This year I had set an ambitious goal for my books to read which of course is acceptable and maybe even commendable. Really, who doesn’t want to beat their prior year in every respect. The trouble here for me hasn’t been a lack of enthusiasm in my part when it comes to books or reading. Unlike last year and perhaps even the one prior there was a lot more extra time to be filled with enjoying my books. As life often does it throws you a curveball when you least expected it. I’m not suggesting in any way that is a bad thing – unless of course you strike out chasing the ball in the dirt. In my case it happens to be work that keeps on dishing those out with regularity. Some of you might be in a similar case where your job is a bit like mine – unpredictable. I can never count on a set schedule, but the hours are there for the taking if you are willing to embrace an awkward set of days and starting times. Personally, I am willing to trade a few reading hours in for some extra much need cash.

Due to work and my schedule I have found my free time can be a premium that needs to be shared with other things. So over the last few week I’ve been working on a plan to try to fit more books in if I can to achieve my goal for the year. I am still in the testing phase to see if it will work the way I hope, but the preliminary findings seem to suggest that if the numbers that I am seeing I could theoretically make my goal. This is of course predicated on two things going right for the rest of the year. Over the last two weeks things are looking hopeful which of course helps.

The first part of the plan actually has very little to do with books and more to do with a new personal goal that needed to come first. I may or may have not mentioned this in my last post which seems forever ago. I have felt the need to do things that improve my health due to the fact that I’d smoked for a long time. In this endeavor things have improved drastically over the last couple weeks. As of today I am at twenty-five days without having smoked a cigarette and I am feeling much better for it. Every now and then I have to admit I feel the desire to smoke, but every day I don’t it get somewhat easier. The best part is I can now breath better, have more energy, and food tastes amazing. This sets up for part two in my new and healthier outlook and that is to finally get more fit since I can actually do that. This is where reading/listening books comes into the mix which makes this whole process far more enjoyable.

One of the things I want to be able to do again is go for a run on my day off during the week or if I happen to get a chance in the evening after work now that it’s light late enough. Being able to breathe more normally now it seems that goal is right around the corner and that truly gets me excited. So how exactly to my reading goal tie into my non reading personal goal? With relative ease really. I could just listen to music and leave it at that on a walk or run or I could simply get an audio book and achieve the same thing. I have been doing the latter and have found I really enjoy having books in audio format if the narrator is good. Since starting this process about a month ago I have actually begun to finish books again at a rate that I will be able to write about them with some regularity starting this week if I manage my time well. This prospect makes me excited and I look forward to it.