Saturday, January 01, 2011

December Reads in Review 2010 and other nonsense


Happy New Year, everybody! I'm still pondering my reading and blogging goals for 2011 (I'll try to get those written down before July), so you get a meditative cat photo and also a photo that says to me, "2011: The Year of Strange Juxtapositions," even though I snapped that shot in 2010. I painted the kitty in the background, incidentally, but not the grapes on the other side of Fiona's head.

Here are my December 2010 Reads, with links to reviews, if applicable:

150. Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
154. Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie
156. Let it Snow by Johnson, Green & Myracle
157. Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright

I just finished my first book of the year, this afternoon, after moving furniture and books and shifting the furniture again, then moving more books and basically freaking the cats out so thoroughly that they haven't said much for the past 4 hours. Poor things. They spent Christmas Day shredding tissue and arguing about who it belonged to. "My tissue, mine, mine!"

I'll post my full list of 2010 reads, tomorrow, and it may take me some time but I do plan to do an annual wrap-up. I have my own little format that I've used since I began blogging and I'll stick with that old thing. And, I'll review Kasey to the Rescue by Ellen Rogers, somewhere in there. One of my goals will be to keep up with reviews in 2011!!!

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year's Eve! We had some of the nasty weather that traveled across the mid-section of the U.S., so 2010 went out with a roar of thunder and pouring rain. Fortunately, there was no severe damage in our immediate area but I did consider throttling the weather radio after about the 6th warning (it's obnoxiously loud). Although we definitely didn't get the worst of that storm, the heavy rainfall served as an excellent reminder that we need to hire someone to work on our drainage. We were pretty sure we were going to float away, for a while there.

I read this wonderful quote on Facebook and love it so much I'll use to close:

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.

- Neil Gaiman


©2011 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery and Babble, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

11 comments:

  1. Thanks, Kathy! Happy New Year to you, too!

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  2. What a wonderful quote. That guy should try his hand at a book or two. ;)

    Happy New Year!

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  3. We both read Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball last month. lol :)

    I love the fact we are both purging books, it makes a little easier at least for me and encouraging.

    I need to get caught on reviews from last year. lol I never finished them and they are review books. Bad Brittanie!

    I am in the process of figuring out which reading challenges to do and writing the posts for them for this weekend hence all the blog posts from me. Sorry in advance for crowing your reader. :)

    Happy New Year!

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  4. I just heard that quote from Gaiman himself as Gavin on Page 247 had a you tube clip on her blog. It's so inspirational! I'm amazed at what you read in December alone; myself, I only managed three. Three lousy books. I'm looking forward to your list for 2010. It's grea to see the kitty picture you painted behind Fiona. As to my kitty, Minou in particular, she took a nap on my stomach as I lay on the couch with The Enchanted April. A nap before bedtime. I wonder how we'll sleep tonight. Blessings on 2011, Bookfool!

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  5. Joy,

    LOL I'm hot/cold on Gaiman's books but he is certainly a fascinating man and that's such a lovely quote I couldn't bear not to have it permanently written down, somewhere. I think I'll print it out and hang it on a wall!

    Brittanie,

    I think when I dropped by, you hadn't yet reviewed Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball. It's cute, but not one I decided to hang onto for a reread (I did keep Let it Snow).

    It helps knowing someone else is battling the book piles -- I feel the same. I got a lecture from my minimalist eldest son about my clutter, today. I told him I'm working on it, MYOB. LOL

    It is sooo hard to catch up once you fall behind on reviews. I recommend just writing a bunch of mini reviews. I've been looking back and realizing my monthly summaries -- just 2 or 3 sentences, max -- are just as satisfying but not as time-consuming. I'm going to shoot for short, this year.

    I haven't even been to my reader, today! One of my resolutions is going to be, "Live first, blog later," meaning I plan to spend more time working out, reading and purging than blogging, this year. It's time for a change. :)

    Bellezza,

    Ooooh, really? I just love that quote. I'm seriously thinking I'll print it out and frame it. It's inspiring.

    I wouldn't feel bad about only reading 3 books in December. It's a busy-busy month. I was really pushing it to get to 10.

    Aw, I just love a kitty on the belly. Miss Isabel spent some time sleeping on my belly, last night. I have to remind her it's a nice warm spot, sometimes, because neither of my girls are really lap kitties but just show her a warm spot and wait . . . she'll return. I'm so glad you discovered the joy of cats!!

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  6. Happy New Year! I just checked Cosmic out of the library because of you!

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  7. Great post and comment from Facebook - thanks for sharing both!! I really loved the admission that you might not get around to goals and stats til July!! Too true and funny - I think I may abide by that myself. I guess I just do not think of those things hard enough or often enough. I have got to become a more productive thinker!

    I love your lists of books read. You keep me motivated!

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  8. I hope you have a wonderful New Year, Nancy. I love the cat photos. :-)

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  9. Vasilly,

    Yay! I think we talked about Cosmic on Twitter, a while back, didn't we? It's loads of fun. I hope you love it! :)

    Inside a Book,

    Thanks! I'm actually working on a post about my goals for 2011 but since one of them is "Blogging won't have priority," or something to that effect, I'm just taking my time, hacking away at it. I've been thinking more than bothering to sit down to write my thoughts, lately.

    Cool. I like the thought that I keep you motivated. Thanks for telling me that. That is a definite warm fuzzy. :)

    Wendy,

    Thank you! This should be an eventful year for you, yes? I hope it's a fabulous one! And, thanks. The kitties often run away when they hear me turn on the camera, but not when they're immersed in something crucial and shredding tissue paper is very, very important. LOL Happy New Year!

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  10. Cute kitty photos! The shredded tissue paper is the best :) Also, congrats on finishing your first book. Happy 2011 and may it be wonderful. All the best.

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  11. Amy,

    Thanks. That whole set of photos was really cute. Both cats tunneled under the tissue so I've also got plenty of cat-bottom photos that are a hoot. :) Thanks! I'm working on trying to finish up my second book but I have to go shop. Our microwave oven died and we have just discovered we don't know how to live without one!

    Happy New Year to you and I wish you the best for a happy, safe and joyful 2011!

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