You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Reading Strategy for 2014
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@ Esther - I almost rolled off the bed laughing at your plea to Rusalka!@ Janice - I'm with the he he he, ha ha ha group.
My only major challenge is the Chunkster one. I will probably continue to do a monthly challenge and a group read. Other than that, I may read my "My Story" as my self challenge. I wanted more flexibility this year and I have some great titles to keep me busy and happy!
@ Judy - your pyramid link:What a list! So many titles it is hard to take them all in. I have many in common on my TBR list. Some I can see that I already have read too.
So the structure is - start with one book, next decide on the next two, then the next three. Right? Then, there is a theme for each step?
Cool! I might have to think about this some more, just for fun.
Cherie wrote: "@ Esther - I almost rolled off the bed laughing at your plea to Rusalka!.."
Laught all you want.... I would if I did not have the waist high pile off snow (shovelled part of the roof yesterday) just by my front door and the -30C weather to go shoveling into. I am really good at procrastinating this morning. :)
Rusalka wrote: "Ah even Jerusalem is much higher above the equator than my equivalent. I live in Canberra in Australia (the capital city, just in case *wink*). Jerusalem (have a friend based at a uni there) I foun..."What a coincidence. When we cruised the Baltic, we sat with a couple from Canberra. We had such a wonderful time with them. They had wonderful senses of humor and were very well read. What more could we ask for, huh. I wish we had kept in touch but we didn't. Maybe I'll try to find their e mail address and reacquaint ourselves with them.
Judy wrote: "I envy you all that nice snow-less weather (says while looking at it SNOWing outside).Two years ago we moved to a condo community where they do all of our gardening and also shoveling. I guess age has its privileges cause while we lay in bed and hear the beep of the machines and snow blowers, we smile at one another and think, how nice it is to grow old. Not really but one has to look at the upside of everything, right.
Leave it to my husband, Bruce. Last night, before leaving for friends he discovered his computer was working at a snail's pace and he couldn't sign on to the web. So he let it go for the evening but this morning I hear him fiddling and he just said that he reached somebody and for some amount they can remotely fix his computer but if he wants to do this at a certain price he also needs to take a monthly subscription or there will be a higher price. I thought we wouild see one of the nw movies that's out but now eh said he wants to make sure this is fixed - it's 19 degrees out and could we stay home today and just do whatever. Normally I'd be thrilled but with snow on it's way I may be housebound for another two days. Now I can read, or play here with my wonderful reading friends but I made a deal with Bruce. I'll leave him alone till mid day and then I'm going to go online and do Huluplus for a free week if he'll watch the Israeli series Prisoners of War with me for at least a bit. We have been devoted watchers of Homeland which was based on this Israeli series so I have really wanted to see it. And since I am studying Hebrew, it will give me a chance to try and see if I no any of the words and what they mean. Of course, there are also subtitles. LOL
BTW - I am really trying to gear myself up to trying that HTML which members were kind enough to post directions how to do this. Maybe tomorrow I'll look at it.Also wanted to mention how much I am enjoying this group. I have been with Goodreads for several years and I may have even joined here before and then left for fear I had too many groups. But this time around I realize how much I've been missing out on and so my sincere compliments to the moderators and members for hosting such a great area.
Nancy wrote: "Leave it to my husband, Bruce. last night, before leaving for friends he discovered his computer was working at a snail's pace and he couldn't sign on to the web. So he let it go for the evening ..."Just a word of caution. My dad got taken in by some online "fix". I can't remember the gist of it all, but he had to pay for the scan of his computer and then for some additional removal of supposedly malware, etc. He finally said "no" but not before he had spent double what he would have spent if he had taken it to a local repair shop... and the problem wasn't fixed.
Thanks Janice. I just showed this to Bruce and he's investigating a bit more before he says OK.
Nancy wrote: "- can you explain to me how you linked your page to the message above?"The real problem in explaining this is that each character actually causes the comment about it to perform an action, so we all try to substitute parenthesis or dashes, etc. Which just confuses the issue.
Here's my attempt!
How do I add a link and display it as a word or phrase?
Almeta, your link brings up a blank page.
Janice wrote: "Almeta, your link brings up a blank page."Yeah, I just tested it myself!!! Goodreads recently changed URLs to secure URLs - http to https, so a lot of the older links no longer work.
Fixed, would you believe it was all about a single equal sign?
Oh, wait! You said strategy, not pie-in-the-sky dreaming!let's try, per month
10 books for YLTO! Chunster Challenge which will include
2 Doorstops and
1 shortcut and
3 hear-ye audio books
4 left-over-stew
1 Stephen King Recommends Group Read
1 Sai King Recommended Author
2 double-dog-dare for YLTO! monthly challenges and group reads
2 Sock Hop - Doo Wop Challenge
1 Clue™ Challenge
3 home-alone books
4 in-a-land-far-far-away (world tour) some of which will be in the Chunkster reading
8 yearbook (countdown challenge) which should fall within all of the other categaories
Esther wrote: "Rusalka wrote: "I. And we don;t have snow! "Do you have a guest room? Do you want to adopt me?
Can you tell i do not want to do the shoveling I need to do? :)"
Yes, yes and yes! lol It does sound like you've been doing a lot of shoveling lately.
Rusalka wrote: "Ah even Jerusalem is much higher above the equator than my equivalent. I live in Canberra in Australia (the capital city, just in case *wink*). Jerusalem (have a friend based at a uni there) I foun..."Completely correct :) I've only seen snow in Hobart twice in my lifetime. Hence my excitement the first few times it snowed in the Netherlands, and then I realised how inconvenient it gets!
Inconvenient - well said as I am sitting here waiting for the snow to begin. The first forecast for our area had the snow starting at midnight last night. Now it is 12 hours later and the snow hasn't even begun. Does this mean the storm will be a stronger or lighter one. In the meantime, I am still not showered or dressed and could have done tons of things outdoors but didn't
Nancy wrote: "Inconvenient - well said as I am sitting here waiting for the snow to begin. The first forecast for our area had the snow starting at midnight last night. Now it is 12 hours later and the snow has..."I'm in the same boat. Although, I did manage to make it to the library to pick up some of my books for 2014. Maybe tomorrow I'll get snowed in and will have an excuse to read. :)
This year I'll probably deviate more from the yearly challenge than I did in 2013. I felt guilty reading books outside of the alphabet, and there were a few books that I took forever to get through.I like that this year I get to connect the books myself. I'm trying to let what I want to read drive the order. I'm mixing up chunksters and combos to get to 500+ pages so that I don't get overwhelmed. I'm also seeing the opportunity to read short 0.5 series books that I've never had the excuse to read before!
Almeta wrote: "Nancy wrote: "- can you explain to me how you linked your page to the message above?"The real problem in explaining this is that each character actually causes the comment about it to perform an ..."
I have almost cracked making a link. The link I finally did took me to a page where I had posted lots of messages and it took me to the first one so I guess I did it right.
Thanks for everybody's help and yes Almeta I know about how difficult it is to post some of these actions as it doesn't post the way it should.
Nancy wrote: "Thanks for everybody's help and yes Almeta I know about how difficult it is to post some of these actions as it doesn't post the way it should. ..."Let us know if you need more help! We're a pretty friendly bunch.☺
Thanks Almeta, I will surely let you and the others know if I need more help.At the moment I am desperately trying to get off this machine and get into bed with The Bronze Horseman but everytime I think I'm finished with messages, I see new ones. LOL
Nancy wrote: "Thanks Almeta, I will surely let you and the others know if I need more help.At the moment I am desperately trying to get off this machine and get into bed with The Bronze Horseman b..."
Yep, if we are not reading, we are here talking about reading!☻
Almeta??? That all was for a month? What are you going to do in your spare time?
Almeta - the link was so helpful. Thanks again.
Cherie wrote: "Almeta??? That all was for a month? What are you going to do in your spare time?"I'd rather read than do chores!☺
Almeta wrote: "Cherie wrote: "Almeta??? That all was for a month? What are you going to do in your spare time?"I'd rather read than do chores!☺"
Almeta - some time ago when I used the library exclusively, one of the librarians asked where I found the time to read so much since I was there almost every day borrowing and returning. I explained that I rarely cleaned or cooked and could easily read while doing laundry. I do think they envid me that I could say this and not be embarrassed but then again, I am well versed in books and that's what's important to me.
Nancy wrote: "A I rarely cleaned or cooked and could easily read wile doing laundry. ..."I have a sign on my door, which reads: "Martha Stewart does not live here....It's a good thing"!
Captive audience chores like visiting the laundr-o-mat are perfect for reading. I also chauffeur around an elderly lady, so read in doctor's waiting rooms and while waiting for her to finish shopping at various stores.
Audiobooks are very helpful, if I must wash dishes or do paperwork or cook (although crockpot is best, oven baking requires time too.).
Cleaning? Well maybe if there is a big spot. If I think my house needs cleaning, I invite guests over. This is the only way I can force myself to put down a book long enough to tidy up!☻
Almeta wrote: "Yep, if we are not reading, we are here talking about reading!☻ ."And when I can't sleep, I play a little game that's like counting sheep. I say, "I want to read a book,so I will read _________." Then I search in my mind for a book starting with A. Afterlands/
"I want to read a book, so I will read Afterlands and ________." Then I search for a book starting with B. Burial Rites
"I want to read a book, so I will read Afterlands, Burial Rites, and _______."
I go down the alphabet, adding to the list until I fall asleep. I rarely make it past D or E.
How do we say obsessed about books?
Almeta wrote: "Captive audience chores like visiting the laundr-o-mat are perfect for reading.."I was at the courthouse yesterday where you put your name on a list and wait your turn to be called in. The clerk came out to the waiting room and asked if I had something quick because she was going to be a long time with the woman ahead of me. I held up my iPad, "It's okay. I have a book." :)
I always have a book with me - when I go anywhere and have a few extra minutes, when my husband drives us somewhere, when I substitute teach for my prep periods when I have nothing to prep for since I don't write lesson plans any more and for my lunch hour as well. Sometimes I may be out eating somewhere by myself when a friend wanders into the place and seeing me wanders over and sits down. How do I tell them I'd rather be reading. LOL
Haha, I love to read about all your reading obsessions. When I had just bought my ereader and started reading A LOT, I was on the train home from work and they made an announcement that the train in front of us was in an accident with a person. That meant leaving the train at an earlier station, waiting for almost an hour for a substitute bus, and then going to my city in that bus instead of the train. And I didn't even mind! All I thought was 'yay, I can read some more before I get home and have to do other things!'. It also helped that it was mid-summer and very nice weather to sit outside and read a book.
I procrastinate chores for reading all the time. With 7 kids permanently working on mess everything up this could be so dangerous! I'm all the time saying to me "I really should clean this up now", and then "let's finish the chapter first"... But cooking is something I can't skip with so many little ones (though I hate cooking!)When the chaos at home is just more than I can stand I put everybody to work in cleaning up. You won't see my house in the "Better homes" magazines, that's for sure, but so far we handle to survive.
Janice wrote: "Almeta wrote: "Captive audience chores like visiting the laundr-o-mat are perfect for reading.."I was at the courthouse yesterday where you put your name on a list and wait your turn to be called..."
Haha. I know exactly what you mean. I was interviewing once, and my interviewer was going to be an hour late. They wanted to know if I would wait. I said that I would and not to worry since I could read a book on my phone!
I'm the same way. I always have a book or my Kindle with me. As for cleaning, well, forget about it. I don't mind laundry, because it basically does itself. I used to clean, hated it. Too many rooms and too many stairs in this old house. So about a year ago, my husband decided to get a cleaning service twice a month for a thorough job, and the rest of the time, if the beds are made and the piles are straight, I'm good. Hubby cooks (I know, I'm blessed), so the kitchen is his responsibility.
Nancy wrote: "I always have a book with me - when I go anywhere and have a few extra minutes, when my husband drives us somewhere, when I substitute teach for my prep periods when I have nothing to prep for sinc..."One of my friend told me once that when we meet somewhere and she looks around for me, she looks for a book with black hair popping out. Not a glamorous image but a real one.
Nowadays, i often have a book on my phone so it probably looks like i am texting.
Esther wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I always have a book with me - when I go anywhere and have a few extra minutes, when my husband drives us somewhere, when I substitute teach for my prep periods when I have nothing to..."Did you hear me laughing?
I have been having lots of pain in my right shoulder and recently was asked if I thought it might be from my pocketbook which my husband calls my suitcase. Well, I do take my I PAD with me everywhere so that is a distinct possibility.
Also, what's wrong with me? I was supposed to meet a friend for brunch and a movie and when she called to say the roads were icy and there was advice to stay in, I was silently relieved that I could spend the day at home doing my reading, online group messages and watching more of Orange is the New Black through Netflix.
Nothing is wrong with you Nancy... I do that too... It is like finding $$$ in a pocket of a jacket...I do a little happy dance!
See, you find change or dollars, I find used tissues. LOL.And I am doing a happy dance and since my husband is planning on watching football at 4, I have lots of time to play. Yippee!
Ok... I'm concentrating on the following:Chunksters (mostly horror - I've a ton of horror books on my home bookshelves to catch up on).
YLTO Monthly Group Read
YLTO Monthly Challenge
Books Stephen King Recommends (my group) Group Reads that span 2 months
And of course, ones here and there just because!
I usually have my spreadsheets all mapped out, but I have learned to let things go a bit lately. So my basic strategy is to read each day if possible. If I don't get to my book today, tomorrow is a new day. Basic goals:
36+ Chunksters
12 Monthly Reads YLTO
12 Monthly Theme Reads YLTO
12+ Cover to Cover Reads & Mini-challenges
12 Classics
Additional buddy reads/group reads
100+ total books
Uhm, I actually plan reading loads of contemporary / YA / chick lit fiction and some classic novels - which I couldn't do, because I had to read loads of plays for my theatre university MA, and I had no time or energy to read anything else.
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
Afterlands (other topics)Burial Rites (other topics)
The Bronze Horseman (other topics)
The Bronze Horseman (other topics)
Les Misérables (other topics)
We do have snow fields near us (2 hour drive) but they will be clear and sunny and hot for another 6 months. Yay 35 degree summers!!