I apologize, dear reader, for visiting with you a day later than normal. I spent much of last week at Sam Houston State University for a voice competition. I accompanied a few students between bouts of coughing up a lung. Yes, as usual for my annual NATS visit, I fought the crud…and the crud won.
I struggled with my reading this week. Have you ever noticed how much the book in your hand moves when you are trying to extract a lung via your sore throat? Yeah, that’s a real thing! I did manage to do some listening during the cross-state drive and completed an audio book. I’ll take that as a win!
What I Finished This Week
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten. This audio memoir was a beautiful look at success through the eyes of the beloved food icon. From negative messages from her childhood through the beliefs of the day that a woman only went to college to find “her man”, Ina shares a lovely tale of how she views obstacles as inconveniences rather than roadblocks. Tell her she can’t do something, Ina will look for a way to achieve her dreams rather than being stifled. The story of her marriage to Jeffrey Garten and their ensuing challenges as career-driven newlyweds was inspiring and a lesson in the power of compromise when both parties lovingly speak truth despite the uncomfortable situation. Personally, I also loved Ina’s story about leaving the high-powered world of Washington, D.C. politics to pursue her passion for food, despite the outcries of others. I have always appreciated the simplicity of Ina’s food; now that I understand that the same philosophy guides her relationships and business pursuits, I am a bigger fan of this successful woman. If you’ve ever found yourself drawn to The Barefoot Contessa and couldn’t really explain why, I encourage you to take a look at this memoir. I highly recommend the audio book. It feels as though you are sitting down for a cup of coffee with a new friend who is sharing story after story with you as the two of you laugh together.
What I’m Currently Reading
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes (p. 225 of 369). Despite only getting another 100 hundred pages into the novel this week, I’m still hooked by the story. Our unlikely quintet has made it to Scotland for the Math Olympics. Along the way, the children have connected with Mr. Nicholls while Jess is beginning to have to admit to herself that the man who has freely driven them across the country is not such a jerk after all. In fact, Jess might just be attracted to him. The book does contain triggers of bullying, domestic abuse, and betrayal. I know I said that I wanted to finish it last week…..but this week, I really intend to finish this great novel and get started on another one!
Just a Bit of Accountability
Each year, I set two major reading goals for the year. First, I set a target for the number of books that I hope to read in the new year. Then I set a target for a gross number of pages. For 2024, the two goals are 40 books completed and a minimum of 15,000 pages. (Pages of books that I ultimately DNF count toward my total page count.)
Since it is now November, it’s time to look at where things stand and what I have ahead in the next 6 weeks if I plan to reach my goal. Currently, I have read 12,037 pages which is about 80% of my total goal of 15,000 pages. Just under 3,000 pages in 6 weeks? I think I might actually be able to do this if I can get back into the reading routine. (Just so we are all clear, I also include audio books in my total pages. So a drive to the Geriatric Ward in a few weeks and flights over the Thanksgiving holidays should help me get close to the goal.)
The number of books might be a different story. Currently, I’m sitting at 30 books completed. I’m pleased with what I have accomplished this year in my reading life, but I know that I hit a few weeks where reading was just not happening in my corner of the world. 10 books in 6 weeks is certainly possible, but that would mean I would need to finish approximately 1.66 books per week. That’s not a normal reading pace for me normally. I’m not going to give up on this goal just yet, but what I am able to accomplish in the coming week will tell a lot about the story. Plus, I get to decorate for Christmas while I’m at home in a couple of weeks…..and that’s not going to involve much reading. If I select some lighter reads and dive into some “fluff”, I can probably reach the goal. But do I think reaching the goal of total books read a worthy goal to read books that aren’t as personally enriching? Decisions, decisions!
Next week, I should get back to my normal routine of posting on Monday. Until then, happy reading!
~Kennith
Reading for Me 
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