Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Wrapping Up July And Suggestions Please?

Somehow I managed to pull off a decent July. For me anyway. Looking at what I read this is in extreme thanks to audiobooks. I've learn to fall in love with audiobooks all over again with this new commute to work. I already really didn't mind the commute, but being able to listen to audiobooks now makes the commute even better! And I've found that having the right reader makes it all the more better! Here's what I got read this month:

33. The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll, 2001, 256 pgs., TOR 
34. The Light Princess by George MacDonald, 1969, 110 pgs., SquareFish
35. Native Guard: Poems by Natasha Trethewey, 2007, 51 pgs., Mariner Books
36. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson, 2009, 288 pgs., Square Fish
37. Labor Day by Joyce Maynard, 2009, 244 pgs., Harper Perennial
38. White Apples by Jonathan Carroll, 2003, 320 pgs., TOR

That's six books! Not bad for me at all!! Of course, three of those were audiobooks, but I'm totally counting them. My favorite by far was The Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll. In fact, that one's likely to become a favorite of all time! Just such a damn good book! Each of these books were so different from each other that I can't really pick a "worst book" from the six. I guess I'd have to say the least memorable was The Light Princess, which sounds horrible, but I really just read that one at the wrong time...my head wasn't all there when I read it and I really should go back and revisit it!

I'd be so happy if I could do this for the rest of the year! Read six books a month that is. Hell, if I could read more,  that'd be even better! But I'll take six books a month. I won't be making my goal of 100 books for the year, but there are plenty more years in the future to make that goal.

Oh, as for the suggestions I'm asking for...I bought a couple of notebooks! The first is a beautiful little notebook that I'm going to use to start putting book quotes in that I love. The second book however is a beautiful little Rhodia notebook :) I love love love Rhodia's notebook and I bought one of the four color Rhodia notebooks and I don't know what the hell to do with it! I have SO MANY notebooks. I'm a sucker for them. I pick them up whenever I find one I love but never know quite what to do with them. So my question is, what should I do with my wonderful new Rhodia notebook? Anyone have any unique suggestions aside from just journaling? I've learned that keeping a handwritten journal just does NOT work for me. I never stick with them....


10 comments:

Care said...

I get addicted to blank books, too. I have about 5 waiting patiently but I do journal, or try to. Sometimes they end up being to do lists but that's OK. I now want to attempt writing down at least one good thing about each day before I fall asleep. You could start a one sentence journal or a garden journal or a gratefulness journal?

I am tbr-ing that Land of Laughs book. :)

christina said...

me <----- blank book trollop

Srsly.

And like you, I have NO FREAKIN CLUE what to use them for.

Debi said...

LOL--this seems to be a ridiculously common problem! And seeing how we all seem to have stashes of beautiful yet unused journals, I'm not sure if anyone can be of much help, huh?

Btw, I can't see myself meeting that 100 book goal either. I haven't completely given up hope, but it's not too likely. The good thing is that we both took it as something to shoot for, NOT something to stress about. :)

Snowball said...

I'm a sucker for pretty journals too. I have a line of them on the window sill in my office. I journal, write poetry, draw, collect quotes, make photo collages, garden, ...

Some people combine all their pursuits but I have a separate journal for each, and as each is filled it goes on the sill. the collection as a whole is sort of a mixed media portrait of the author.

I don't stress about filling them, it happens organically & sometimes they evolve along the way.

I hope your notebook gives you a lot of pleasure.

DesLily said...

I broke 100 bks once. ONCE. but now the end number doesn't matter a whole lot because I know I will never "not read" but sometimes life gets in the way..or we hit a wall and can't seem to find a book to hold our interest..but they always pass and we find our escape once again :o)

ummm I have a number of blank books myself heh..I find after a period of time that it's ok to collect them just because you like them ! maybe take one when you take small trips to write about the trip?

Jeane said...

Okay so this is a weird connection but I love the little almost-square Rhodia books that have graph paper in them. I use them to make art shapes out of scrabble games I play w/friends (you can see some here)

Beth F said...

I love journals too and can not keep a journal -- of any sort. Never could.

I use some for marking down recipes (not writing out recipes but noting where to find them), some list ideas for the blog, some list ideas for travel, some started out being exercise or fitness journals.

Most fail.

The one that has stuck with me lately is the one I use for ideas for the blog, freelance articles, and notes for freelance reviewing.

Susan said...

I have journals for writing in (I've kept this going for years), journals to carry around to write in, and now I just bought two from our bookstore here in Canada that have a silver tree embossed on them!! One is for carrying around for writing (poetry, stories ideas, etc), and the other, I don't know yet. I know you don't write the same way I do, so maybe you could use it for recipes? you like to cook. Garden photos and ideas too, and maybe, a dream house - you know, collect images of what you want your dream house to be and look like :-)

Because of you I've got the Jenna Fox book out from the library already! and I'm not going to make my 100 books either, though I'm still going to try to read what I can this year. As you and Pat say, at least we have a goal to strive for!

Unknown said...

You should totally count audiobooks!

I keep seeing some beautiful notebooks/journals and would love to keep one, but my handwriting is just so appalling, there'd be little pleasure and I'd never be able to read it back the following day. ;)

Anonymous said...

I love notebooks (unlined, please), and always buy them, but like you, I never know what to do with the damn things. For the most part, they just sit around looking pretty.