The Last Day of Another Year!

Today is the last day of the year, for me a day of retrospect, introspect and goal setting.  Although I often refer to my year long plan as "New Year's Resolutions".  In fact they are a plan for the next 365 days of my life.  Some of my goals can be accomplished and then put aside while others will be in progress for most of the year. 

This is also the time when I really look at my life and ask "Is this who I really want to be?"  So I bring you a short, and book related list of my goals for next year. 

I want to read more, and better.  Although I have read a lot this month I normally only really read 3 to 5 books per month.  I would like to step that up.  Timing will be the issue.  I also have other things on my list that I cannot do while reading.  Quality.  I want to bring even more quality into my reading experience,  There are many books that have been on my "to read" list for years.  I want to get some of those titles onto the list of books I have read.

I want to promote the books I love.  Beginning this blog started that process but I want to continue recommending books to you as well as find new ways to promote books.  One thought I am playing with is to provide books to a class or a school.  Maybe an assisted living facility would like the books I don't plan to read again.

I want to read every book ever written by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and Umberto Eco, in English of course.  I have read books by each of these remarkable writers but want more.  I believe you gain a new insight when you have read all the works a writer has created. 

Lastly, I want to read more poetry in the coming year.  As a teen I read so very much poetry, but over time I moved away from it.  It doesn't make sense, it is much quicker to read several poems than to sit down and read a book.  My first will be to read an autographed copy of Nine Horses by Billy Collins from cover to cover.  Tucked inside is a moving letter from one of my former students about the impact I had on her life, I will read that again before this year ends.

What are your reading goals for 2012?  I hope you have a few precious moments to read either tonight or tomorrow to start your year off right. 

Happy New Years!