This Tuesday's theme is...
Top Ten Goals For 2014
Ugh, goals. Those things I make, keep up for a few days, then give up on. They're not goals, they're noals. (That was stupid, I know.) But nevertheless, I still try and make some. So here are ten mostly bookish goals I have for this year! (We'll see how they last.)
Try not to be a French,
potty-mouthed sailor
Excuse my French, but I swear. A lot. (The f-word is my favorite.) And I think--and can totally understand--that that's offensive to some people. Growing up, I thought I would never swear; I'd like to be the Adult (but really a kid) Rachel who Kid Rachel at least somewhat thought I'd be. So I'm going to try and cut back, at least on Twitter. (I have no promises for real life, especially when I'm driving, reading, or watching The Walking Dead.)
NO LIBRARY FEES*
(*Said like "no capes.") I AM SORRY, but I am so bad at keeping my library fees low. At one point last year I owed the library like $30. This year, I want to keep it as close to zero as possible. (Starting when I pay off my current fees.)
Read, Finish, Review
Step One: Read a book. Step Two: Finish it. Review: Write a review right after finishing, if possible.
Control my shelf
It is SO EASY to just go on Edelweiss and NetGalley and request and download EVERYTHING. But I need to gain some shelf control and get picky. I don't have time to read everything!
Procrastination one does not make
Forgive me, Yoda, for have I procrastinated. I waited until the last minute to read this review book, and now I'm stressing and fretting. I will try to change my middle name from being Procrastinator.
More (and less) books
What I need on this blog: More reviews. What I also need on this blog: More posts that aren't memes and blog tours and reviews. You are my people, and I like to talk to my people, so I need to get more discussiony.
Enter the uncomfortable zone
I love my comfort zone. I am comfortable in it. But yet, I think I need to stray from it. I already did the other day when I read The Impossible Knife of Memory, and I LOVED it. What else am I missing?
Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy...but I haven't read your book
I always feel bad when I meet an author and haven't read at least one of their books. Sure, I brought/bought the book, but I don't know what's it about. I really want to get better at this in 2014. (And then I'll be less awkward. I'll have something to talk about, instead of just standing there like my awkward self and making awkward conversation.)
Planned Bloggerhood
Things tend to work out better when planned. Imagine all the things I could do if I scheduled more posts ahead of time (and by more than a day or hours). I could waste more of my time on the computer!
GET THEE TO BEA
I. Want. To. Go. I was so envious seeing all the tweets and posts from people who went last year (and it made me miss being at ALA Midwinter). This year I'm turning the big 2-1, and since I don't have any ideas to celebrate besides going skydiving or getting a tattoo (drinking isn't my thing), and BEA just happens to be a little over a month after my birthday, I am concocting an evil plan. We shall see how it plays out.
I wish you good luck! It is hard to change and do things differently. :)
ReplyDeleteYES. Please try and come to BEA. You can stay with me if you want. WE HAVE TO MEET. And my dorm room is free. (I have to check if I'm allowed guests during the summer, but I'm sure I do) And YES. About the blog planning. I'm terrible at planning ahead, I'll do it for a little while, but then I'll just STOP.
ReplyDeleteGood look on your 2014 goals!
I hope you get to BEA!! I can't wait to go! I also need to do cool it with the swearing. And I have a kid, so yeah... need to limit the f-ing. But since he's not on Twitter, maybe I'll just start swearing there instead :) I'm also irresponsible about the library. As I sit here I have an inter-library loan book that was due 5 days ago... opps!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by My TTT
BEA. BEA. BEA. BEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AHAHAHA *CRIES*
ReplyDeleteAlso yes. I think most of us blogger are starting mroe real life/discussion posts since we're all getting a bit tired of book blasts and blog tours!
AND YES. SCHEDULE POSTS *shovels off some of my 90 posts to you*
Hahah I'm with you on the swearing one. I never really used to be that bad about it but lately I have been. Even Will has been like WOAH you are dropping that eff bomb a lot lately. OOPS.
ReplyDeleteI hope to meet you at BEA!! (Hoping I can go again this year with all the job crap!!)
UGH I just can't be a blogger who schedules. I've tried for 3.5 years to do this but I've failed so at this point in 2014 my goal should be to learn to be okay with that. hahah
Good luck with your goals, lady!
I really need to work on the swearing as well! I really, really have to learn to control my shelf as well. :) Great list!
ReplyDeleteBEA is a lot of fun. You should definitely go!
ReplyDeleteI am totally a procrastinator too! If I have a book that I NEED to review I put it off until the very last moment possible. Then I wonder why I agreed to read it or requested it in the first place?! I have gotten a lot more picky about this lately, which has helped!
P.S. Wash your mouth out with some soap!
Ahh, I wish I could go to BEA! I'ts just too far away:( I hope to get tickets to San Diego Comic Con, which is sort of like BEA. Great list, I tried scheduling posts far ahead of time, but I discovered that I didn't have as much enthusiasm for those posts. I have a hard time getting myself to schedule things, so mostly I end up posting the day before. Oh well, it works for me! Here's my Top Ten.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I am with you for basically all of these goals. I want to meet more blogger friends, I cannot afford to have more library fees (one of the best gifs ever), and BEA BEA BEA! Yes. To all of this, yes.
ReplyDeleteFantastic resolutions there. I'm terrible for getting click happy on Net Galley! Soooo many books to review and every time I submit feedback I request another one. Or five.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, I love all your clever goal titles!! XD I am totally on board with your last one especially... But I didn't include it in my goals because I didn't want to jinx it!! =S I WANT TO GO SO BAD THOUGH.
ReplyDeleteHa, I never would have known you were a cusser, even with our interactions on Twitter! (I have the same ailment.) ;-)
ReplyDeleteI actually need blogfests and memes to keep me honest with the blogging, and in an effort to also be better about reviewing, since I also benefit from NetGalley and Edelweiss, I'm doing the NG&E Challenge. I think I'm going to at least do a monthly round-up, which for me would be perfect.
Finally, I have the same problem with meeting authors when I haven't actually read their books. It makes me feel like an imposter. It's nice to hear authors and buy their book based on what I hear, but also I feel weird talking to them when I have no background. Obviously you understand. :-) With that in mind, I'm off to see Laurie Halse Anderson!