Sace's Rambly Ramble and Goals for 2016

I'm trying something different in 2016--I want to actually plan what I'm going to read. Normally I just ramble around my house and meander through my shelves. I sigh and moan about not knowing what I'm in the mood to read. This generally leads to reading a lot of graphic novels and other genres that I can read quickly and mindlessly. I enjoy it, but I feel like I'm being lazy. Next year I want to plan my books, mood be damned, and see if that helps me.

Edited to finally add some plans and goals

GOALS
Transfer books from Goodreads. I'm doing it manually/with the LT app since I only want to transfer my "to read" list.
Read 75 Books

Challenges

The Popsugar Challenge
1. A book based on a fairy tale
2. A National Book Award winner
3. A YA bestseller
4. A book you haven't read since high school
5. **completed**A book set in your home state-Because of Winn Dixie
6. A book translated to English
7. A romance set in the future
8. A book set in Europe
9. **completed** A book that's under 150 pages-The Yellow Wallpaper
10. A New York Times bestseller
11. A book that's becoming a movie this year
12. A book recommended by someone you just met
13. A self-improvement book
14. **completed** A book you can finish in a day-The Yellow Wallpaper
15. A book written by a celebrity
16. A political memoir
17. A book at least 100 years older than you
18. A book that's more than 600 pages
19. A book from Oprah's Book Club
20. A science-fiction novel
21. **completed**A book recommended by a family member Hard Magic
22. **completed** A graphic novel-Usagi Yojimbo
23. **completed** A book that is published in 2016- Food Wars! Vol 11
24. A book with a protagonist that has your occupation
25. A book that takes place during summer
26. A book and its prequel
27. A murder mystery
28. A book written by a comedian
29. A dystopian novel
30. A book with a blue cover
31. A book of poetry
32. The first book you see in a bookstore
33. A classic from the 20th century
34. **completed** A book from the library-Between the World and Me
35. An autobiography
36. A book about a road trip
37. A book about a culture you're unfamiliar with
38. A satirical book
39. A book that takes place on an island
40. A book that's guaranteed to bring you joy

The BookRiot Read Harder Challenge
Read a horror book
Read a nonfiction book about science.
**completed** Read a collection of essays. Men Explain Things to Me
Read a book out loud to someone else.
**completed** Read a middle grade novel Because of Winn Dixie
Read a biography (not memoir or autobiography).
Read a dystopian or post-apocalyptic novel.
**completed** Read a book originally published in the decade you were born Kindred
Listen to an audiobook that has won an Audie Award.
**completed**Read a book over 500 pages long. Hard Magic
**completed** Read a book under 100 pages. The Yellow Wallpaper
Read a book by or about a person that identifies as transgender.
Read a book that is set in the Middle East.
Read a book that is by an author from Southeast Asia.
Read a book of historical fiction set before 1900.
Read the first book in a series by a person of color.
Read a non-superhero comic that debuted in the last three years.
Read a book that was adapted into a movie, then watch the movie.
**completed**Read a nonfiction book about feminism or dealing with feminist themes Shrill
**completed**Read a book about religion (fiction or nonfiction) Through the Narrow Gate
Read a book about politics, in your country or another (fiction or nonfiction).
Read a food memoir
Read a play
Read a book with a main character that has a mental illness.

It's funny how the people tend to be split; there's a lot of folks of the if it goes on a list I no longer want anything to do with it! mentality here but then there's others who meticulously plan titles in advance and stick to it. I tend to be in the middle: there's little I love more than ticking things off lists! Lmao. But I can't plan too far ahead, I need flexibility to maneuver a bit, if this one is taking longer or that one was weighty etc, have to be able to re-balance! :P That was a big part of why I'd liked the category challenge, lists with plans but built in flexibility! Shame that went awry. Ah well, I make my own plans now! :D What sort of plans are you thinking? For me I find it usually works best if I mix things up a lot. Weightier book followed by simple fluff, like a Christie mystery or random thriller, bio then a classic, etc. Keeps one on their toes. ;)

"I tend to be in the middle: there's little I love more than ticking things off lists! Lmao. But I can't plan too far ahead, I need flexibility to maneuver a bit, if this one is taking longer or that one was weighty etc, have to be able to re-balance!"

Agreed. I like challenges and I do like to plan and check things off lists. I don't like when a challenge is so challenging that I don't want to read.

For example: I've seen challenges that do not allow "crossover." If I am reading Book X for a challenge and it fits another challenge, I can't use is. I happen to find it a rather fun challenge to see how many categories/challenges I can make ONE book fit into. Ok, and I'm lazy too.

I think I want to try planning a little more because I waste an awful lot of time moping around saying "I don't have anything to reeeaad!" "I don't know what I'm in the mood for!"

This year I want to see what happens when I check my list and say "Ok, I committed to this challenge and reading this book. Let's do this."

Hehe, yeah, when I'm not sure what to read next I tend to just gaze at the shelves until something calls to me. XD

I've never made a reading list before. This is my first time. I have historically drifted from book to book, stumbling into items of interest along the way. I this year I wanted to see if making a list would up my productivity. I'll be looking for that list >1 Sace:.

>5 brodiew2: YES! You've expressed it perfectly "I have historically drifted from book to book, stumbling into items of interest along the way. I this year I wanted to see if making a list would up my productivity."

My list is actually a google doc. I'm doing a lot of challenges in one of my Goodreads groups. There are a couple here I am doing.

Just randomly checking in to ramble.

I finally left Goodreads for realz and forevurz. Library Thing is the only place I'll be hanging out and the only place I will organize my books. I'm still figuring out how everything works, but every function I used on goodreads is available here, too.

As for reading, I'm still (mostly) following my plan (except for the bit about not buying books.) I read books I planned to read and I also wander around my house looking at shelves and wondering what I should read next.

:) Welcome back :)

Thank you!!

I'm also working on the 2016 PopSugar book challenge. I'm about halfway through the categories, so let me know if you need any recommendations. Some of mine are listed on Peggy's Rants and Raves in this group, but I don't think I'm up to date on all of them.

I'm baaack.

And I'm just rambling *again*. I'm trying to reassess and regroup for the final push of 2016. I need to streamline/simplify/make some decisions.

Things I've learned about myself
1. For the most part, I really can plan my reading. I still do an awful lot of wandering around my shelves trying to figure out what to read, but I'm also pleased with my ability to pick up a book and read it simply because it's on my list.

2. I'm a pretty generous reader, there are only three books I've marked DNF (well, only two of them are on LibraryThing.) Some books take longer to finish than others, but I generally finish what I start.

3. I can't stop buying books. Maybe next year...

4. I've enjoyed the PopSugar and Book Riot's Read Harder Challenges more than challenges found on LibraryThing and *whispers* Goodreads. I'm not sure why, though.

5. I kind of want to write about some things I read or reading in general, but not quite in a here's-a-review kind of way (Because it involves knowing how to write and editing and stuff I'm too lazy to do.) I toyed with the idea of a blog (see parenthetical note above), but I never seem to have a post's worth of stuff to say. So maybe I'll just use my reading thread here to do that.

Looking Ahead
So far 2016 has been a banner year for reading. I'm on track to read more pages than ever before (I probably just jinxed it.)

My next goal is to do more on Library Thing than just add books. Of course, I'm really just a lurker at heart so who knows if I'll follow through.

I always think I'd like to book blog, but then I get distracted by things, and it takes time and effort to write up stuff and, well.... >.>

Nice to see you here! :)

>12 .Monkey.: Exactly. I like the idea of a book blog, but really all I need is a space to go to so I can just get a thought out. It's more my own selfish need to type it and say it "out loud". Not any real need to "write". Half the time it's just a rhetorical question or a sentence.

BTW - I credit you with turning me on to LT. I resisted for the longest time, but I'm so glad I made the switch.

Yeah same, like something comes to mind and I'm like Oh that'd be interesting to explore... but... Lol.

:D So am I!

>14 .Monkey.: LT is the bomb. I don't know why I resisted for so long.

I am patting myself on the back. I have finally cut the technology cords. Ok, not ALL the cords and not permanently, but I have really cut down my TV time and 'net surfing time and my reading time has increased. Funny that....

Woo! I go through phases, I'll spend around a week invested in a game, and then I won't play any for a couple weeks, etc. :P I've been doing good though at making sure I'm not spending too much time with that stuff, I'm currently on book 58 of the year. :D Not as good as it could be but not bad. :)

Oh for heaven's sake! My local library doesn't have ANY Dorothy Sayers!? Surely I have just done a poor search of the online catalog?

Well, she's no Agatha Christie... Perhaps other branches via ILL would serve, though?

Perhaps. But my local library is notoriously bizarre in its catalog. I am often floored by what I cannot find.

Always irritating when the library doesn't have things! I know these pains well, being in a non-English land, heh.

I'm sure it's even worse for you!

Super limited, lol. I didn't pay for renewal of my card since 2013, so I haven't been since around mid-2014, we've just been using Hubs' alum card for the uni library where I get the more literary stuff. Eventually I'll go back to the public one but, not for a while.

I finished a book. Woot.



Made me wish I still taught elementary school and could teach reading again.