For The L♥ve of Reading discussion

Do you read to count books or pages and hit your goal? Which do you prefer and why? What were your numbers for last year, what number are you at now, and what is your goal for 2010? How can this group help you reach your goal? Let us know!

I just started to enjoy reading again in 2008. I know I only maybe read 30 books that year but I didn't really know about counting or keeping track. But my reading goal for 2009 was to just read more. Easy right.

2009 - I proudly finished 49 books.
2010 - So far, I've proudly finished 33 books.
2010 - I've also kept track of pages, 7,509 pages so far.

My goal really is to read more then I did in 2009 and from the looks of it I can barely loose that battle.

I never really set goals for myself....this is new for me and I am enjoying the ability to keep track of books I read and I really enjoy the discussions of books and other stuff too!!! Once I get a little more organized I think I am going to start setting goals. Not sure if it will be just number of books read or if I will have a page count goal as well.

I never really set goals because it almost discourages me from reading. I love to read for fun and for learning purposes, but just reading to fill a quota would make it seem less enjoyable to me. However, I do want to start at least keeping track of what I've read so far. i want to start keeping a journal or two about what I've read and what I think about the book.

I know what you mean, Adrienne. I was in about 5 challenges at various times this year, and finally quit all but one. It made me feel like I had to read a certain book at a certain time in order to fill my quota. I was not enjoying my reading at all. I am so glad I stopped with the challenges. I am now enjoying what I am reading. The one challenge I kept is a year-long one that I try to fit in with what I am reading at the moment, but if it doesn't, I don't care. I'm reading for the pleasure it gives me.

I see how you could feel that why. My view is I set a goal that it is for fun as well so if I fall short of that goal this year I won't be upset maybe just try again next year or try a new challenge for next year. Just because I set a goal for myself or make a challenge doesn't mean I will force myself to make it happen if that's not the way things go.

i don't usually set goals for myself. i just read and read and read. and i love it! i don't like to spend more than a week with a book, but i will and not feel so bad about it. family, work then books. of course, i am always reading. it seems to irritate some people. i'm proud to say i've encouraged others to get back into reading. they always say,"i don't have time." and i say, "i have a toddler, i teach junior AP students and i coach academic decathlon. you have time!"

lol way to go elizabeth!

Way to tell them. I say the same thing to my mom. You have a husband and that is it. Read some. So, I get her books a presents. She finishes them then because it was a gift.

I have no particular goal except to read more. If I can read a little more then each year that fine by me.

Challenges, that is why I keep our monthly ones vague and with two areas to read in. Switching up book colors just might make you reach for the book that was a bit farther down your pile.

This year I signed up for the group 10,000 pages in 2010. Well, I never counted pages before and it is nice to see that is one challenge I can finish off no problem.

Keep up the Reading!

HR elyssa and i hope you reach your goal!

❤ ☠ Elyssa ☠ ❤ wrote: "I just started to enjoy reading again in 2008. I know I only maybe read 30 books that year but I didn't really know about counting or keeping track. But my reading goal for 2009 was to just read ..."

I don't count books, but I was amazed the first year I was on GR to find that I read 72 books that year. That is more than a book a week, along with working full time + a part time job, raising 2 kids and all that life brings with it. I love reading!

Elizabeth wrote: "i don't usually set goals for myself. i just read and read and read. and i love it! i don't like to spend more than a week with a book, but i will and not feel so bad about it. family, work the..."

Elizabeth I am with it. I often get people telling me they don't have time, like my sister. And not to belittle her but I work full time and have 2 teenagers, my most active one is 13yo so relies on my taxi driving and I still MAKE time to read almost every day. My sister is a stay at home mom, her 3 kids are younger than mine but are all in school this year. She babysits one little girl but she shops....and shops...and shops. (Blechhhhh) She has a big fancy inground pool, where they spend the majority of their summer and she sits there reading rag magazines. I just don't see how she doesn't have time to read. hahaha...I am happy though, her oldest daughter Riley is 10yo and she loves to read like I do. It is a big bond between us and I love it.

But I have got people I work with reading that didn't before. My boss and his wife a huge readers too, so we now have a bookshelf at work where we bring books we have read for anyone to take/borrow.

Dara wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "i don't usually set goals for myself. i just read and read and read. and i love it! i don't like to spend more than a week with a book, but i will and not feel so bad about it...."

dara,
what's interesting is that i'm an english teacher. aren't we supposed to be big readers by default? but so many of my colleagues don't read. it seems it should be a requirement. and the friend from work that said she didn't have time was the librarian! unheard of in her profession! so i say read, read and read. if you have time to sit, you have time to read.

i always have a book and i always pull it out when i have a moment to sit.

i am the youngest of six and four of us are big readers. the other two, i think just occasionally.

I think that I have finished 9 books and am at 3,000 page mark. I think.

Elizabeth wrote: "Dara wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "i don't usually set goals for myself. i just read and read and read. and i love it! i don't like to spend more than a week with a book, but i will and not feel so ..."

Ok...that is seriously grounds for firing!!! A librarian? Really??? That is just ridiculous. LOL...oh well, I guess they just don't know what they are missing!

Elizabeth, my mom still makes fun of me. I was such a big reader even as a kid, like maybe 10yo, that I ran out of books at home to read and we had this set of children's encyclopedia's, the kind with lots of pictures. I didn't have anything else to read so I read the entire set...all 26 of them!

Don't feel bad. I always bring a book with me to work and one day forgot. I almost went down to Barnes and Noble and bought another because I couldn't be without a book to read.

OMG...Jencey I would have done the same thing. LOL...I alwaysss have a book with me and if I happen to forget it there is always at least 1 or 2 floating around in my car. I have read in the drive thru at McDonald's or similar places while waiting. Even once or twice at a stop light...lol

Last I checked, I was at about 6,000 pages for the year. And I ALWAYS have a book with me. Sometimes two. Sometimes more.

I still remember the church sleepover where my friends confiscated my book (Shakespeare's As You Like It) and forced me to be social...

Jencey wrote: "Don't feel bad. I always bring a book with me to work and one day forgot. I almost went down to Barnes and Noble and bought another because I couldn't be without a book to read."

jencey,
i recently came back up to work to get in cold blood because i couldn't stand thinking of a day without reading it. crazy i know. but it was worth the trip.

lol i know what you mean (btw elizabeth, its really good that youre so dedicated to the book youre reading!)
my friends keep complaining all i do is read, they say thats negligence C=

Hey we are dedicated readers! :)

yay for us! lol

what are you reading jencey?

I am reading Mine Are Spectacular! by Janice Kaplan. Very good book so far! And you!

Rumors by Anna Godbersen also really good C=

Wow, a few moments away from this site and look at this conversation. Libraians that don't read (my librarian friend would be appalled), reading at stoplights (which I don't endorse), and buying books when we forgot ours (which I will endorse).

Interesting... Only dedicated readers here! My trunk has several books. My backpack has at least one fun book. And my purse has two paperbacks in it right now. Now to mention the books on my iPhone. Full time school (in 4 areas), single young hot mom of three ( :D ), and house slave extronare and I mange to carve out some desent amount of reading time.

I think this subject of how many books do you really carry on you needs it's own topic.

This is something I just started this year. I have read 19 books this year and 7146 pages

8,606 pages done.

I have about 3045 pages.