Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Stress is Good Right? A December Challenge for me!


Here it is December 1st, and I thought: "Where did 2009 go, and what would I really like to accomplish in the month of December"?  Here's my list and how I hope to get it done.
  • Complete a few book challenges that are in arm's reach
  • Read several review books, that I just have not gotten around to
  • Complete (15) books in December to make my self-imposed goal of 200 books in 2009
  • Complete my holiday shopping.
Next Question ...."How am I planning to do this?"
  • Devote (3) days during the month for my own mini-read-a-thons. (I'm not working right now so this should not be that difficult). We also do not have very many people to buy gifts for, so the "avoid the mall" part is easy too.
  •  Stick to mini-reviews until at least until the end of 2009. (Many of you have commented that you prefer shorter concise reviews--thanks)
  • Do the rest of my holiday shopping on-line, with minimal trips to an actual store (Avoid Mall at all cost)
  • I made a list of the books I hope to read this month. I plan to refer to this list on a regular basis. (I selected 20 books, but will be thrilled if I can read 15 in December).
  1. Half Broke Horses; Jeannette Walls (review book) - 5/5
  2. The Girl on Legare Street; Karen White (book tour 12/9/09) - 4/5
  3. Prima Donna; Megan Chance (review book)
  4. Rainwater; Sandra Brown (review book)
  5. New World Monkeys; Nancy Mauro (review book) - 3/5
  6. Climbing the Stairs; Venkatraman ( War Through the Generations WWII Challenge - Final Book for Challenge)
  7. Quietus; V. Schilling (A-Z Challenge - final book for challenge)
  8. Amen, Amen, Amen; Abby Sher - (review book) - 4/5
  9. Gilded: How Newport Became America's Richest Resort; Davis (review book)
  10. Remarkable Creatures; Chevalier (review book)
  11. Alice I Have Been; M. Benjamin  (review book)
  12. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt; B. Hoffman (review book)
  13. Cowboy and Wills; M. Holloway (review book)
  14. Pirate Latitudes; Crichton (review book)
  15. The Lacuna; Kingsolver - (review book)
  16. Amigoland; Casares (review book)
  17. When She Flew; Shortridge (review book)
  18. Saving Cicadas; Seitz (review book)
  19. The Gift; Ahern (review book) - Christmas Challenge - final book
  20. Holiday Grind; Cleo Coyle (review book) - 4/5
 
Feel like some stress? Feel free to stress yourself out as well, by making your own list...LOL

16 comments:

  1. This is an incredibly ambitious list! I probably heard before that stressed is desserts backwards, but didn't remember - but it certainly makes sense, considering how I deal with stress! :--)

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  2. I keep looking at the Amen book. Let us know what you think about it. Good luck with the list.

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  3. I have a huge list of books that I would like to get through in December, and I already feel behind. I need to read When She Flew too.

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  4. Good luck making your goal! I'd like to hit 200 books for the year as well and have a mere 3 left to hit the magic number. Of course, one of the books I'd like to finish out before the end of the year is over 1000 pages so it could still be dicey!

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  5. I think you should definitely read Alice I Have Been because I wanted that one from LibraryThing and didn't get picked, and it was before I new about Shelf Awareness so I didn't get it then either. :)

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  6. Sounds like you've got it all figured out! I hope to also do some catching up this month, especially once the semester ends. Good luck achieving your goals. Now go eat some dessert :)

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  7. Holy cow, what a list!

    I'm nowhere near the fast reader you are, but I'll pass my goal of 70.

    I've had self-imposed goals the last two years, but I'm not going to set one for 2010. My initial plan is to spend more time with desserts and less with stressed.

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  8. Great list-I hope to read 15 books in December-we have a lot of holidat social events that will take away from my reading time!-I do hope to read three Kenzaburo Oe Novels, also The Good Soldier (started it and love it so far), an Atwood, Out, and Naomi-open on the rest for now

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  9. Good luck!

    I'm reading The Lacuna right now...and have been for the past two weeks...it's interesting, but not mesmerizing.

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  10. Good luck! I'd be happy if I could manage half of what you'd want to read.

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  11. I wish I wasn't working and could devote three days to reading! Sounds like such a pleasant way to spend a cold winter day.

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  12. Never heard of this entertaining palindrome before. Timely.

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  13. Good luck with your self-imposed challenge (have fun, too!)

    I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. I thought maybe you were starting a new challenge for dessert-eating this month (I'd join in a heartbeat!)

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  14. Sounds like a good plan ... I gave up on some of the challenges I just couldn't finish and I'm just reading for fun for the whole month! It has been great!

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