It is a year to the day I started this blog! Whoop, whoop! Let the party poppers pop, the songs be sung and the cake be eaten!!
OK, maybe I should tone down the celebrations just a little. To be honest, I've not really done as well as I'd have hoped, but, let's face it, this bookworm was never going to change her spots (or whatever worms have!) overnight!
I have made some progress though and I'm pleased with that. I've not bought anything like as many books as I did before starting this project, so my list of things to read hasn't grown that much really. Honest!
I've also have read some amazing books since May 2011, some of which had been sat on my shelves for years literally gathering dust. 'Brave New World', 'The Help' and 'Jilted Generation' immediately spring to mind. I really can't believe I let these gems just sit there for so long. It does give me hope, however, that there are probably a lot more goodies just waiting there to be picked up and read. If that doesn't give me the energy to keep going, I don't know what will.
So, time for a bit of maths. In the last 12 months, I've ready 23 books. Not quite two a month then. If I carry on at that rate, that means it's going to take me nearly 20 years to read everything. Just as well I can self-censor, I wouldn't want anyone knowing what words spin through my head at the thought of that. Picking up the pace would seem like a good idea!
One thing I have learned in the last year, though, is that my greatest enemy is my own curiosity. I love to read because I want to know about things, which is a nice thing to want, but an impossible thing to achieve. Also, being nosy means that I am quite easily distracted. Y'know, by the usual sorts of things, but mainly what I could read next and things on the web. Don't get me wrong, the internet is an amazing thing that I'm very grateful for, but it can be rather distracting! Equally, if I don't understand something I read, it can be a useful tool. So, swings and roundabouts.
Every new year should begin with a resolution, so here's mine. I'm going to be a lot more focussed in the next 12 months. And I'm going to aim for at least two books a month (I think that's the least I should do). But, to be fair to myself, I think I also need to be more ruthless. If I'm not getting on with a book, I need to know when I'm beaten. I really think that every book has its time. Sometimes you're just not at the right place in your life to fully understand and get the most out of something. So I need to learn to recognise that too. Then perhaps I won't take two months to read a book of short stories.
Very importantly, thank you very much to everyone, friends and strangers, who has encouraged me in my project so far. I hope you're enjoying the blog and the tweets (@Girl_LovesBooks) and you'll stick with me for just a bit longer!
