Monday's Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Current Reads:

  • The Fangirl Life by Kathleen Smith
  • Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien – for the #FanspeakTheRing Read-Along
  • Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
  • Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

Fangirl Life Fellowship Dirk

Furiously

Finished:

  • Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett
  • Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl
  • Doctor Who: Snowglobe 7 by Mike Tucker
  • Welcome to the Future ed. by Christina Escamilla

Murder Black Widow Snowglobe
Welcome

Challenges:

Total pages read: 1064

Total # of books for the year: 37.  I’ve got a lot of reviews to write again, which means I’ve got plenty to do while I’m stuck on the couch and not able to exercise while my back is healing.  I’ve also begun taking notes on Middle-Earth history specifically related to Hobbits because I’m that much of a nerd and find the project to be relaxing and fun.  Yes, there are plenty of websites on the internet that detail anything and everything about Middle-Earth, but I prefer figuring it out on my own and not relying on the potentially inaccurate work of others.  Besides, I can then create a page here showcasing my work 🙂  To help me with my studies, the Boyfriend brought home a fresh loaf of crusty bread, clotted cream, and jam for me to snack on while I read and drink cup after cup of tea.  He is the best boyfriend in all of time and space.

What are you reading this week?

#FitReaders Check-In

FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for June 17th – 23rd.
  • I started out strong on Friday and Saturday with over 9K steps each day.  I was determined to finally hit my step goal and start the Couch to 5K program.  However, my back had other plans for me.
  • I can’t do any exercise for a total of two weeks and I have to wear a back brace whenever I’m not laying down.  I can’t even do my physical therapy exercises for my knees, and my ITBS is already flaring up as a result.  By the time I can start exercising again, I’ll have to start over from scratch with my walking program and work my way back up to being able to run.
  • I’m trying to stay on the positive side of all this, but considering how close I got to running again, after nearly 5 years of only being able to walk or use an elliptical machine while I watched my weight steadily rise to a depressing point, it’s been difficult.  I especially miss getting out of the office to walk during my breaks.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 31,911/63,000
  • Miles: 13.11/22.75
  • Flights of stairs: 89/70
  • Active Minutes: 148/210
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 3/10
  • Monthly 1 Mile Fun “Runs” Completed: 2/10
  • Total Money Donated: $19.55/$50.00 – I’ve cut my goal by half since I know I’m not likely to get anywhere near $100.

Thursday's Things: Sci-Fi Edition

P02-Work-The-Night-Shift-NASA-Recruitment-Poster
Image: NASA

This is the first official week of my Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge, so I thought it would be the perfect time to share these Science Fiction related links:

Thursday’s Things: Sci-Fi Edition

P02-Work-The-Night-Shift-NASA-Recruitment-Poster
Image: NASA

This is the first official week of my Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge, so I thought it would be the perfect time to share these Science Fiction related links:

Monday's Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Current Reads:

  • The Fangirl Life by Kathleen Smith
  • Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett
  • Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien – for the #FanspeakTheRing Read-Along
  • Doctor Who: Snowglobe 7 by Mike Tucker
  • Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

Fangirl Life Murder Fellowship Snowglobe Black Widow

Finished:

  • Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
  • Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Inkdeath Persepolis

Challenges:

Total pages read: 1024

Total # of books for the year: 33.  Today starts my Sci-Fi Summer reading challenge, and I’ve set my goal to Time Lord because why not?  Also, I’ve got lots of Science Fiction, including several “Doctor Who” books, on my TBR shelves and they’ve been sitting there for far too long.  On top of that, the COYER Summer challenge started on the 18th, and they’ve thrown the rules out the window, made some iced tea, and cranked the AC so any book qualifies, regardless of format.  That all adds up to the perfect time to empty my physical shelves!

What are you reading this week?

Monday’s Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.

Current Reads:

  • The Fangirl Life by Kathleen Smith
  • Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett
  • Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien – for the #FanspeakTheRing Read-Along
  • Doctor Who: Snowglobe 7 by Mike Tucker
  • Black Widow: Forever Red by Margaret Stohl

Fangirl Life Murder Fellowship Snowglobe Black Widow

Finished:

  • Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
  • Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Inkdeath Persepolis

Challenges:

Total pages read: 1024

Total # of books for the year: 33.  Today starts my Sci-Fi Summer reading challenge, and I’ve set my goal to Time Lord because why not?  Also, I’ve got lots of Science Fiction, including several “Doctor Who” books, on my TBR shelves and they’ve been sitting there for far too long.  On top of that, the COYER Summer challenge started on the 18th, and they’ve thrown the rules out the window, made some iced tea, and cranked the AC so any book qualifies, regardless of format.  That all adds up to the perfect time to empty my physical shelves!

What are you reading this week?

Let the Challenge Begin!

SCI-FI SUMMERReading Challenge

Starting today, June 20th, and running until September 21st (the day before the Autumnal Equinox), is the Sci-Fi Summer Reading Challenge!

If you haven’t signed up yet, the link-up is at the bottom.  You can link up your reviews HERE.

Here are the challenge levels:

  • Red Shirt – 1 to 5 books
  • Viper Pilot – 6 to 10 books
  • Jedi – 11 to 15 books
  • Time Lord – 16 or more books

Any book of at least 100 pages that is classified as Science Fiction, including any Sci-Fi subgenres, qualifies for this challenge.  That means audiobooks, physical books, ebooks, library books, free books, other borrowed books, anthologies, and graphic novels are all acceptable options.  You may also count any Sci-Fi book that counts towards another reading challenge.

Link up your sign-up posts below:

The sign-up will remain open until September 14th, a week before the challenge ends.

#ShelfLove: Mid-Year Check-In

Shelf Love Challenge 2016

A lot has changed in my life since I started this year’s Show Your Shelves Some Love challenge.  I got a full-time job.  I moved to a new apartment.  I began to truly focus on my health.  With all of those changes, I’ve come to realize quite a bit about myself that I didn’t previously know, and books have become an even more important part of my life as a result.

For instance, I realized I have to work for the sake of my mental health, not just my bank account, but I also have to have a job or at least be doing or working towards doing something I’m passionate about.  After I was offered the job, I was so excited to finally be working full-time again, but the excitement quickly wore off because my job is 1) not challenging and 2) has nothing to do with books.  So, my game plan has changed a little bit.  It’s no longer “I want to eventually go to grad school to become a librarian.”  It’s now “I’m taking the steps to go to grad school as soon as possible.”

2015-12-29 11.54.22
My TBR shelf before I moved.

That doesn’t have much to do with #ShelfLove, other than the obvious (books, of course), but my recent move to a bigger, but very differently configured, apartment made me greatly appreciative of this challenge’s existence and the lovely women hosting it.  I’ve discussed many times before how my book collection has caused quite a few problems when it comes to moving.  There’s the back-breaking weight, the cost of packing materials, and then the process of unpacking and reorganizing.  Ok, that last one is kind of fun.  Alright, a lot of fun.

2015-10-24 13.24.02 (2)
Only 2 of my book boxes before I moved. The other 5 or 6 were in storage.

 

For the first time in nearly seven years, I finally cut down my collection and moved to a place big enough to have all of my books in one place and easily accessible.  No longer do I have to drive out to my storage unit and dig through boxes to find that *one* book I want to read or loan to the Boyfriend.  Granted, not all of those books are on shelves, thanks to my shelves still being in storage until we have the money and time to shut down the storage unit for good, but all my pretty lovelies are READily available 😉 and that makes me a happy gal.

2016-06-18 13.09.19
My TBR shelf now. Though it doesn’t appear to be any different, it really is.

Though the main purpose of this challenge is to read the books we already own, and I’m definitely doing that, it has also made me rethink the books I choose to keep.  I was holding onto a lot of books I knew I would probably never read, but the pressure to read them because I bought them was causing me unnecessary stress.  I finally decided to take them to the used bookstore.  I thought letting go of these unread books would be difficult, but I didn’t shed any tears, and those books are better off in the hands of someone who will actually read them.  So far, I’ve made over $50 off those books and I’ve got another box that is halfway full.  Since my job hasn’t made me rich, that extra money means that I could afford to buy myself some exercise clothes that actually fit and are cute and comfortable so I’m more likely to get off the couch.

2016-06-18 13.09.512016-06-18 13.10.11

2016-06-18 13.10.54
The remaining books after the purge.

What does concentrating on my health have to do with #ShelfLove?  It means I’m reading more.  Not only am I setting aside time every night to read as a form of self-care, I’m also reading while I exercise.  Whether I’m reading a book on my Kindle while I’m on the treadmill or listening to an audiobook while I’m walking during my breaks at work, I’m getting through my books much faster than I did last year.  I’m already at the halfway point of my goal of reading 51 books off my TBR pile.  Last year I was about five books behind.  Of course, I was still in college and taking Summer courses to finish my degree faster, but I wasn’t making as much time for exercise, either, and there’s nothing I’d rather do more while I sweat than read.

Overall, the changes in my life have improved my relationship with books and reading.  I didn’t believe that was possible, especially since I was sure my new job, moving, and exercising more would all cost me valuable reading time.  Instead, the opposite has happened, and maybe this challenge has something to do with that.  Perhaps my determination to stick with it has made me come up with workable solutions.  All I know is that before #ShelfLove, and before I started blogging, I was barely getting through half the books I now read in a year, despite owning double the number of books I own today.

#FitReaders Check-In

FitReaders2016
  • This check-in is for June 10th – 16th.
  • I had planned on starting the Couch to 5K program this week but got stuck working overtime.  I knew that meant I wouldn’t reach my FitBit goals, except the stairs, but I still got out of the office during my breaks to walk around the building.  I didn’t walk fast, though, since the Texas heat is ramping up, so I was surprised to see that I also met my active minutes goal.
  • If you’d like to add me as a friend on FitBit, you can find me HERE.
  • Steps: 42,564/63,000
  • Miles: 17.49/22.75
  • Flights of stairs: 95/70
  • Active Minutes: 247/210
  • Monthly 5K Races Completed: 3/10
  • Monthly 1 Mile Fun “Runs” Completed: 2/10
  • Total Money Donated: $19.55/$100.00

Monday's Minutes

“Monday’s Minutes” is a weekly post in which I track my bookish life.  All book covers are linked to Goodreads unless otherwise noted.
Current Reads:

  • Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke
  • The Fangirl Life by Kathleen Smith
  • Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett

Inkdeath Fangirl Life Murder

Finished:

  • The World’s Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne
  • The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice

Strongest Lestat

Challenges:

Total pages read: 659

Total # of books for the year: 31.

What are you reading this week?