16 January 2013

Book Guilt and Resolutions


Today youtuber Kristina Horner a.k.a. italktosnakes uploaded a video about having book guilt, in which she talks about feeling guilty for not reading as much as she used to (before discovering the internet). However, decreasing her amount of reading, did not lead her to to decrease the amount of books she bought, and so her shelves are now overflowing with books waiting to be read.
I suffer from a severe case of book guilt myself. In 2012 I challenged myself to read 50 books. I did not reach, nor did I even come close to my goal. I ended up reading 22 books, many of them for class. Like Kristina, I did not stop buying books, so that there are now 72 unread books in my library, some of which have been waiting to be read for years. I am not even considering the hundreds of books that my parents own, that are really worth reading.
I am pretty sure I spent more time on organizing my books on goodreads.com and shopping for books (Vancover has so many great secondhand bookstores) than I spent on actually reading the books that I already own.
I have thus challenged myself again. In 2013 I want to read 36 books. I feel that three books a month is an appropriate number, that will not put me under too much pressure, but will still be a challenge. As for buying books - and this breaks my heart - I have decided to not spent any money on books this year.
I hope that writing about what I read will motivate me to read and to stick to my goals. To a new beginning!

14 comments:

  1. To a new beginning! I am fairly excited about this :)
    Good luck!

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  2. Hey, I’ve nominated you for the Liebster Blog Award! Check it out: http://awesomemonica.blogspot.com/2013/01/liebster-blog-award.html

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    1. Awesome! Thank you so much :) I am in the process of writing my response and nominating people. Following your blog, too, by the way :)

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  3. Good luck with your resolutions! I love the name of your blog: The Word Ship. Best wishes!! :)

    Kaykay Obi
    http://theartistcreativeforum.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you! Looking forward to following your blog and your goodreads. :)

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  4. wow good luck sweetie *_* your blog is very lovely and interesting. im glad if you visit my blog, too <3 keep in touch!

    xx
    beauthi.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you! I just visited your blog and I love all your outfit posts. I left you a comment and I am now following you. Greetings to Germany! :)

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  5. Best wishes. Word ship! I like that a lot. I don't know much about the Liebster Blog Award, but I'll be happy to help out. It's tough getting started and creating followers. All the best!

    Paula http://paulacappa.wordpress.com/

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    1. Hey Paula,
      Thanks for your comment! I love your blog! Just started reading one of your short stories and you got me hooked immediately. I jam now following you. So you must have seen my post on goodreads then? The Liebster Blog Award is going around right now and I was (strangely nominated). It was made to bring attention to new blogs or blogs with only a few followers. Since I was nominated, I now have to nominate 11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers. If you know of any good ones let me know :)

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  6. Good luck with your resolutions! would you like to follow each other?
    Besos, desde España, Marcela♥

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    1. I am now following you! :)

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    2. Thank you so much for your visit!!! I follow you!
      Have a good week!

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    3. You too! Looking forward to reading your posts :)

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