Boy, was 2012 a crazy year full of change and madness. I am in complete disbelief that it's over. SO MUCH HAPPENED. This year alone, I:
--moved, which was an adventure both exciting and horrendous
--adopted my rescue dog/one true love/animal sidekick
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| Her personality in a nutshell |
--finally decided what the heck it is I want to do with my life
--STARTED A BOOK BLOG!!
Which means I got to meet all of you. And I love you. Yes, you! I love each and every single of one of you reading this. Even if I don't know your name, even if we've never chatted before (do chat with me! I'm really friendly when I feel like it!), I DO. I made so many new friends this year, and you guys are all included in that.
Confession: I suck at New Year's Resolutions. Last year I decided to live and eat healthier, and I sadly just didn't maintain that. But THIS YEAR! This year I am determined to follow through with my Reading Resolutions. 2013 will only bring bigger and better things.
-- I'm going to keep blogging, keep reading, and keep meeting bookish people, nonstop. My goal is to read EVERYTHING that interests me, no matter how impossible that is, and to always find time to read, no matter how crazy things get. To remember that I read because I love it, and enjoy myself.
-- I'm going to be braver with the books I read. I resolve to venture outside of my genre comfort zones. This means more horror, more supernatural romance, maybe even things like memoirs, which I tend to avoid like the plague.
-- I'm going to conquer some classics. I've read a whole bunch, but there are some serious holes in my reading repertoire.
-- I'm going to be generous with my books and stop being a book pack-rat. I'm going to share more by giving them away to friends, to charity, and to my readers
-- I'm going to write, write, write! And not only write, but actually finish the things I'm working on, get them polished, and find a way to get them out to the world.
What about you? Where do you see yourself at the end of 2013? And if you can't bear to look that far because oh my God it's only January what is wrong with you slow down, what resolutions have you made to start? Both bookish and non-bookish?
To celebrate the year we're leaving and the year that's coming, I'm having a pair of international giveaways (also fulfilling one of my resolutions! Even my generosity is self-centered). I'm giving away one 2013 read of your choice (pre-orders acceptable) and one copy of a book I read and reviewed in 2012.
--You can enter both giveaways, but can only win one
--You must have a mailing address somewhere on Planet Earth
--You must be 13 years old or older
--If chosen to win, you must respond to my
confirmation email within 48 hours or I will choose another winner. DON’T LET
THIS HAPPEN TO YOU. IT WILL BREAK YOUR HEART AND MINE.
Posts
Resolutions? Um, read more than I did this year. Also, figure out what *I* want to do with my life :P
ReplyDeleteAlso: re: memoirs: (oh god the colons) regular memoirs are hyper-boring, but graphic novel memoirs are frequently amazing. I have no idea how that happened. Anyway, you should read those instead. Eh? Eh?
(recommendations: Fun Home, Blankets, American Born Chinese. Actually I doubt the last counts as a memoir but whatever. Onwards Towards Our Noble Deaths is supposed to be good too.)
That whole "figured out what you want to do with your life" thing actually isn't something you need to rush into, as wrong as that sounds. It'll happen!
DeleteAnd yesssss, graphic novel memoirs are so much more palatable. Thanks for the recs!
Read more and graduate from college with my hubby!
ReplyDeleteAww that's a great one! I hope it happens for you! Happy New Year!
DeleteNice resolutions! You're already achieving the generous one :P My readerly ones are to read 150 books (here are my blogging ones http://siriusyareader.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-years-blogging-resolution.html) and non readerly would be to write and basically get my life together. If that makes sense.
ReplyDelete150! Man, I would love to read that many books. I hope you find the time, for both the reading and the writing and the getting of the life together. Makes perfect sense, since I'm trying to do the same :)
DeleteYay for finding what you want to do with your life! And for adopting a rescue dog! What kind? I told my parents that when I move out, I'm getting a three-legged dog. And once again, YAY for starting a book blog! Makes me sad that if you had never started this, we never would have "met." The resolutions are fantastic as well :)
ReplyDeleteOkay, that was me being personal but now here's me commenting for the giveaway ;)
Not sure yet (sounds horrible) but I can't really find what resolutions that I have. Makes me a bit panicky that it's already a new year and I know I SO MANY things to do to make the blog better and my life better, so I'm stuck in a rut. But I could just go with eating healthier and read more books for right now, right? Such a repeated answer ;)
My dog is a total mutt. She's a bit of everything. And I'm grateful every single second that I decided to book blog! And you can't go wrong with a classic resolution. "Eat better and read more" is a great place to start. And the great thing about resolutions is no one says you have to make them January 1st on the dot. You can wait all the way till next December 31st and no one will judge.
DeleteYeah.. I don't have any resolutions, to be honest :D They aren't very big here in Norway. And I'm not sure there is anything I want to promise or whatever. Hih. Well. Maybe I'll just promise not to read a book I don't want to read :D lol :p Another resolution for me is figuring out a name for my girl cat that I will be getting near summer :) Anyway. Hope that might count :D Hih. Thank you for sharing your list. <3 And good luck on it all :D Also, thank you for perfect giveaway. <3 :)
ReplyDeleteLove, Carina
Good one, to one read books you want to! AND OMG A KITTY!!! So lucky! I didn't realize resolutions were such an American thing, but now I think about it, it makes sense. We are eternal optimists who love to like to make the same mistakes multiple times :)
DeleteII don't do well with resolutions but I do have some goals to work on throughout the year. Trying to keep it simple this year!
ReplyDeleteSimple is GREAT. I normally suck in resolutions, as if I've never kept one in my life, but having simple goals is such an awesome way to go!
Deletemy bookish resolution: to read all of the books on my most recent ttt and not let a bunch of brand new books stop me. My non-bookish resolution: to drink more water in place of soda and sugary drinks. One step to being healthier (even though I'm not fat or anything) without having to kill myself working out! <3
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the opportunity to win, Gillian! I REALLY want a 2013 pre-order, but if not, I do know a few of the books you've reviewed that I am in need of for March/April/May ;) haha <3
Omg, that's a good one. I have so many books I've put on my TTT's that I should resolve to get to. And yay for quitting sugary drinks! I don't drink soda, simply because I don't like it, and I'm convinced that's the only reason I'm not five hundred pounds, because I'm very lazy.
DeletePulling for you to win, so you can read CERTAIN BOOKS before March... ;)
I have a whole post about resolutions coming next week, but one of my big resolutions is to get an internship within the publishing industry and move to New York. I hyperventilate just a bit thinking about it, but I'm hoping it'll all pull together.
ReplyDeleteAnd HAPPY NEW YEAR, my friend! *hug*
Happy New Year! *hugs back* OMG INTERNSHIP. That's amazing. I so hope it happens for you!
DeleteMy bookish resolution would be to blog more,read more and review more.
ReplyDeleteAnd non-bookish resolution : As much I'd love to choose book blogging as a career option,it's not practical. *sigh* So I have to figure out what to do with my life too.
Happy New Year & Good Luck with your writing! :)
Great resolutions. I, too, wish book-blogging was a career, but alas. It is not. Thank you for the good luck!
DeleteI do not have resolutions. Nope. I set goals for myself all year long whenever I get the whim, because if I force myself to resolve something on the 1st, I won't stick to it. I have to want it, at the time.
ReplyDeleteI'm like that too, most years. This year I'm making a concerted effort in the hopes that I actually manage to improve myself, since improving is not something I'm known to do. :)
DeleteThe only time I make a hard core effort at a specific time is during Lent. But then I know that it's only 40 days, hahahaha. I've done the whole "Going to do this on the first" thing, but I can't EVER do it. Kudos if you can make it, haha ^_^.
DeleteResolution: To manage my time better. :D
ReplyDeleteGOOD ONE. Can't believe I didn't think of that! Good luck!
DeleteMy readerly resolution is to read all of (okay, let's be realistic: some of) the books on my TBR shelf in my room and to meet my Goodreads reading goal of 2013 (currently 100 books, but hopefully I'll up that as the year goes on).
ReplyDeleteMy non-readerly resolution is to try more things outside of my comfort zone this year and be more fearless in everyday life!
Being more fearless is an excellent resolution! I may have to steal that one for non-readerly living. Hope you put a serious dent in your TBR shelf! I really need to conquer mine as well.
DeleteI don't really do new years resolutions, so I won't have any non-readerly to share. This is mainly because I forget about them and don't bother with it after a month. My readerly resolution would have to be to read all of the books that I didn't get to in 2012 due to new releases.
ReplyDeleteI've got a backlog of old books to get through too. I hope you find the time! I'm really bad with remembering resolutions too, so I never really make this. This year, I'm hoping, by writing them down, they actually get done. Or at least one of them does.
DeleteThank you for these two awesome giveaways! I don't do new years resolutions anymore as I don't usually stick to them, but my reader resolutions is to read as many 2013 books as I can while catching up with a few old books too.
ReplyDeleteMy resolution for this year is to read and write more. I also want to start booktubing on YouTube. My goal was give my first review by now but thanks to getting my wisdom teeth out I will have to wait some.
ReplyDeleteMy resolution for this year, is to be more active n church. read more books. and just live happily :)
ReplyDeleteMy main resolution for this year is to extract more time out of my day!
ReplyDeleteI need to start blogging again! :D
Thanks for the awesome giveaways!
One resolution that directly influences many of my problems - BE BETTER AT TIME MANAGEMENT.
ReplyDeleteI want to read more than 200 books this year,stop requesting books I don't want to read from NetGalley.
ReplyDeleteI want to read A LOT of books, as many as I can! I also want to do a bit of writing (maybe). That's about all I've got. :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI don't really have much non-bookish resolutions other than do better in university and become fit. I don't take the latter seriously though, as hard as I do try.
ReplyDeleteI do want to read a lot of books in 2013 and also venture out of my comfort zone and read more classics and adult books!
I resolve to comment and/or review more. I don't have any resolutions that are non-bookish...
ReplyDeleteFor 2013, I want to read more adult books, because all I seem to read right now it YA so I want to add some variety. I also want to try not to buy as many books, but I'm not sure how successful I'll be with that one since I seem to have an obsession with buying books!
ReplyDeleteMy reader resolution: To get a HUGE bookshelf to hold all the books I keep buying.
ReplyDeleteMy non-reader resolution: To study harder & maintain my 3.9 GPA!
Thank you for the giveaway! (:
I didn't really do resolutions this year. I guess one readerly thing is that I want to read more books that I WANT to read and not agree to so many review books that don't really interest me. Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeletenon-readerly, lose weight this year. readerly: do a better job logging my books
ReplyDeleteMy new year's resolution is to buy more books for my personal library!
ReplyDeleteI never really do New Year Resolutions, but because I just started a book blog I decide to do a few book related ones. 1. To read at least 60 books. 2. Not to buy a million new books when I still have a three miles high TBR pile. and 3. To read more books in different genres.
ReplyDeleteI have a couple resolutions but I'm trying not to overwhelm myself. I basically am just going to try to 1. Do more yoga to feel better. 2. Keep my marks up so I can keep my university scholarship! 3.Stick with my (quite new) book blog and try to make it more "me". 4. Remember to read what I want to read so it stays fun. I've also set my Goodreads Challenge bar at 100 books, so you could say that's a resolution too :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for being so generous, Gillian :)
I have just a couple of 2013 resolutions: I wanna read at least 150 books and I want to buy a Kindle *_*
ReplyDeletereach my challange reading book :)
ReplyDeleteI'm planning on relaxing more and getting more organized, and I really need to read more to catch up on my TBR pile of books!
ReplyDeleteI have sooo many resolutions! I want to do my darndest during student teaching this semester, for one. :) For reading, I want to make sure I read some classics that I've missed over the years (The Great Gatsy, Portrait of Dorian Gray, Jane Austen, etc.) and I also want to read a bit more widely, particularly more books that have high appeal for boys (since I'm going to teach, yet read far too much YA contemporary romance!) and more middle grade books.
ReplyDeleteMy bookish resolution for this year is 200. I made 164 last year. Gotta up the game this go around.
ReplyDeleteMy personal resolution, which I don't usually make, is to quit smoking with my husband. It will be a long, hard road but it will be oh so worth it!
Maybe not spending too much time on internet and read more books. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to atempt toread 300 books!! XD
ReplyDeleteI'm probably not going to make it but I WAS SO CLOSE LAST YEAR!!!!
Read more books!
ReplyDeleteBuy more books and sleep earlier!
ReplyDeleteI want to learn how to play guitar. Also read more books. I only managed to read around 30 books last year.
ReplyDeleteI have to get into books again- just don't have time...uni is super-busy for me and I have a maximalist personality so it doesn't let me fail eg: at exams :)
ReplyDeleteRelated to my studies I want to stay inspired by them even exams are horribly difficult and sometimes get bored -but I love love biology and our labor experiments are amazing so let me be a biologist :D
Be more patient or just ignore those jealous ppl around me!
thank You!
My resolution would be to exercise regularly and eat a more balanced diet. In regards to reading, I also have vowed to read more books this year than last.
ReplyDeleteoddball2003 at hotmail dot com
Read more, and get my reviews done!
ReplyDeleteMy resolution is to meet my 100 books Goodreads goal and to stick to a daily exercise plan.
ReplyDeleteJennyC
To read as many books as I can - and to quit accepting review requests because I feel obligated to, so that I can get back to reading books that I choose to read myself!
ReplyDeleteI want to read 50 books this year. I probably read more than that last year, but I never keep track. So, I finally added one of those tracking widgets to my GoodBooks Site.
ReplyDeleteMestith@gmail.com
Hopefully I finish my TBR list for this year and hopefully I'll become a regular employee at the company I work for:) thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteI don't really make NY resolutions, but I guess to study more and to not request too much review books and to read what I want.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway!
~Anatea
To be patient and find more time to read!
ReplyDeleteMy bookish resolution is to read more than 100 books this year
ReplyDeleteAnd my personal one is to go to some cooking class!
Bookish resolution - read 100 books and work on mile long to-read list (:
ReplyDeletePerson - continue to focus on health
I want to read 120 books in 2013
ReplyDeleteI want to read 100 books, and lose some weight.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the giveaway.