It was the worst year ever for reading. A grand total of 22 titles, although technically 23 because I didn't post the book I'm currently reading. With spending so much time at home because of the continuing quarantine, it would be an easy assumption that I would have read more. However, it was the exact opposite effect. Instead of reading more, I read less. Instead of reading during my lunch break, it was much easier to sit on the couch and watch TV. While I noticed it in 2020, I have recognized the issue this year. With my working at home now a permanent piece of my career, I need to be more cognizant of how I'm using my time. It's simply too easy to be lazy. When I'm at the office two days a week, I have no choice but to read. When I'm home three days a week, I'll need to make an active effort to read. It's not even about reading shorter titles, although that will help. I need to make sure I'm doing the work. Hey, live and learn, I guess. As in years past, the scripts have been removed from my totals.
The Breakdown:
Good: 62.5%
Meh: 37.5%
Bad: 0% !!
Books
>-I Kissed a Squirrel and I Liked It: Vol 4 of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl by Ryan North and Erica Henderson
>-The Newlywed's Instruction Manual by Caroline Tiger
>-The Tower of the Swallow by Andrezej Sapkowski
=-Lolita by Vladimir Nabakov
=-A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
>-The Dog Owner's Manual by Dr. David Brunner and Sam Stall
=-Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan
>-The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Scripts
The Book Club Play by Karen Zacarias
Southern Comforts by Kathleen Clark
Seven Keys to Baldpate by George M. Cohan
Thumbs by Rupert Holmes
Murder on the Nile by Agatha Christie
Be My Baby by Ken Ludwig
Mrs. California by Doris Baizley
Dead Man's Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl
Everybody Loves Opal by John Patrick
Spiral Staircase by F. Andrew Leslie
Play On by Rick Abbot
The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge by Mark Brown
Squabbles by Marshall Karp
Four Old Broads by Leslie Kimbell
Recap of 2021:
Similar to 2020, I had a year that fell short on the titles and was mostly scripts. Like last year, I feel bad. However, a bright spot is that there were no bad books this year. While it's not a huge accomplishment, at least two were non-fiction. I moved books off my “To Be Read” shelf, and that's always a good thing. So there are some positives to take away.
Quote of the Year:
“Politeness costs nothing.” - The Tower of the Swallow by Andrezej Sapkowski
In the past two years, this has become an anthem. While I have certainly had my times when I have been less than polite, I do now try actively to be polite. When we're hurt, angry, scared, disappointed, it's so easy to be hurtful. Politeness is so easy to give, if we're willing to view a person from where they stand. It's interesting that both last year and this year have quotes from Sapkowski. Maybe he's onto something.
Word of the Year:
crepitate If ever I needed a new word for the sound my knees make when walking up stairs, this one sure does it. It's a wonderful word I don't hear enough.
Expectations for 2022:
Now that I'm truly aware of what's happening with my reading, I'm going to work harder at making an effort. There are two things I love about reading: stories and learning. I love a good story, and I love learning new things. The TV can give me stories faster than books, but I have to remember that they are usually not better stories. Once I finish the book I'm reading currently, I'll see how I can tailor my year to give myself good stories and knowledge. For the time being, no hard goals. Just read more than I did this year. While I'm typing this up, I even remembered a book I forgot to add to the list that I did read. So maybe I'll start the year with that one.
Here's to quiet blessings and good reading.