Personal Reading Goals - 2017

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I just posted my 10th book by a Canadian woman, fulfilling that goal for the year. Earlier I read my 10th book by a woman I've read before. Still have 5 to go for the year, but I think I'll get to 30.

I'm not making the progress I'd hoped on the onhand/unread goal. I've added some in anticipation of the Fall challenge, and I should be very near goal by the end of next season.

Trollope, on the other hand, has been ignored, and I don't have him scheduled. Either December will see a resurgence, or I'll fail. He will be in my future one way or the other, though.

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I just posted my 10th book by a Canadian woman, fulfilling that goal for the year. Earlier I read my 10th book by a woman I've read before. Still have 5 to go for the year, but I think I'll get to ..."

That's pretty good progress. I'm on track for most of my goals...but it looks like I will fail on my Varied Authors goal...still need to read 22 authors from countries I haven't read from yet.....AND my weight loss goal looks out of reach...although I did recently re-start my regimen of listening to books while out for a walk. I have to do another 43 1/2 hours by the end of the year.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ed wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "still need to read 22 authors from countries I haven't read from yet"

that was a pretty aggressive goal, but we're doing what we can to help.

You can only have my sympathy on the weight loss front. I'm not going to make mine either. :-(

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "still need to read 22 authors from countries I haven't read from yet"

that was a pretty aggressive goal, but we're doing what we can to help.

You can only ha..."

Yes the Fall sub-challenge helps.... but I have so many books to read for my other challenges...I don't think I'll make it unless I somehow find books that overlap..which a few do...but not enough yet. I think I will be having another reading marathon in December to complete as many goals as possible. And since I plan on going away around Christmas....that probably means less than 3 weeks to read a lot of books.
One of the surprises is that as of the moment, I have read more women authors than men.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

I found your male/female percentage goal an interesting way to approach it. Well done on the direction that has taken! I would be a major fail if I had set that goal. I've read more this year than in years past (Yay March team game!), but my ratio is only 25/66 or 37% women. Fall is not likely to improve it, either.

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I found your male/female percentage goal an interesting way to approach it. Well done on the direction that has taken! I would be a major fail if I had set that goal. I've read more this year than ..."

I think I am only succeeding on that front because I include short stories in my count.

[Rosemary]

1. Bring down my TBR again. This is the books I own, including ebooks. It is currently at 191 and should be lower by the end of the year, so let's say to 160 in 2017.
I've abandoned this goal. I realised I'm happy with a TBR of just under 200. I have the shelf space, and it gives me enough choice that I have books for most tasks, without feeling overwhelming. It's currently 196 and likely to stay around that.

2. Read at least 25 more books from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.
Doing well with this one - 20 read so far.

3. Complete Around The Year in 52 Books challenge.
I'm on track with this one, keeping up with the weeks and a little bit ahead.

[Bea]

My update:

1. Finish old games (Pick-a-Shelf games): LOST 2014 - 2 books, Scat - 1 books, Pursuit Round 4 - 21 books. No progress on LOST or 2014 Scat. Making progress on Pursuit.
2. Read books from prior uncompleted sub-challenges (Reading with Style): Dominoes - 6 books, 5 years - 2 books No progress on these since last update.
3. Current games (Pick-a-Shelf): Moving Mtns. - 11, LOST 2017 - 3, Scat 2017 - 12, Christmas in July - 14.

[Ed]

August Progress Update on my goals (in posts 4, 27, 31 & 42):

[1] Complete all 30 challenges in each season of RwS
✔Winter 2017: 30 of 30;✔Spring 30/30;✔Summer 25/30; Fall 0/30

[2] Read at least 139 books in 2017.
99/138 as of 8/31/17. (Also 19 Children's books not credited toward my goal.)

[3A] A new goal (to get me moving)- get at least 50 hours of walking while listening to books. 09:45/50:00 = 19.5%

[3B}- NEW Goal...starting May 1, 2017...lose 15 pounds by the end of the year- no progress

[4] Also...30 of the 44 missing years for books published 1900 to the present. (I completed 73 of them in 2016). 13/30 as of 8/31/17

[5] Read at least 39 books on the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read list. 34/39

[6] Read more than 34,238 pages. (my highest year was 2015 with 34,238).
22,793/34,238= 66.6%

✔[7 (A)] -Another new challenge to reduce my total excess of my backlog of magazines and community newspapers...complete at least 100 magazines & newspapers in the year.
✔120/100

✔[7 (B)] -At least 25 different magazines. 61/25

[8] Keep track of male & female authors with a goal to not finish the year with less than 40% of either gender.

Male-75 Female-84
47.2%-52.8%

✔[9 ] Virtual Travels- Virtually Visit through my readings at least 60 different countries or imaginary places or outer space locations)
Total Countries= 73

[10] Varied Authors- Read authors associated with at least 40 different countries.
19/40;

[11] Complete The 2017 Around the World in 52 Weeks Challenge List- 47/52

[12] Complete the 2017 Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge:
39/52

[13] Complete the A to Z challenge using the initials of novel authors for pre 2006 and keep track of post-2006 fiction books and Non-fiction as well without expecting to complete the last two:
Pre-2006 books (Fiction): 23 of 26;
Post-2006 books (Fiction): 6 of 26
Non-Fiction books: 8 of 26

[14} Read at least 30 books on the 1001 Children’s Books I Must Read Before I Grow Up List. 24/30

{15} Just for fun, I want to track movies and plays I watch that are based on books.: 9

[16]- Joined the Pick-A-Shelf 12 Tasks of Christmas Challenge on June 27:
Round 1 progress= 6 of 12
Round 2 progress= 1 of 12 tasks and
Easy 10 of 12
Moderate Odd: 6 of 36
Moderate Even: 9 of 42
Hard: 15/78

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ed wrote: "[5] Read at least 39 books on the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read list. 34/39"

Curiosity has me asking how did you select 39 books as the goal for this year?

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed wrote: "[5] Read at least 39 books on the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read list. 34/39"

Curiosity has me asking how did you select 39 books as the goal for this year?"

It was one more than the previous year.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Just logged my 30th book this year by a woman, satisfying that personal goal. I had previously fulfilled the 10 Canadian women and 10 by women previously read.

I haven't yet cleared enough off my shelves to get to my goal of only 180 on hand and unread, but the rest of the season has me reading books I already have, and, unless I go wild and crazy at the book sale next weekend, should be able to not only get there, but maintain some reasonable level by year's end.

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Just logged my 30th book this year by a woman, satisfying that personal goal. I had previously fulfilled the 10 Canadian women and 10 by women previously read.

I haven't yet cleared enough off my ..."

Good going!

[Rosemary]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "unless I go wild and crazy at the book sale next weekend"

which of course nobody in this group would ever do ;)

[Lagullande]

Rosemary wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "unless I go wild and crazy at the book sale next weekend"

which of course nobody in this group would ever do ;)"

I am particularly proud of myself for walking past the Oxfam 2nd Hand Book Shop twice this week, WITHOUT GOING IN!!

[Rosemary]

Lagullande wrote: "I am particularly proud of myself for walking past the Oxfam 2nd Hand Book Shop twice this week, WITHOUT GOING IN!!"

I volunteer in an Oxfam shop. Not specifically a bookshop, but we have a big book area, and that's what I work on - book sorting, pricing, displays. I manage to buy books very rarely because I have to be strict with myself or I'd have no money for anything else :)

[Lagullande]

Rosemary wrote: "I volunteer in an Oxfam shop. Not specifically a bookshop, b..."

Good for you, Rosemary. If I did that, I wouldn't get much done as I would be looking through each and every book.

The "problem" here is that you can so easily justify buying more books as it's all for a great cause.

[Ed]

September Progress Update on my goals (in posts 4, 27, 31 & 42):

[1] Complete all 30 challenges in each season of RwS
✔Winter 2017: 30 of 30;✔Spring 30/30;✔Summer 30/30; Fall 12/30

[2] Read at least 139 books in 2017.
121/138 as of 8/31/17. (Also 21 Children's books not credited toward my goal.)

[3A] A new goal (to get me moving)- get at least 50 hours of walking while listening to books. 17:29/50:00 = 35%

[3B}- NEW Goal...starting May 1, 2017...lose 15 pounds by the end of the year- back to where I started.

[4] Also...30 of the 44 missing years for books published 1900 to the present. (I completed 73 of them in 2016). 15/30 as of 9/30/17

[5] Read at least 39 books on the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read list. 38/39

[6] Read more than 34,238 pages. (my highest year was 2015 with 34,238).
26,471/34,238= 77.3%

✔[7 (A)] -Another new challenge to reduce my total excess of my backlog of magazines and community newspapers...complete at least 100 magazines & newspapers in the year.
✔125/100

✔[7 (B)] -At least 25 different magazines. 62/25

[8] Keep track of male & female authors with a goal to not finish the year with less than 40% of either gender.

Male-101 Female-104
49.3%-50.7%

✔[9 ] Virtual Travels- Virtually Visit through my readings at least 60 different countries or imaginary places or outer space locations)
Total Countries= 100

[10] Varied Authors- Read authors associated with at least 40 different countries.
32/40;

[11] Complete The 2017 Around the World in 52 Weeks Challenge List- 49/52

[12] Complete the 2017 Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge:
43/52

[13] Complete the A to Z challenge using the initials of novel authors for pre 2006 and keep track of post-2006 fiction books and Non-fiction as well without expecting to complete the last two:
Pre-2006 books (Fiction): 23 of 26;
Post-2006 books (Fiction): 7 of 26
Non-Fiction books: 13 of 26

[14} Read at least 30 books on the 1001 Children’s Books I Must Read Before I Grow Up List. 24/30

{15} Just for fun, I want to track movies and plays I watch that are based on books.: 9

[16]- Joined the Pick-A-Shelf 12 Tasks of Christmas Challenge on June 27:
Round 1 progress= 7 of 12
Round 2 progress=
✔Easy 12 of 12
Moderate Odd: 16 of 36
Moderate Even: 21 of 42
Hard: 37/78

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ed wrote: "[8] Keep track of male & female authors with a goal to not finish the year with less than 40% of either gender.

Male-101 Female-104
49.3%-50.7%"

Nice job on your progress for everything, including some way past your goal. But I like this one with its proportions the best of all.

[Bea]

My update:

1. Finish old games (Pick-a-Shelf games): LOST 2014 - 2 books, Scat - 1 books, Pursuit Round 4 - 17 books. No progress on LOST or 2014 Scat. Making progress on Pursuit.
2. Read books from prior uncompleted sub-challenges (Reading with Style): Dominoes - 5 books, 5 years - 2 books Read one for Dominoes.
3. Current games (Pick-a-Shelf): Moving Mtns. - 9, LOST 2017 - 3, Scat 2017 - 15, Christmas in July - 5. Some movement on Moving Mtns., Scat and Christmas.

[Ed]

My 52 Weeks Around the World Group is has already announced 51 of the 52 categories for 2018.....Hope folks don't mind if I use this space to start making plans.

EDITED...see post 2 in the 2018 thread.

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ed, I'll open up a 2018 thread and you can move your post there. You'll be happier having it in the right place.

[Ed]

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Ed, I'll open up a 2018 thread and you can move your post there. You'll be happier having it in the right place."

Great...thanks!

[Ed]

October Progress Update on my goals (in posts 4, 27, 31 & 42):

[1] Complete all 30 challenges in each season of RwS
✔Winter 2017: 30 of 30;✔Spring 30/30;✔Summer 30/30; Fall 24/30

✔[2] Read at least 139 books in 2017.
140/138 as of 10/31/17. (Also 25 Children's books not credited toward my goal.)

[3A] A new goal (to get me moving)- get at least 50 hours of walking while listening to books. 26:14/50:00 = 52.5%

[3B}- NEW Goal...starting May 1, 2017...lose 15 pounds by the end of the year- back to where I started.
Lost 5 pounds as of 10/31/17=33.3%

[4] Also...30 of the 44 missing years for books published 1900 to the present. (I completed 73 of them in 2016). 24/30 as of 10/31/17

✔[5] Read at least 39 books on the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read list. 44/39

[6] Read more than 34,238 pages. (my highest year was 2015 with 34,238).
30,200/34,238= 88.2%

✔[7 (A)] -Another new challenge to reduce my total excess of my backlog of magazines and community newspapers...complete at least 100 magazines & newspapers in the year.
✔129/100

✔[7 (B)] -At least 25 different magazines. 62/25

[8] Keep track of male & female authors with a goal to not finish the year with less than 40% of either gender.

Male-165 Female-110
60%-40%

✔[9 ] Virtual Travels- Virtually Visit through my readings at least 60 different countries or imaginary places or outer space locations)
Total Countries= 110

[10] Varied Authors- Read authors associated with at least 40 different countries.
32/40;

[11] Complete The 2017 Around the World in 52 Weeks Challenge List- 51/52

[12] Complete the 2017 Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge:
48/52

[13] Complete the A to Z challenge using the initials of novel authors for pre 2006 and keep track of post-2006 fiction books and Non-fiction as well without expecting to complete the last two:
Pre-2006 books (Fiction): 25 of 26;
Post-2006 books (Fiction): 9 of 26
Non-Fiction books: 13 of 26

✔[14} Read at least 30 books on the 1001 Children’s Books I Must Read Before I Grow Up List. 31/30

{15} Just for fun, I want to track movies and plays I watch that are based on books.: 9

[16]- Joined the Pick-A-Shelf 12 Tasks of Christmas Challenge on June 27:
Round 1 progress= 9 of 12
Round 2 progress=
✔Easy 12 of 12
Moderate Odd: 26 of 36
Moderate Even: 28 of 42
Hard: 54/78

[Ed]

Ran out of room again in Post #31...so, had to take part of it out and put it here: Goal 13:

Post-2006 books (Fiction): 13 of 26

A-Ashford, Lindsay Jayne- The Woman on the Orient Express
B- Bagge, Peter- Fire!!: The Zora Neale Hurston Story
C-Chris Bohjalian- The Sandcastle Girls
D- Diaz, Junot- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
E
F- Fraser-Sampson, Guy- Au Reservoir
G-Guy Fraser-Sampson- Lucia on Holiday
H
I-
J
K
L
M- Marguerite Abouet- Aya
N-
O-Oz, Amos- Rhyming Life and Death
P
Q
R-Roth, Philip- Nemesis
S
T-Tannahill, Jordan- Age of Minority: Three Solo Plays
U
V-VanderMeer, Jeff- Borne
W- Wilder, Gene-The Woman Who Wouldn't
X- AleXie, Sherman - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time IndiaY
Z

[Valerie]

I don't appear to have made any updates on my 2017 goals (strange...., too busy reading I guess!). I know there are 6 weeks left in the year, but I doubt much will change between now and then.

1. read 100 books = DONE. Completed by the end of October. I'm at 116 or so now.

2. read at least 1 big fat classic (potentially The Count of Monte Cristo) = Boo :( this goal will not be met.

3. the A-Z classic author challenge. = another Boo :( For the first time in 4 years I will not complete this. I may be 2 or 3 books short, depending on an interlibrary loan.

4. read at least 12 of the piled up books (there are 30 or 40 that can't fit on my real life shelves) **AND** donate to spring book sale
= Yay, DONE! Sadly I bought way too many books at the fall library book sale, so the shelf situation is worse.

5. series:
a) catch up with most recent installments in Jussi Alder-Olsen Dept. Q series, Elly Griffiths Ruth Galloway series, Alan Bradley Flavia de luce series (if any)
b) read books 7 to 16 of Alexander McCall Smith No. 1 Ladies Detective agency
c) get back to Louise Penny
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series
= This is the biggest disappointment of all :(. I have managed two Penny's, but '0' AM Smith and '0' J Alder-Olsen.

6. read at least 1 non- fiction per quarter = Yay, I did well on this goal which makes me happy. I've read 12 nf, and that probably will be the total for the year.

[Rosemary]

Valerie wrote: "**AND** donate to spring book sale
= Yay, DONE! Sadly I bought way too many books at the fall library book sale"

I hope they weren't the same ones that you donated in the spring ;)

[Valerie]

Rosemary wrote: "Valerie wrote: "**AND** donate to spring book sale
= Yay, DONE! Sadly I bought way too many books at the fall library book sale"

I hope they weren't the same ones that you donated in the spring ;)"

Ha, ha.... that is exactly something I'd do! (but didn't this time!).

[Ed]

So....I'm actually on track to complete all my challenges with the exception of losing 15 pounds. It's possible...I have to lose 4.5 more pounds....and I have been working on it....but 4.5 pounds during the holiday season is unlikely.

November Progress Update on my goals (in posts 4, 27, 31, 42 & 75):

✔[1] Complete all 30 challenges in each season of RwS
✔Winter 2017: 30 of 30;✔Spring 30/30;✔Summer 30/30; Fall 30/30

✔[2] Read at least 139 books in 2017.
159/138 as of 10/31/17. (Also 35 Children's books not credited toward my goal.)

[3A] A new goal (to get me moving)- get at least 50 hours of walking while listening to books. 40:13/50:00 = 80.4%

[3B}- NEW Goal...starting May 1, 2017...lose 15 pounds by the end of the year- back to where I started.
Lost 10.5 pounds as of 10/31/17=70%

[4] Also...30 of the 44 missing years for books published 1900 to the present. (I completed 73 of them in 2016). 26/30 as of 11/31/17

✔[5] Read at least 39 books on the Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read list. 46/39

[6] Read more than 34,238 pages. (my highest year was 2015 with 34,238).
33,915/34,238= 99.1%

✔[7 (A)] -Another new challenge to reduce my total excess of my backlog of magazines and community newspapers...complete at least 100 magazines & newspapers in the year.
✔134/100

✔[7 (B)] -At least 25 different magazines. 63/25

[8] Keep track of male & female authors with a goal to not finish the year with less than 40% of either gender.

Male-193 Female-153
55.8%- 44.2%

✔[9 ] Virtual Travels- Virtually Visit through my readings at least 60 different countries or imaginary places or outer space locations)
Total Countries= 114

[10] Varied Authors- Read authors associated with at least 40 different countries.
38/40;

[11] Complete The 2017 Around the World in 52 Weeks Challenge List- 51/52

[12] Complete the 2017 Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge:
49/52

✔[13] Complete the A to Z challenge using the initials of novel authors for pre 2006 and keep track of post-2006 fiction books and Non-fiction as well without expecting to complete the last two:
✔Pre-2006 books (Fiction): 25 of 26;
Post-2006 books (Fiction): 12 of 26
Non-Fiction books: 16 of 26

✔[14} Read at least 30 books on the 1001 Children’s Books I Must Read Before I Grow Up List. 40/30

{15} Just for fun, I want to track movies and plays I watch that are based on books.: 12

[16]- Joined the Pick-A-Shelf 12 Tasks of Christmas Challenge on June 27:
Round 1 progress= 9 of 12
Round 2 progress=
✔Easy 12 of 12
Moderate Odd: 33 of 36
Moderate Even: 41 of 42
Hard: 74/78

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Ed wrote: "[8] Keep track of male & female authors with a goal to not finish the year with less than 40% of either gender.

Male-193 Female-153
55.8%- 44.7%."

This adds to 100.5%

(and good job on the weight loss - I would have been thrilled to hit your numbers!)

[Ed]

oops.....

it should be
Male-193 Female-153
55.8%- 44.2%."

LOL...thanks for catching that!

[Ed]

So...summing up 2017...I met all my goals Except 3b - to lose 15 pounds. Lost only 7.9.
I'm setting 15 pounds as my goal again in 2018.
I hit Goal #3a on the nose...50 hours of walking while listening to books....that was the last goal I met and I don't think I could take another step when I completed it on December 30th.

My list is posted in post #4 of this thread. Happy New Year everyone!

[Elizabeth (Alaska)]

Well done, Ed.

[Bea]

Congrats, Ed!

[Tien]

Congrats, Ed! You've definitely done a lot better than I have :)