2009 Reading / Bookish Resolutions

Once again most of my 2009 reading/bookish resolutions fall under one category: Reducing Mt. TBR. I am throwing in an extra category this year: Me.

1. I will not set a number of books to read this year.
-- I always try to read 100 books in a year. Of those 100 books I try to make a set number classics and non-fiction. I've never come close to reading those self-set quotas. In fact, I grow to hate those quotas. When I read, I read for me - so why the hell have I been making reading for me less fun. Screw numbers. This year, I vow to ignore the statistics until it comes to the end-of-year calculations.

2. I will read for me.
-- I will read with me in mind: that minds I will read what I want, when I want. I will select my reading choices by the mood I am in, not what I feel I should be reading. The one exception: book club.

3. When I go the Library, I will not walk out with a gazillion books.
-- This is a repeat from last year. I have to knock down the number of books I own but have not read. Mt. TBR is this looming cloud over my head. The smaller it gets, the happier I am. (Right now I am ignoring the growing list of books in my TBR database list... but those aren't actually on my shelves so they're easier to ignore.)

4. I will NOT BUY any books (again)
-- Another repeat, but it worked out incredibly well this year. I could actually walk into a bookstore, peruse the shelves, and walk out empty handed. This act got easier with each passing today. Again, I am adding caveats, but they are even smaller than last years.

a. The book is written by one of these authors: Vince Flynn, Diana Gabaldon, Mark Bowden
b. The book is a gift for someone else (I'm not buying it for myself, therefore it does not add to MY reading pile)
c. I need the book for a class

6. I will purge!
-- That's right. I will be ruthless. Surprisingly, I did not blog about the two book purges I conducted this year. Something just said to me PURGE PURGE PURGE. So I listened. (Yes, you may call me insane for listening to the voices in my head.) It felt incredibly therapeutic to weed my shelves - so much so that I vow to do it again this year. I have a feeling my hardcovers are going to be hit hard - they need it.