TTT: My Reluctant Bookish Resolutions & Goals
Hello my bookish friends! Top Ten Tuesday has a new host so be sure to link up over at That Artsy Reader Girl. The creators over at The Broke and the Bookish are closing their doors for now. I'm going to try to be a semi-consistent contributor. But as always, I make no promises.
Today's topic is Top Ten Bookish Resolutions/Goals.
I probably won't keep any of these just like last year but a girl can dream, right?
1. Read Only the Things I Love
I'm pretty sure I said this last year but it didn't happen. I visited Netgalley to post an overdue review and suddenly ended up requesting 10 more. Ugh. I think I've learned my lesson once and for all. Reading under pressure sucks all of the joy out of reading. And I still have 8 left . . . No more Netgalley! I am convinced that site is run by the devil!
Of my five stars reads only two of them were review books and neither were from Netgalley. Hmmmm.
2. Learn How to Use Bookstagram
Pretty place isn't it? I want to do that! I'm not even going to attempt to pretend I know anything about taking photos but I feel like I'm missing out when I hear about all of these fun challenges bloggers and podcasters talk about. You can find me and my pitiful attempts at bookstagramming by clicking below.
Any and all tips for a brand new bookstagrammer would be greatly appreciated.
3. Actually Read From My Physical TBR Pile
I read three books my physical TBR pile. Three! Instead I added more books to the wishlist, the Kindle app and spent my time reading review copies, books I bought new for book group and audios from Libby/Overdrive/Audible. Ugh.
4. Organize This Mess
As a result this has happened. Would you just look at this horrifying mess?! This is only the very tip of the TBR pile. I have two other bookshelves that overfloweth and several more bins hidden away. See below . . .
Remember this crappy pic from last January? Whelp, it looks exactly the same today. Maybe messier!
Ahhh, yes, it is definitely messier!
I think they have all died a slow death from loneliness and despair :(
5. Maybe Post Something Other Than Reviews?
I'd like to be consistent with the meme's and discussion posts and maybe sneak in a few spotlight posts but in all honestly I don't think I can keep this promise to myself. I really don't function well on a strict schedule and do best when I wing it.
6. DNF, DNF, DNF!
Seriously, I have too many books and even though I said this last year, I still stuck with too many of them for far too long. Some books do not get better and these suckers should've been DNF'd:
7. Stop Grabbing Freebies
My Kindle app is going to explode and I never, ever seem to make time to read them. There are so many good reads I've bought hidden here amongst the surely dreadful but hell if I'll ever be able to find them!
8. Make New Friends/Visit Other Blogs Daily
I'm always a day/week/month late and can't seem to stay on top of things. This needs to be part of the daily routine. Sorry for being such a failure at this last year.
9. Buy More Real Books
Yeah, ebooks are usually cheaper but I like to hold a book in my hands, put them in pretty piles, turn their pages and pass the good ones on to my friends and sister. I've tried the Ipad Kindle app route and it hurts my eyes after 30 minutes or so. Give me a real book any day.
10. Focus
My attention was scattered all over the place last year and I often felt like I did nothing well. I was working on a kitchen cabinet refinishing project, a knitting project, updating 3 blogs, goodreads, booklikes, Amazon, Netgalley, Twitter, as well as doing library edits for Goodreads and Booklikes and working full time. I let my back/health slide and paid for it dearly. This year I'm focused on getting physically stronger and letting go things when I'm no longer having fun.
Let me tell you, you have no idea how many ancient cabinets you have until you attempt to sand, paint and wax them. This project was anything but fun and it took us ages as we could only work on the weekends and nights we weren't beat but I'm so glad we did it. We saved ourselves $10,000.00! I can buy a lot of books for $10,000.00!
We used Annie Sloan paint in Antique White purchased from a local shop and only spent a couple $100 bucks on supplies. This stuff is awesome and holding up despite some negative reviews. I am thrilled with it. Splurge on the beautiful brush, it's totally worth it. You also have to buy the sealant wax and use two coats. It is work, not going to lie and I can see why people might skimp on the waxing. I admit to only waxing the lesser used top cabinets 1x because I was sick of it all by then. But you can't skimp on the everyday cabinets or you'll end up regretting it and having to do touch-ups. They say this is "no sanding" needed paint but my cabinets were so grimy and old and roughed up that we had to sand, patch and sand again. So worth it though.
So, got any goals for 2018?
I need to get better about bloghopping as well to pay attention to what my friends post. I try, but it feels like in the limited amount of time that I have, that consistently gets pushed to the bottom of the list.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. I'm the same. I need to write up a daily schedule that includes blog hopping and reading. Those two things always end up on the backburner.
DeleteI want to join bookstagram this year, too. I've been thinking of having it coincide with my blogoversary next week, but I got a snow day today and may spend some time setting that up. My lack of photography talent has been keeping me from jumping in. It sounds like a fun way to share books, though. Your cabinets are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHa, I set mine up during our last snowstorm! It was pretty easy but I am still unsure what I'm suppose to do with it. I'm not good with taking photos either and it's rather intimidating what with all of the beautifully staged pics but I jumped in anyway. The community seems vibrant and fun. My daughter is a budding photographer so I'm going to bug her for some tips.
DeleteThanks, I thought those cabinets would be the death of me. It was so much work, ugh.
The cabinets sure do look beautiful I need to work on our kitchen some this year. The focus this year has to be the kitchen and the library (I almost choked - what library? It's kind of a room that houses tubs of books). But hey, I did manage to work on it some over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteI would love to go through your book shelves and give your books some love!
Thanks, Barb! I'm just glad they are done. They were horrific before. Truly ugly and made the kitchen look so dingy. Now the kitchen is brighter and I'm happier to spend time there. I'm going to have a library someday when one of my kids moves out. Now my books are scattered everywhere. Take little steps with your project. It'll drag it out but it'll eventually get done :)
DeleteI love bookstagram! It has kept me to my goals for the last two years like nothing else. I host a fun bookstagram challenge every month, it's a great way to jump in and find accounts you can connect with. You can join in the challenge whenever you want to!
ReplyDeleteOoo, I'll go check out your site! I see so many people having fun on bookstagram but I'm sort of stumbling about. I hope to have it mastered by this time next year. Thanks for visiting today!
DeleteThanks for jumping over! I'm so glad you did. I hope to see you on Insta - in all fairness... leave me a comment or message so I notice... sometimes I miss people and then feel bad
DeleteWow, you're a busy lady! I'm glad you're taking time this year to focus on your health. I need to do that, too. It's too easy to let it slide when there are so many other things demanding your attention. Good luck with it and with all your other resolutions. Happy TTT!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan! I'm so glad you visited. It really is so easy to put yourself on the backburner. This year I'm exercising before I do anything else. That seems to be working well.
DeleteGreat resolutions!! I stink at IG but love being on there anyway. I also need to focus on my own books. Focus is such a great last one and I can get caught up in too much stuff too. Good luck this year!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Grace! People post such pretty things but it looks so time consuming and a little expensive what with all of the doodads and things they add for ambiance. I'll be good with finding some bookish friends and maybe doing one of the challenges.
DeleteI'm on IG and I have fun but I'l never be a true *bookstagrammer*. For props - I use whatever is around the house, or stuff from the $1 bin at Target. If it takes more than 5 minutes to do then I quit lol I don't want to end up stressed trying to take perfect photos.
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to read my own damn books!, learn to DNF, & cut back on those freebies. I got better at that last year but I need to cut back further.
I did get Netgalley under control. I only allow myself 2 books out at a time.
I love your cabinets. We want to do our bathroom cabinets but I'm baffled by what paint to use and all that stuff. i will check out your links.
For What It's Worth
The $1 bin at Target is a great idea. I'm so lazy with this kind of thing though. I'm with you, if it takes more than 5 minutes to set the scene I am out of there.
DeleteI hope my links help you out. If you have any question let me know.
Awesome Resolutions! I'm still trying to get batter at Bookstagram, but struggle to put pretty posts up. All of us bloggers need to DNF more and find more books that we can't put down instead! Tori @ In Tori Lex
ReplyDeleteIt's rather intimidating when I see such perfectly staged beautiful photos but I'm going to keep on trying.
DeleteTori, I can't comment on your blog for some reason. None of the clickable links seem to work on my three browsers :(
DeleteBookstagram is awesome! I hope you get to post up more book photos! Great list!
ReplyDeleteHere’s my TTT!
Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog
I can't wait to try out a challenge. Those look like so much fun.
DeleteLove your goals...especially #1 and #6. I'm all for reading only what you love, and DNF-ing the rest. Happy reading in 2018! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lark. May we only keep reading the 4 & 5 stars!
DeleteI need to read more actual books on my shelf too this year, instead of getting new e- books all the time lol. So true. I want to write more discussions posts too this year. and I hear you on Bookstagram- I don't even try but it's fun to see what people come up with. Some serious book photography going on there...
ReplyDeleteSome people are so skilled at photography. I don't have that artistic eye but I'm still going to post stuff. The community seems very friendly.
DeleteOk...first of all your cabinets look amazing! I am trying not to download every free book anymore but my account is full of crap. These are all great goals and I am sure you are going to do well with them. It is so hard to balance everything.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carole. Yeah, I think my Kindle acct is full of a lot of crap too. I need to spend a few hours and do a massive delete.
DeleteLots of good goals and I share some of them. Your cabinets look awesome. I have a corner curio cabinet that needs sanding and refinishing. Never having done it, I'm going to get some advice before I attempt it. Going for a black satiny finish. I like to look on Bookstagram but I have too many sites to keep track of already to try another one. LOL
ReplyDeleteCabinet refinishing takes some work but it'll be worth all of the effort when it's finished. I hated my 1968 cabinets with a fierce passion and wanted to just rip them out and toss them in the fire but I'm glad I decided to take a chance and paint them.
DeleteBookstagram is fun and friendly. I learn a little more every day and it's not hogging too much of my time. Twitter is the one that sucks me in for days. I need to break away from that habit.
Great goals! I think I am getting harsher with my books cause I already have one that I wanted to enjoy but couldn't stand and verily finished it gave it a 2.5 and then I have another I am serious considering DNFing cause I just don't really like the writing style or the MC. I am like oh forget it...moving on....lol. :)
ReplyDeleteYep, there are just too many books to stick out a "meh" one. I need to take my own advice more often ;)
DeleteNetGalley is hard to resist! I've noticed that there are a LOT of self published books offered, so maybe that's one reason you don't have much luck there. I am very picky about which publishers I request from, I have my favorites that usually don't let me down, and I don't read any self published at all (one of my review policies). I love your new cabinets! Mine are due for refinishing as well, want to come over and help??;-)
ReplyDeleteThat's a good policy, Tammy and one I've never thought about. I just grab by cover/blurb enticement and it doesn't always work out for me.
DeleteSorry, I'm done sanding, painting, waxing for a good long while but I wish you much luck :)
Lol.. NetGally is run by the devil! I have never been interested in reading arcs, so I don't know much about it. Your cabinets look beautiful, it is hard work but hopefully you wouldn't over do it, take some time for yourself. When you do organize your books, post pictures. I would love to see finished. Best wishes on your 2018 goals.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jovita. I wish I hadn't ever been lured in by ARC's and stuck to my tbr pile. My pile, I think, would be much more manageable.
DeleteI'm doing ok on just reading what I really want to-the rest are slowly being deleted! I do need to attack more of the physical books to reclaim my bedroom! yes to more DNF and to limiting the free grabs unless they are from my wishlist or sound fantastic!
ReplyDeleteYou are so good about DNFing. I envy your skills.
DeleteI couldn't agree more about DNFs! So many books so little time! :) Ad tat pile of books is a mess but a beautiful mess! :)
ReplyDeleteIt is such an eyesore and what you can't see from the angle of the pic, is that it's over 6' tall and 3 books deep! Ugh, I don't even know where to start!!
Deletelol so worried about your books looking at that photo of your cat going after them : ) followed you on bookstagram. Good luck with your 2018 resolutions!
ReplyDeleteHe is pure evil. He has to stick his monster paws into everything I do! But I love him anyway.
DeleteI also got into the Book photography phase but I'm not nearly as good as others and just stand in awe of them! It's fun though. As for Netgalley, I got into it last year for the first time seriously and try to go in trends. I restrict myself to only books I would want to read soon and only favorite genre picks since I have so much to read otherwise. I'm still not thrilled with my score but it's climbing.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good way to handle Netgalley. It's so easy to go on a request binge and lose all control ;)
DeleteI love those cabinets!
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best with your goals this year. I am all over the place with mine this year. I think I would do better if I had one and stuck to it. I tell myself it's about they journey though--at least when it comes to my reading. If I'm enjoying what I'm reading and having fun with that and blogging, then I'm doing something right. Hopefully.
Thanks, I need all the well wishes I can get! I tend to make these proclamations and end up never following through with them. Sounds like you definitely have the right attitude about reading and blogging. I need to remember that it's a hobby and supposed to be enjoyable.
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