Each January I set a reading goal on Goodreads. For several years that goal has been seventy books. There is always temptation to increase it, but the December end of year book race squelches it.
The goal was seventy books again this year. I have been running a book or two ahead of the number Goodreads thinks will meet that goal all year. However, I still have three books to do and two weeks left in the year.
Is This Doable?
Of course the goal is doable. I set the goal to be obtainable. It’s a good feeling to actually accomplish one goal for the year.
At present I’m reading two books, “Sixteen Tons” and “The Cat Who Said Cheese”. Both have fewer than a hundred pages left to read in them.
Two more books are waiting. “The Christmas Pony” seems made to order for a horse crazy person like me. And a new book at the library is “Octopus, Seahorse Jellyfish”, appealing as I grew up near the ocean and studied it in University.
Desperate Measures
Life happens. Last year turned into an end of year book race that seemed unwinnable.
Then I turn to picture books. Now, I do read these all year, but rarely list them on Goodreads.
Picture books are very short and that messes up my average page count on Goodreads. And I rarely check these books out. Instead I stand in the children’s section to read one or two before heading off to do errands. There are several on my book shelf at home for when I want to relax or destress.
Next Year?
Even though this December doesn’t seem to be turning into a frantic end of year book race, I will leave my goal at seventy books next January. It’s a comfortable goal and it’s nice to have something a little challenging, but not out of reach.
