Hello, 2014

[ photo credit: shutter stock ]

And on the sixth day of January she finally wrote a New Years blog postttttttttt...

So it's now 2014 and that is just crazy to think about! It feels like the older you get the faster the years just fly by you! I know I've been pretty absent on this blog... I've been pretty absent over on my other book blog too but I haven't read much since the holidays decided to just plow its way through! 

I don't have resolutions this year, I decided to go with the one little word theme some people are doing, you can find out more on that on my lifestyle blog here.

But I do have goals! Though they're not epic extreme ones, they're still things I'd like to tackle!

• Read 25-30 books (which cuts my usual yearly goal in half... eep)
• ... hope that the majority of these titles are coming from my NetGalley stack
• Be more active
• Come up with new content
• Redo my About Me page
• Remind myself I don't have to sign up for every blog tour
• ... and I don't have to request every book on NetGalley
• Communicate more

There's been a vast decline in my page views, obviously! Because I haven't been active and I do miss being here. So I will try my best this year to build this blog back up and to read more for fun. Cause I miss doing that too.

What are some of your blogging or lifestyle goals for 2014?

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2013 Resolutions

It's 2013! Can you believe it? The world didn't end (again)! Every year I make resolutions because I like lists, what can I say? I know I'm awful at actually crossing things off of those lists but making lists are just so fun! I know, I have a problem...

2013 is going to be a very busy year, sort of like this year if you guys remember? Yeah, same concept hint hint but I'm going to do my best to do better than I did that year.

Book Blogging Resolutions

• Read 60 books this year

Now to be fair, I had a bit of time to read if I wanted to last year which is why I did read 60 books when my goal was 50 but this year that might not be possible. However, watching that bar fill up? There's something very satisfying about it! M thinks I should only read "as much as I can" pffft boys. They don't understand!

• Clean up Google Reader

This was my resolution for last year too but I never got around to it. I mean, I did but I never got through the whole list so hopefully before the middle of the month I'll have my Google Reader nice and tidy. Seeing 1000+ posts waiting to be read can be a bit overwhelming!

• Change the blog theme

This was also a resolution for last year that I didn't do. Okay, seriously. I love my theme, to bits. I mean I've only had it for like three years but it's about time to let go. It will be hard, but it has to be done! It's not the end of the world Marie, if you want to you could always change it back! Goodness!

• Be better at reviewing books that need to be reviewed

Especially NetGalley titles. They're adding up like crazy and my "approved" list is wayyy too high compared to my "reviewed" list. It's sad. Depressing. Absolutely depressing. I also want to be better at reviewing my Vine books on time.

• Participate in more events

Last year I did a few blog tours and it was fun! I hope to participate in more this year as well as cover revels and guest author posts. 

Life Resolutions

• Welcome change
• Be happy
• Learn to crochet and knit
• Craft more
• Be more organized
• Take more pictures
• Learn French
• RELAX

As you can see I don't have that many resolutions this year. I'm trying to keep it simple. I have a feeling I'm never going to learn French LOL but I'm determined to!! 

What are some things you're hoping to accomplish this year?

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Goodbye 2011, hello 2012!

Happy New Year!

2011 was a very busy year for me and in a way, I'm sad it was because for the first 7 or 8 months of the year I was unable to read and review books (the Disney College Program is no joke yo). But I did manage to get things back up and running with the last half of the year. While 2011 was an amazing year full of new friendships, Disney magic, and many many accomplishments, I'm excited to see what more I can accomplish and discover in 2012!

So my book blogging resolutions are as follows:

• Read at least 50 books this year

My goal is to write 2 reviews a week so that makes 96 books a year. If I read at least 50 then that's about half. This is making so much more sense in my head. But either way, yes, at least 50 books this year because even though 2012 won't be as busy as 2011, it's still going to be pretty darn busy.

•  Clean up Google Reader

There are a lot of random blogs that don't even have to do with books on my Google Reader. I have no idea. I always put this off cause I'm always so lazy to click on almost every single one of my 300 subs to figure out who is who and what is what. But this needs to change!

• Spend more time talking to all of you!

I read a lot of blog posts but I don't comment. I'm glad I'm not the only person with this problem! When I first started book blogging, I would post everywhere! And tweet everyone! And now I'm like... blah. So I hope to leave more comments and tweet more people!

• Figure out a different blogging schedule

I usually blog Sun-Fri and sometimes Sat. Two of those days being book review days. My husband suggested that I only do one book review a week... but that would only be four reviews a month! Somehow that doesn't sit too well with me. But blogging Sun-Fri is a little much, especially with me going to two different schools this semester...

• Change the blog theme

This is something that makes me cry a little on the inside every time I bring it up with myself. But it's something that I think has to be done. While I do LOVELOVELOVE my Wizard of Oz theme and while it does reflect something I'm most passionate about, I know I need something more... I don't know... what's the word I'm looking for? Something different. I haven't decided if I'd make it Wizard of Oz-ish still or something without images *paws at layout* it's not you!

• Review books within 48 hours

I have the hardest time doing this! This was on my resolutions list last year and while I tried, it was hard sometimes (like I still don't have a review up of Stay and it was one of my favorites of 2011). But I'm going to try to review a book before I have a chance to forget what the book is about/how I feel about it.

• Actually attempt to complete challenges

I love joining challenges. I love being challenged! But I don't always complete them. I do a pretty darn good job most of the time, but it would look SO much better if I could see every single one crossed off! 

• Make more review vlogs

I know it kinda doesn't make sense to review something then do a vlog review at the same time... but I know some people who watch my channel don't come to my blog. The only problem with this is that I get so tounge-tied and I trip over my own words (why do you think I only do IMM? No need to explain! Most of the time anyway). But I'd like to do more on my channel too.

• Read classics

Because really, I'm tired of not knowing who Emma or Jane Austin is!

As far as my book blogging resolutions go, those are pretty much it. As for real life resolutions, I don't have many...

• Stop drinking soda
• Eat healthier
• Make more time for writing
• Be more organized
• Improve GPA
• More more time for arts & crafts
• Be the change I want to see in the world

What are some of your resolutions?

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2011 Resolutions!

I love lists. And I love New Years! A new year, a new start! 2010 was good to me and I'm hoping 2011 will be the same! I was thinking of just sharing my blogging resolutions but I figured I'd share my life ones as well, it goes along with one of my resolutions nicely :)


Blogging Resolutions

• Don't beat yourself up if you can't post a review 2-3 times a week. The world will not end despite what you're thinking!
• Write reviews as soon as you finish a book or at least notes somewhere! Don't wait days or weeks before you write them!
• Be more involved on the blog. Start discussion posts, author/character interviews and things about YOU. It doesn't have to be just reviews and IMM!
• Start using the 100 page rule. No sense in forcing yourself to read something you're struggling with!
• Don't accept review copies if you're not sure you'll read them. Sure they sound cool but on a scale, how interesting is it, really?
• Venture back into fiction (I use to read fiction all the time, then I discovered YA and well, that was that).
• Don't splurge on books so much (especially now that we're moving. I'm thinking of going the eBook route to save space).

Life Resolutions

• Explore Florida and everything it has to offer
• Spend a weekend in New York (if possible, in Feb. While there's still snow!)
• Get back into To Write Love On Her Arms
• Work out, take vitamins and DRINK WATER (this is on my list every year)
• Get back into Web/Graphic design
• Get back on FFXI (yes, I'm so serious)
• Cook and bake (I can do this now that I'm getting my own place)!
• Work on your WIP novel
• Try 5 new restaurants
• Attempt Yoga
• Start sleeping before 2AM!
• RELAX. It's okay to put aside an entire day to just RELAX! Don't feel guilty!
• LEARN FRENCH

What are some of your resolutions? Do we have any in common?

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