Reading Goals.

     Hello blog, nice to see you again. I really REALLY need to clean my room, but instead I am going to procrastinate (I'm so good at that) and write a post here first.

     As the year is creeping to a close I have been thinking about how much I have read this year. And it is actually quite disappointing. I have no idea what the number might be, because I haven't been paying enough attention to even come close to keeping track. However I know that it hasn't been many. At all. I used to be such a good reader. I would read five books a month no problem, and could read more if I felt like actually stretching myself. Now I am honestly lucky if I finish one in two months. How pathetic is that!? Not that I think people who don't read are pathetic (although I do think you ought to try some), it's just that for a book lover it's quite sad.

     I have been busier I guess. Not too busy to read I know, but enough that I tricked myself into thinking I was. Or something like that. . . . Anyways. I have decided that I need to cure this, so I have come up with some goals.

• First of all I have determined that I am going to read two books every month. That means next year I will read 24 books. If I read more than that, fantastic. But 24 is the must. The last two months of this year will be my practice rounds. :)

• I want to get up early and get some reading done in the mornings.
• Before I read my "pleasure" books I have to read some of the "spiritual" stuff first.
• Every day I will read some of the "spiritual" reading. Which means scriptures, Preach My Gospel, church manuals, Ensigns, and books by the general authorities etc.
• I want to try more things that are outside of my experience. Meaning, books that I wouldn't normally try. I tend to stick pretty strictly to classics, because I like them and trust them. But I want to be well-rounded so I will be searching for other options as well now.
• I would also like to read one or two (or more) of the popular books of the year. Those are the ones that say something about our society and I would like to keep up with that. I am sure those are the books I will be very judgmental about. Although I am a semi-harsh critic of anything I read I think.

     I am currently reading The Inferno. I have been meaning to read it for a while. The title just sounds so intriguing. Especially as it is written by a man named Dante. It took me a chapter or two to get into the poetry style, but now I am quite enjoying the rhythm of it. I am not far enough to give much feedback on the writing itself yet.

     The next ones I am thinking of are one by Ayn Rand (Anthem is the only of hers I have read), Crime and Punishment, The Kite Runner (it has been on my list for a while and I bought it today for $1.00 at D.I), and The Help (because I have been seeing it everywhere and it is one pretty much every best seller list out there.
     I have plenty of choices on my Goodreads to-read list, as well as a stack of books in my room. But any recommendations are welcome!