Reading Goals 2018

I have been in a reading slump for years now. I just can’t get into a book. I have started so many books but put them down and not felt motived to pick them up again.

So this year my goal is simple

12 books – 1 a month read and reviewed

12 graphic novels – 1 a month read and reviewed

I am not doing any of the many amazing challenges out there this year. I am not pressuring myself to read any kind of book. I just want to find the joy in reading once more. But if you love a good challenge there are so many to find over at A Novel Challenge.

So far I have finished my January book, The Power. Look for a review in the next week or so. Additionally, I have downloaded Bitch Planet, Vol 1 for my next graphic novel.

So it is a simple plan (keep life simple):

  1. Read 20 minutes a day.
  2. Blog 1 a week
  3. Repeat

The Power -30%
The Power
Price: $18.20
Was: $26.00

Monthly Running Goals 2018

January 2018

There are two here. The first is getting nutrition back under control. I am an Atkins eater for my health and pain management. I don’t expect everyone to understand nor eat like me by I do expect everyone to STFU about how it is unhealthy or how I can’t run on a low carb diet, etc.

Number Two: Run. That is it. I want to get back to regular running. I am currently sidelined with yet another injury, this one not related to running. Back pain is no joke and I am not trying to run through this. I have a chiro appointment coming up and hopefully, that will fix me up to the point where I will be able to get back to this crazy thing I love/hate.

Rules:

Pretty simple this month. Nutrition: 2 weeks of induction followed by Phase one of Atkins. Follow up with doctors regarding healthcare weekly. Running: Call Doctor’s weekly until I get the promised referrals and then set up appointments ASAP.

February 2018

Make a plan which is realistic and has wiggle room. Maybe back to a 5K by July (depending on injury) and adding miles safely from there. And a corollary to this is RUN MORE THAN I DID LAST YEAR.

Rules: Have a solid month of runs planned out on RunPlan. Monthly goals to solid 5k in July and half in April 2019.

March 2018

Add Strength Work 3 Times Per Week.

Rules: Using Jefit clock 12 strength workouts, either bodyweight or YMCA.

April 2018

30-Day Run Streak

Rules: Run at least 1 mile every single day, rain or shine, hot or cold. The run doesn’t have to be fast or pretty, but it needs to get logged.

May 2018

Run a 5K without Stopping (This is a goal which may be modified depending on injury recovery)

Rules: Run long, Run fast but above all run smart for 3.1 miles.

June 2018

Stay hydrated throughout the day.

Rules: Drink recommended amount per day. Taper and replace until it is all water.

July 2018

Run a 5k Race

Rules: Run a real, live 5K.

August 2018

Add variation to running workouts: Intervals, Fartlek, Tempo, Hill Repeats, etc

Rules: Replace 1/3 of all runs for this month with variations.

September 2018

Run a 10K

Rules: Add 10% to weekly miles to get to 10K on the long run. (Week 1: 5, 5, 5; Week 2: 5, 5, 6.5; Week 3: 5, 5, 8.15; Week 4: 5, 5, 10)

October 2018

Run at an average pace below a 12:00 minute/mile.

Rules: at least 1 5K run with an average pace of 11:59 minute/mile

November 2018

Run with the local running group

Rules: Go and run with the local group 1 time in the first two weeks of the month.

December 2018

Establish a New, Massive Goal

 

Hoopla!

I am thinking that this year is going to be the year of micro-blogging. Short, sweet, to-the-point. I miss sharing here but often get bogged down in the stress of not enough words and “I can’t post this, it is not a FULL blog post.” So I am hoping to get over that, I guess it is perfectionism, by doing micro posts and reviews all year. Today’s topic: Hoopla.

Hoopla has just been adopted by our local library and it is wonderful. It is:

“is a groundbreaking digital media service offered by your local public library that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV!”

I am thrilled with their graphic novel selection and the fact that you can double-click on any panel and them scroll through panel by panel. I hated reading Graphic novels on my tablet because the other things I had tried only had full-page viewing and there was so much zooming in and out. Since January 3 I have breezed through most of Joe Hill’s Locke & Key.I have favorited all of the Buffy comics and Fables.

I have looked at the audiobook selection and have decided that renewal of Audible I was considering can wait. The e-book, movie and music selections seem great and up-to-date. The only disappointing selection for me was TV. But since I am knee-deep in Netflix, Hulu and Amazon that is not an issue for me. However for the things I want to watch Hoopla is integrated with Chromecast, so it is super easy.

If your library has Hoopla I highly recommend it. If not start asking why not now.

 

 

Tope Ten Tuesday: Top Ten 2017 Debuts I’m Excited For

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

I have been off the beaten path for a bit so it was fun to poke around and see what is coming from new people in 2017. I don’t know if I will get to these but I had fun looking for the list.

The Bear and the Nightingale: A NovelWintersong: A NovelBlood Rose RebellionGilded Cage (Dark Gifts)The Hate U GiveRoyal BastardsA Psalm for Lost GirlsWitchtown
The Wood

Challenges

Last year was quite a challenge for me. I had made some major progress on personal issues and then in early 2016 things fell apart a bit. My gotos did not work. I was injured and all of the progress I made running, both in physical ability and weight loss, was gone. I realized that I also was not reading like I was before and it was not that I didn’t have time I was not making time. I had all the excuses in the word but I couldn’t even bring myself back to the love to the book.

So toward the end of 2016, when things when all to hell for the people around me, I realized we are no promised anything. I realized that I had to get back to doing and being the person I was becoming in 2014. I liked her. I mean I really liked her. So part of that is narrowing my scope and doing only what brings me peace. As you can see on the sidebar January 1’s run was Week 0. I have a written plan for 2017 for running. There is a half marathon I want to try for in April, if I miss that, because avoid injury is top on my list, then I will be on the look out for another later in the year.

As for reading, I have narrowed my challenges down to bare bones: number of books, pages read and number of graphic novels. I love challenges and if you do too check out all of the different ones at A Novel Challenge, but I am keeping it simple this year to find my way back.

What are you leaving behind in 2017 and what are you making room for?