Reading and 2024

 I forgot I had this blog. Again.

But it's been moot because I also haven't really been reading all that much. 

In 8 years? Well, yeah, but it's been a shite 8 years and there was a thing that changed how my brain works and thinking and focusing became kinda hard. Perhaps more on that later. So reading has been slow and few. I have found that audio books help, so there's that. But I want to read more again. I want to be that bookworm I used to be. 

And I know that for so many bookworms who were then diagnosed ADHD this is a common story. And maybe I'll fail. That's fine. I'm used to failing. And spend so much time failing even more than normal and a lot of the fear of it starts to fade away. 

So here are my reading goals and guidelines for 2024:

1. Read books in down-time rather than be on my phone or computer.

    Yeah, the screen time demon has got me. Muddle the brain and the dopamine machines can get a really nasty hook in to you. Add in that too much phone time gives me headaches, and I already spend the day on the computer, and I think I need more paper. This goal will become easier if I can find my paperwhite kindle. 

2. Read books I already own.

     Years back I decided to curb my book buying by limiting in-hand books to ones that won't work digitally or I'm getting author signed. It hasn't always stuck, but I can't tell my roommate that my books are ok to take up so much space if I don't read them. They're not a reader, but even they can see that holding on to things for no use is a bit much. This is also for my digital books and comics. 

3. Read my Comics.

    I also need to organize my print ones, but that's for another set of goals. I have these things, I want to make sure I'm reading them.

4. If I buy books, it's only from non-male authors unless I'm at a signing.

     I need to support the other folks more. Dude still run this shit.

5. Reading predominantly non-male authors.

     I want more femme voices in my life, in my head, in my stories. I just do. I want more queer stories. I want more - different points of view. I'm getting tired of the same old things, and this is just where I'm at. I know it won't be an 'only' thing as I tackle the home library and TBR, but some stories can wait or just not get read. 

6. Write or note about my reading more.

    This is part log and part taking time to be intentional about my reading and my thoughts. But I am allowing it to be trite if need be. But taking time to do things like this - writing and thinking about what I'm consuming, taking time for me, taking time to be still and calm and intentional - that's what I want to focus on. 

So here I am with a sort of resolution for the new year, dusting off ye olde blog, rebooting that old Goodreads account, whatever tools I have already to be more mindful and intentional about my reading and media. I will try and write more, I'll fail often, but hopefully I'll also get back up and try again.

Happy New Year!