Okay, it’s finally hitting me. Our trip to Tampa helped ease the post-Christmas depression, but now that’s over. My son leaves on Friday, so I’m basically sad, and know that I’ll be even sadder at the end of the week. THEN, I looked ahead to next week and saw that Monday is Inauguration Day.
OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. Let me get this straight: all the holidays are over. Our trip is over. My son leaves on Friday, and then Monday Voldemort becomes president. No wonder I’m depressed!
At least there’s still football. But that will be over in a few weeks, and then what??? Well, there will still be reading. No one can take that away from me!
My goal for the year is to read 60 books, and so far it’s going horribly. I’m still making my way through this one:
I really like it, but it’s complex, and takes a lot of brainpower. I thought I would whip right through it on the Tampa trip but instead I hardly read at all. I’m just over halfway through and this is my first book of the year. Sigh!
When I met up with Stephany, we discussed the fact that people who read 100+ books a year are usually reading some audiobooks. For some reason I’ve been resisting them, but Stephany suggested that I make it a goal to read ONE audiobook this year.
I also want to broaden my horizons and try one romance novel. I asked Stephany to recommend a good one, and she’s thinking about it (the pressure is on!). So, reading goals for 2025:
- Read 60 books
- Read one audiobook (obviously, more if I really like it) and
- Read one romance novel, to be selected by Stephany.
Stephany also had a GREAT idea for the end of football season- set aside three hours on Sunday (when I would normally be watching a football game) for reading! I could even break it into quarters- read for a quarter, take a break, read another quarter, get a halftime snack, etc. I love it!
Okay, I guess things aren’t so bad. I can do this!
Do you have post-holiday depression? Or are you glad to get back to normal?
Do you read audiobooks?
Top photo by Cintya Marisa on Unsplash
19 Responses
Excellent suggestions by Stephany.
When people count the books they’re reading that doesn’t consider whether the books are difficult or not, whether they’re long or not, whether they require research/thought or not, no? In theory, one could read a ton of fluff and make the reading goal?
I’m thinking of teenage me who went through a phase of reading a ton of romances–one or two a day after school. I probably read 500 romance novels that year, but it wasn’t really a very fulfilling reading year.
Very true, Maya- in a way having a number goal is silly for the reasons you mentioned. But, for some reason I still like to do it. But I won’t shy away from reading hard books (and I also won’t switch over to only romance novels so I can get through them faster!)
sorry to hear yoou’ve had many issues with this trip. I can definitely sleep well in a full size bed with my husband, I need my space and I need a pillow between my legs too.
glad you had a fun blogger meet up, really all the favorites things to do. My girls love cat cafes they are sooo cute. More cat the merrier.
Pillow between the legs is a necessity- otherwise my hips will hurt SO much.
If the audio book is not keeping your attention, speed it up– this sounds strange, I know, but it really helps you have to pay attention.
This is all very hard for me to imagine, but I’ll definitely give it a try!
I definitely felt the post-holiday depression last week when I went back to work, but now I feel mostly back to normal. And I have a long weekend to look forward to — I took Thursday and Friday off to prep for my race, and Monday is MLK Day! I’m just gonna try to ignore the Inauguration Day part…
True- let’s focus on MLK. What is your race?
Awww I’m so sorry you’re blue. I have a recommendation for a romance novel! It’s a really interesting one, with a friendship component to it. It’s called One Star Romance, and it has to do with a writer who finds herself maid of honour to a best man who she finds out rated her book one star. It’s surprisingly nuanced and deep, and I really enjoyed it. It’s not a typical romance and since you aren’t a typical romance reader, I’d recommend it!
Okay Nicole, that sounds good! I’m going to read it, and if Stephan recommends a different one I’ll read that too.
Ooh! I just left my comment where I said I wasn’t really reading anything and One Star sounds like it will fit the bill! Problem solved!
I seem to be the odd man out that does not listen to audiobooks. I just listen to far too many podcast and I’m always behind on that queue so I don’t make time to listen to audiobooks, but if it’s something that has been recommended to listen to on audio then I will make an effort to do so. For example, I listen to the Anthropocene review reviewed by John Green on audio and it was really excellent.
I don’t have post holiday blues I just have can’t function with one arm kind of blues. We had a real rough morning here. Paul rolled a monster truck across the room and Phil didn’t see him doing that and stepped on it and then taco cried because he only wanted me to help him put his mittens on. i’m also realizing the person who’s even worse at asking for help as my husband. A friend offered to come over and play with taco this weekend and he feels like that’s asking too much of her or is unnecessary so I guess the surgery recovery process is going to be a Boot Camp of sorts for both of us
Oh boy- I’ve been thinking about you and wondering how it’s going. How are you even typing a comment??? Sounds like there will be a few rough days- maybe everyone will adjust quickly and things will improve.
A good chunk of my “reading” is audio books. I have a quirk where non-fiction is “boring” if I try to read it but fascinating when I listen to it. All of the great running books are prime examples. I think everyone on the planet adores Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor. When I tried to read it, I was intensely bored and DNF’d by the 2nd chapter. When I listened to it, it was instantly the most fascinating thing ever. I haven’t really tried to listen to fiction because I tend to tune out, so I feel like I wouldn’t be able to focus. But that’s what I think and not what I know, so I will take Stephany’s challenge and listen to one fiction book sometime this year.
I’m kind of in a down phase for reading. I’ve got an Alphabet murder going and it’s fine, but I have nothing lined up after that.
Hang in there with the “reentry” – son going back to school/you-know-who’s inauguration. Apropos of nothing, we never call him “The Donald” anymore – remember when that was a thing? I don’t know why that popped into my head, but if I have to think it then everyone reading this comment has to see it.
Since I got a cold right after Christmas, I feel like I got dumped back into reality early, unfortunately. As for audiobooks, I love them, but I almost never listen to a book I haven’t read with my eyes first. For me, they’re about expanding my love of a book, not discovering new books. Though I suppose that back when I took road trips, I might bring a new one along to try.
That’s interesting! I just remembered that on a road trip several years ago, my son and I listened to the 4th Harry Potter book. I read it (with my eyes) about ten years before that, and it was nice to listen to it as a re-read.
Sorry to hear you were sick- there’s definitely a lot of viruses going around! It seems like everyone is sick these days.
Ha ha, I do remember “The Donald.” And, I think my one audiobook will PROBABLY be non-fiction, just because that seems more like a podcast (and I already listen to a ton of those.) Should I challenge myself to read a fiction audiobook as well? Hmm…
I have never listened to an audiobook because I don’t know when.
I don’t sit in a car long enough. When I do housework, I listen to music. When I run, I can’t listen to anything. When I sit at my desk, music is humming in the background.
It would be nice if you could listen to audiobooks when you work! Maybe your clients would like that too, and then you could have a book to suit each one’s taste. As a client, I would love that!
I don’t listen to audio books either. I have when I have to do a long drive, esp if I’m alone. But that doesn’t happen often.
I’m not feeling blue that Christmas is over. I carry the burden of what happens for Christmas between shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, decorating, card sending, etc. It’s exhausting and I like the break from work, and I LOVE having my college kids home, BUT – my break wasn’t all that relaxing, so I guess the bonus to that is that I didn’t mind getting back to the schedule. I’d love to have Tank here longer, because he’s so helpful and I can get things done while I’m babysitting. But, I am hoping to get out to visit him at college this semester.