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Here it is:
Bright colors, fun boots, and I'm very tired today. :-) The bar was a little slow with Christmas coming up, etc., etc., but we had a good time. Now I get to spend the rest of the weekend reading and mulling over my reading goals for next year.
One of the issues I keep mulling over is short stories and essays. I'd like to read a lot more of them next year from various authors, but I'm somewhat addicted to numbers. I like counting how many books I read, and I'm aiming for well over 100 for next year. So, my dilemma is this: How do I encourage myself to read more short stories/essays from lots of different books without feeling like I'm taking away from time to finish full books? Here is one of the methods I'm considering: Unless I intend to read the entire book of short works, I'll keep track of how many pages make up each short story or essay. Once I reach a total of 325-350, I'll count that group as equal to one book. I won't count any of those "books" for my initial 100 for the 100+ Book Challenge, but they will count for my personal final total of the year. I think that sounds fair. What do you all think?
If only those were the worst problems in the world we all had to worry about, right? :-)
24 comments:
I think next year I'm going to track the individual short stories I read like books-because I'm a bit of a number person too. :) Have you seen the 100 shots of short challenge? It's to read at least 100 short stories, so it sounds right up your alley!
Forgot to add-that pic is awesome! :D
Holy cow! I had to check out the Diva link, and you rock! My hubby could hear it and he said, "she sings good." Where do you buy your boots?
Great boots! I also have this problem - I am so anal about counting up my book totals each year that I avoid short stories because they won't count towards the total. I think that my solution is just going to try and find some short story collections that I want to read all of, so I can count those as individual books. I think your system will work well too!
Picture is awesome!! I think that it is a great idea to count the pages and then consider it a book when you get to a certain number. Works for me!!!
Eva ~ Thanks! I have been looking at that 100 Shots Challenge. I'll probably sign up. I am addicted, after all. :-) I'll be tracking the stories separately, too, but I'm so weird about my "total books" at the end of the year that I need a way to work them in even if I'm picking and choosing from a variety of authors.
Bermudaonion ~ Thank you!! And tell your husband thank you also! I get most of the boots online from this site: www.electriqueboutique.com They have the best boots, and the prices are really reasonable. I rarely pay more than about $35-45 for them.
Sarah ~ Thanks! I think we have a lot of number junkies in this community. It makes me feel so normal! :-) I'll probably read some full collections also, but I wanted the ability to pick and choose from a wide range of books and authors and still be able to count it somehow. I think this method will be what I go with. I'll be waiting to see what you choose also!
Kara ~ Thanks on both accounts! I didn't want to feel like I was cheating in my "count", so I picked a number that felt respectably long but wasn't in danger of qualify as a "chunkster". :-)
Lezlie
This year I didn't read that many individual short stories, but two and three years ago I did exactly that. It didn't seem fair not to count them towards my final totals :P
Also, love the picture!
This past year I read one short story a week and posted on it on Sundays. Reading it and then writing about it gave me a chance to really think about what I was reading and I remember them better now, too. It was part of a short story challenge. However, I think I am going to take a break next year and just concentrate on reading some story collections and writing about the collections in general--sometimes writing about one story was too challenging! :) I think you're idea is a good one, and there are some great short stories out there!! Looking forward to hearing more about your goals.
Lezlie - that photo is just priceless!!! I am so impressed!
I love that photo and the outfit.
As for the books...I think that your plan sounds pretty good...creative.
Nymeth ~ I'm glad I'm not the only one who spends time thinking about stuff like this. :-) And thank you!
Danielle ~ I noticed you were doing that. I enjoyed reading them! I'm not sure I'll write about each one. I'll have to see how that part of it goes.
Michelle ~ Thank you! Peter takes some really fantastic shots at the shows.
Serena ~ Thanks! The more I think about it, the more I like the plan, too.
Lezlie
I think it's fair :) And why not, you're the one in charge :) I like reading short stories too, but like you I don't seem to count them (or list them) as much as novels. And my problem with some compilations is that not all stories are to my liking and I end up ditching it halfway through without picking ones that might be better than the others. Oh well, maybe I should adapt your plan as well but uhm, I don't exactly count pages :)
Lovely outfit! Love the boots!
I think that's totally fair - why wouldn't you count them!
Great photo - glad you had a good time!
Love the outfit, looks like you were having a great night!
I'd do a similar thing with short stories if it would get me reading them. I'm not very good with them myself and that's one of the reasons why. I think it's perfectly fair.
Lightheaded ~ Exactly! I don't always want to read the whole collection, and that has been the whole issue. If you don't want to count pages, maybe just count stories. That's the other method I considered. Say something like 15 short stories counts as a book, or something like that. That's probably less of a pain than counting pages.
Joanna ~ Thanks! I was a little bummed about the small crowd, but they were ready to party, so all was good! :-)
Meghan ~ Feel free to adopt or adapt the method for yourself. There are some great works out there, and it's a shame that we miss out all for the sake of a number. It's silly, I know, but it's been liberating to find out there are so many others who feel the same way. I'm not crazy after all! :-)
Lezlie
But what were you singing???
Terri ~ That one would have been "Little Bird" by Annie Lennox. I saved the boa for that song! :-)
Lezlie
I like that outfit even better! Purple is my favorite colour! However, again with the boots, I'd fall flat on my face in those, not to mention my aching back! LOL!
I am trying to read more short stories as well and was wondering how I could count them. I like what you have come up with!
Teddy Rose ~ It's actually my feet that hurt the worst at the end of the night. Thank goodness for arch-support socks! :-) Feel free to use the short story-counting method. Or if you come up with another one, let me know. I'm curious how people are handling it when they're not reading full books of short stories.
Lezlie
Another great photo Lezlie-I love the boots. I'd never be able to walk in them but I think they're awesome.
Dar ~ Thanks! And to alter a famour phrase: These boots aren't made for walkin'. :-) Speaking of walking, it's so good to see you out and about! I hope your eye is doing better!
The eye is doing much better Lezlie-thanks for asking.
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