Well the start of a new year and the immediate aim would be to read as many books this year as last year, so we will go with 10 a month and 120 for the year.
Another aim is to actually stop buying more books at least until I get a handle on how many old books I actually have, which at the minute is kind of difficult because after getting evicted from my study earlier last year in the interests of peace and harmony in the Keane household, all the books kind of just got lobbed up into the attic. They need sorting and at least some semblance of organising which is a mammoth task that will surely eat into my reading time. At a guess there are 2000 or so which just means it isn't sensible to acquire any more, not when there is about 20 years material in place already. And to be honest I must have seen some potential in each and everyone of them or I wouldn't have acquired them in the first place. Instead of going cold turkey completely, I will allow myself the opportunity to acquire 1 book a month. On that basis I should reduce the stockpile by a 100 or so come the end of this year. I have a bit of a dread of turning into Mr Trebus of Life Of Grime infamy, where in 15 or 20 years time I'll be buried under piles of books and paperwork.
If I add a "books acquired" tab to my blog, I can track the acquisitions and see if I'm exercising some control over my compulsive purchasing. At least allowing myself 1 a month, I can still inject some new blood into my library.
Within my monthly read, I shall endeavour to read some Scandinavian crime - 1 a month shouldn't be beyond me.
In addition to the disordered books, I have tons of "printed" e-books, e-zines articles and general clutter which I shall try and reduce by a couple a month. If there a 100-odd page magazine that I read cover to cover, well I'm the one keeping score so it will count towards my total.
Clear the started-never-finished pile, which I have down to about 3. Get caught up with my wife and then I can enjoy my own choice of books, though I may try and maintain tabs on my son's reading also. He's 18 soon and only reads a book every 3 months or so which shouldn't be too hard.
Catch up with a few authors, whose books I had previously read all of, but who subsequently sneaked a couple out that I haven't got to..........Michael Connelly, Duane Swierczynski, Anthony Neil Smith, Pearce Hansen.
As I don't have a kindle, only a reader on my pc, I need to clear down the books stored on my laptop, because I just don't want to read this way. There's maybe 15 or 20 on there, so these will go at about 2 a month hopefully.
In summary, hopefully to read some decent stuff this coming year, and try and get a bit healthier.
So start running again, eat better and lose the 3-4 stone that has crept on since I was a skinny beast of a man 25 years ago. Hey, I'll even allow myself a book treat for every half stone I lose - and I won't cheat. Target say 12 stone 7lb by the time my 25th wedding anniversary comes around in July. Perhaps I'll even look something like the man my wife married, apart from the thinning silver thatch with the 50pence piece sized chunk missing at the back and the reading glasses!
GOOD LUCK FOR 2013!
Some bold challenges there Colman. I desperately need to read some old books and that's what I am going to try and do for the rest of January. I too need to do a bit of decluttering.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I don't want to set the bar too low! But I don't want to set myself anything too ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI'd probably settle for 100 books, a bit more organisation so that I can quickly lay my hands on anything that I fancy.
Oh and definitely getting fitter - irrespective of my actual weight!