2017 Reading Statistics So Far:
- Number of books read: 126 (Goal of 250 for the year)
- Number of DNF books: 5
- Number of reviews posted on blog: 115
- Number of all types of posts on blog: 363
- Blogger Shame Review Challenge: Well, I've not read any of the four books that I'd said I would. I also didn't do a check in post the first week of June. So that one is a fail so far.
- 2017 Discussion Challenge: Goal was 4 for the year. So far I haven't done any. But I have two scheduled in July done as part of my Mini-Blog Ahead Challenge at the end of June.
- 2017 Series Ender Challenge: Goal was 12 books. So far I've only finished 3 that were on my list, and then there are probably 2 others that were not included on my original list surprisingly, even though I knew they were coming out this year.
- Mount TBR Reading Challenge: My goal was 12 books. I've only read one off of my list. I've probably got a few others that I've read, but I'd have to go back and look and see if I actually had them when the year started and that they weren't just ones I'd added this year.
- 2017 Bookish Resolutions Challenge: I have still been working on how I title my posts, forgetting some things and remembering the others. I haven't been doing well with my commenting on other blogs as much as I wanted to. My writing goal, well the whole short story thing got shot when the very first one I started on got longer than I planned. I participated in Camp NaNoWriMo in March or April, and didn't quite make my goal there, but did get more done on my NaNo project from last November, Fault Lines. I'm starting another Camp this month, hopefully working on that. I'd hoped to maybe get one of my novels finished by the end of the summer to try to get it published on Amazon just to see if anyone would read it, but I don't see that happening now. I haven't done great about setting up the one hour a week for writing either. Also, the short story challenge was with a former writing partner and friend. I say former because she stopped being friends with me when she didn't like the way I reviewed her books. Although she never bothered to click on the links I sent her to my reviews. She didn't even look at them until MONTHS after I'd posted them, when someone else pointed them out to her.
While I was in Orlando I had a great time, and met some new blogger/reader friends, got to catch up with some sorority sisters, and got to visit the awesome Harry Potter Wizarding World parks at Universal Studios. As you can see, pretty much the first thing I HAD to do once I got there.
I have been in a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, making payments, since November of 2012. It should have been 5 years, but imagine my happiness and surprise to get a letter in May saying that I was done, I had paid off everything I had to. That was awesome. Of course this past week my first goal was to go out and finally get a new car. My current car was paid off as part of the bankruptcy, and it should be worth anywhere from 4-6 thousand. I was all set to do this, had even figured up how everything would work out. And then they turned me down. So I'm a bit depressed at the moment. Hoping I can make it in my current car, which isn't in bad condition, I just know it is at the age when I'm going to have to start worrying about things going wrong, especially since my warranty is over. I've never bought a used car, other than my very first one, and I'm guessing at least if I did that I could get a used car warranty? I don't know. It was only my first attempt, but I'm guessing if Ford won't give me a loan/lease, probably most other dealers won't other than the second chance places. Wondering if since I have a Toyota, they might work with me?
However, other things I'm looking forward to for the rest of the year. Getting to go back to my wonderful library job, even if I still make less than I would have if I'd stayed in my teaching job where I was miserable. Going to Orlando again in a couple weeks, with my 5 year old niece and family, this time to do the Disneyworld side. And I also got selected to be a volunteer at ApollyCon in 2018, in Washington DC. I've already reserved my room in the hotel, now just need to start saving for a plane ticket, etc. Guess if I don't have a new car payment I can do that, right?
It's been such a roller coaster of a year. Up and down and good and bad and money and then broke and you name it. I did go see New Kids on the Block last month, awesome concert as always, but didn't realize I was an Ed Sheeran fan until after tickets for my local concert were already sold out. :-(
I hope the rest of my year will go well, because I'm ready for the roller coaster to be over and things to settle down. More like the It's a Small World Ride at Disneyworld. Just an easy, smooth, everyone is happy trip.
