the 25 book mark. I used to be real good at actually starting, getting the middle and then finishing a book. But that of course was before the a tiny human came into my life. Today im lucky if i can read the ads in the Safeway circular.

http://www.livinglavidanormal.com SimplyGabriela

I know, right? Those little humans really can change how we do things. We need to figure out the book club thing, all the logistics and stuff so we can get going on our goals.