End-of-Year Book Tag

I was watching a video from Katie is Reading on YouTube. She did talked through questions from an End-of-Year tag. I enjoyed thinking about the questions, so here they are with my answers.

Is there a book you have started that you would like to finish by the end of the year?

On January 25, I started Hounded by David Rosenfelt. It is the 12th Andy Carpenter book in this series. I habitually read these books on my Kindle (instead of listening to them). The problem is that I don't find much time to read books (with my eyes) unless I am reading them for a specific purpose (like a class). I would like to finish this one by the end of the year. I'm 50% done with it.

Do you have an autumnal book to transition to the end of the year with?

I think you could call this an autumnal book, although I don't reserve reading this series to any particular season. I started a reread of the Harry Potter series in December of 2023. I'm currently reading #7 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'll finish it either this week or next.

Is there a new release you are still waiting for?

Yes - I'm looking forward to the release of The Mirror (The Lost Bride Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts on November 19.

What are three books you want to read by the end of the year?

I have more than three. Here is my TBR so far for the rest of the year:

• Inheritance (The Lost Bride Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts - a reread to be ready for the second in the series.
• Artificial Conditions (Murderbot #2) by Martha Wells - I read #1 this month and really enjoyed it.
• Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood - I read the first two in this series, and only have this one left.
• All the Good: A Wesleyan Way of Christmas - a book to read during Advent
• The Mirror by Nora Roberts
• Hounded by David Rosenfelt

There will be more - I just haven't picked them out yet. I would like to find something fun for the Christmas season.

Is there a book that you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?

I really enjoy books by Nora Roberts, so The Mirror could become a new favorite. It wouldn't be shocking, though.

Have you already started making reading plans for 2025?

No, not really. I am working my way through the Amelia Peabody books by Elizabeth Peters, so I imagine I will read some of those. If I finish that series, I might start another series of hers as a reread. I'll probably throw in some more Murderbot books. There will probalby be two JD Robb In Death books released - I'll read those. And I'll pick up at least one new Andy Carpenter book (by David Rosenfelt).

I'll probably set a goal of at least four books for spiritual development - that was one of my goals this year. That will probably include The Gospel of John by Amy Jill-Levine.

Pumpkins

Navy and Green

Orange and Yellow 

Late last month I posted that I had purchased yarn from Fibre Space to knit using free patterns from Blue Sky Fibers.

Last week I knit two pumpkins with the Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok yarn.  They were mini-hanks, so there wasn't enough of one color to knit a solid pumpkin, unfortunately.  I like them, though.

• Yarn: 2+ mini-hanks of two different colors of Woolstok Yarn
• Needles: Size 7 double-pointed needles

 

Card Basket

When I finish a card, I take its picture, initial the back, match it with an envelope, and put the envelope and card in a plastic sleeve.

The cards are then categorized into my card basket - birthday, anniversary, etc. 

I love it when my basket is full!

 
 

Work Planning Routine

Monthly Plan

I've talked about bullet journaling on this blog, but I thought I would take a moment to talk about how I plan for work. It's very different than my life planning. 

First, our staff gathers each year for a planning retreat. We set goals, review strategic planning, and set dates for the next year. This provides much of the basis of my planning for the year. That said, items come up during the year that are added to the plan. Plus, there are things you just can't plan for that have to be incorporated.  

Each month, I take all of those components and combine them into a plan for the month. What has to be done this month? What would it be helpful to complete this month?  This is divided into topics - each one centered around a different strategy.

From that, I create my weekly plan.  I do this planning on Monday morning.  I consider what events I have on the calendar for the week and what "to do" items should (or can) be done each day.

Weekly Plan

I use that to plan each day in my Franklin Planner.  I use the Leadership two-page per day planner.  On one side, I create a to do list. I prioritize the list with A (must be done), B (should be done), and C (could be done).  I then number each A, each B, and each C.  The right hand column of the left hand side of the two pages I use to list meetings, etc.  I also add tasks (and I do this at the beginning of the month for the whole month) that are done every month on a certain day (for example, on every Monday, I add a task to check our computer back-ups and make sure they are working.

 I use the right hand side to right down notes from the day - phone calls, etc.  

This is how I plan when everything is going as it should be. That's not only the case, but I do reach more goals when I follow this routine.

Franklin Planner 2 pages per day

Seasonal Yarn and Patterns

One of my favorite yarn stores is Fibre Space in Alexandria, Virginia.  I've only been there twice, but it's a great yarn store.  A week or two ago, I received one of their regular emails. They were featuring a bundle of mini-hanks of yarn from Blue Sky Fibers. I purchased the Fright and Delight set.

What attracted me to this set were the free patterns from Blue Sky Fibers.  I downloaded the pumpkins, acorns, and leaf patterns (from this page). 

Travel Craft Planning

I like to take crafting with me when we travel, and I have found, through trial and error, that what I pack makes a difference in what I accomplish.

I am most successful if I pack a planned craft project.  For example, in the photo above are eight cards I made on a trip to Columbus.  This is what I packed:

• Stamped map background, trimmed to fit on the card bases
• Card bases, cut and folded
• Focal image, stamped
• Sentiments, stamped and trimmed, ready for use.
• Limited markers to color the focal images
• Adhesives 
• Scissors

When I have a plan and the materials to complete it, I can spend some time - usually in the evenings, when we are back in the room, watching TV, putting it all together.  Packing supplies in this kit-like fashion not only gives me a plan, but it eliminates the "what will I do" feeling.  

Alternatively, when I have taken a large bag of supplies with no plan, I don't do anything. I don't even break open the bag.

Reading Goals

I've been thinking about goals - reading goals, specifically - and the real effects they have on reading.  

My reading goals this year are:

• Read at least 30% new to me books.  I like to re-read books, but I want to make sure I am always reading some new material.  In truth, I have no trouble meeting this 30% goal.  Last year, I had this goal, and I read 69% new books (books I had never read before).  I think this goal achieves a good balance between indulging in my reading joy of re-reading great books (or books I read a long time ago) and making sure I am reading new things, too.
• Read at least four books that will help my spiritual growth. So far this year, I've read three, and I have a fourth one almost complete.  Last year, because of a class I took, I far exceeded this goal.  I think this one is a good goal that makes sure I am reading books for spiritual growth, and am still leaving room for books for fun.

Reading, for me, is mainly for the joy and pleasure of it. I like storytelling and stories - books are great stories to read for fun.  I also read for intellectual and spiritual growth - and I like doing that. I want goals that will help me to balance the fun of reading with my reading purposes.  These two goals are doing that.

I don't have a written goal for how many books to read in a year. Last year, I read 52 books.  I just looked that up as I was writing this post, and I was surprised to find it wasn't 48. In my mind, I have have had the goal of reading 50 books for the year - what I thought was two more than last year.  Does it really matter how many books I read? No. But I can see the unintended consequence of this unwritten goal.  I find myself choosing books that are shorter than others so that I can read more of them. That isn't a goal of mine; I don't mind long books. I don't want to avoid them. I makes me wonder if I should switch to a page number goal, or just forget it. In 2022, I read 35 books, and it was fine.  I don't really need a goal to encourage reading - I read.  

But still - 50 books sounds great to me.