On the first day of every month for the last two+ years, I've published a blog post reviewing everything I read in the month before. This month, August 2019, will mark my first time not doing that since I first started way-back-when.
I didn't finish a single book last month.
I thought about not writing a post about it. Why call attention to my failure to finish? Why admit to people that I played too many iPhone games & listened to too many podcasts & watched too many episodes of Bachelor in Paradise to finish a single freaking book?
And then I thought: But why not?
People always seem amazing when they learn how much reading I do. "How do you have time for it?"! they sometimes marvel, & I once shared my answers to that on the blog, too. But here's the truth: I usually get a lot of reading done because I want to. Because I like it. Because i make time for it, & I enjoy it, & reading a lot of different books is important to me. It's fun for me.
Last month, though, I just wasn't feelin' it. Yes, I read. I read a fair amount, actually, but I didn't read enough of any one book to make it all the way through. I'm a quarter of the way through four different books right now:
- Whisper Network by Chandler Baker
- Running with a Police Escort by Jill Grunenwald
- This is Real and You are Completely Unprepared by Alan Lew
- Desk 88: Eight Progressive Senators Who Changed America by Sherrod Brown
Why? Well, there were other things going on, including multiple out-of-town trips (Milwaukee, coming to the blog soon; Cincinnati, recapped here; Virginia to visit friends; & a wedding in Delaware this weekend) & two out-of-town visitors (Rebecca from Brooklyn & Brittany from Columbus). I barely got any face-time with my friends or my mom or my own freaking husband, much less the characters in books.
And so here I am, on September 1st, confessing: I didn't finish a single damn book last month.
And that's OK.
I felt disappointed in myself, at first, like I'd let myself down or broken a streak or just kind of sucked. And then I remembered: Nope. I traveled to four cities in three states; I spent as much time as I could with people I love; I worked my butt off at my day job; I celebrated a great birthday; I did a ton of freelance writing & blog partnership stuff; I finally mega-planned our upcoming New England vacation; & I even interviewed Kevin Love.
I did a lot last month - just not much reading.
And, I repeat, that's OK.
So maybe I'll be back with more book reviews at this time next month - & maybe I won't. Whatever comes, I'm just trying to be kind to myself & to be understanding of the ways I spend my time, especially my downtime. I already feel stressed & pressured & squeezed in the rest of life - at my job, in my freelancing work, & by all the other must-do stuff life throws at us. Why add more unnecessary stress & pressure from myself?
And now, if you please, I'm off to listen to an audiobook for the rest of this drive home from Delaware. Daisy Jones & the Six, I'm comin' for ya.
I'm not only amazed at how much you read, but that you can read multiple books at once!!!!!!! And definitely don't beat yourself up for not finishing one this month. Girl you were BUSY!!
ReplyDeleteI used to read a ton (hellooooo English major here!) but barely read magazines anymore. There's just too much to do and reading an actual book never seems to make the cut anymore. I think I'm going to try to finish ONE book this winter. Wish me luck ;)