Tuesday, July 15, 2008

will I ever learn?

If this last month doesn't teach me something about signing up for so many reading challenges, I fear nothing will. Guess what...nothing will. No, I take that back...it's possible that if there were some sort of aversive conditioning, like fines for every failed challenge, maybe I could change my ways. But let's hope it never comes to that.

In the last month, five of the challenges I'd joined, came to end. Once Upon a Time II. Spring Reading Thing '08. The Banned Books Challenge. Book Awards. And just yesterday, The Heart of a Child Reading Challenge. And of these 5 challenges, how many did I actually finish on time? Just one, the Once Upon a Time II. There's no denying that that is one mighty poor track record!

However, failure is relative, right? I enjoyed every challenge, read a pile of books I might not ever have read otherwise, and grew my wish list by leaps and bounds reading everyone else's reviews. Is it any wonder I can't seem to stop getting in over my head?!! Actually finishing a challenge is just an added bonus (on the rare occasion that happens, that is).

Anyway, I meant to make this a mini wrap-up post on The Heart of a Child Challenge, which was hosted by one of my favorite enablers, Becky. It really was a cool challenge, the idea being to revisit some of the books that stole your heart as a child. I can honestly say that I was every bit as charmed with The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams as an adult as I was as a child. Not so much with Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume. I still enjoyed reading it, but obviously it's just not the type of book that is loaded with relevance for an adult. And my third choice for this challenge was Stephen King's The Stand. This is the one I didn't finish in time (I'm currently on page 324 out of 1153 pages). But I can honestly say that I do still love it as much as the first time I read it back in my teen years (and as much as the 5 or 6 times I've read it since then). So thank you, Becky, for another wonderful challenge!

5 comments:

Dawn said...

I think you do a fabulous job on your reading...much more than I have. I have been trying to re read some old favorites myself. I am now reading "To Kill a Mockingbird". I wish you well on all of your new challenges.

take care,
Dawn

Melody said...

I think you've done well. For me, I've only signed up for six challenges and have not accomplished one so far! ;P

Becky said...

I thought you did a wonderful job with the challenge. Trying to tackle The Stand? Not an easy thing to do even if you love it. I started it, but couldn't make the three week deadline of the library. And I couldn't read it and read anything else. So it was either continue on but not read and review anything else...or give it up for now and return to it later. I did enjoy what I read...I got about 400-500 pages into it.

Kim L said...

It is because reading challenges are so darn enticing :-)

I have accidentally wiped out all of my unread posts before, and I won't hesitate to do it again if it gets in the way of me enjoying blogging! Do you are not the only one.

Ana S. said...

But it's more fun if we don't learn! And lol, I think we're safe about there ever being fines for not completed challenges :P Failure is definitely relative...you read some great books, and that's the important thing!