Reading Resolutions

I read a lot, so I don't have to resolve to read or to read more. What I do resolve this year is not to let work-related reading take over my life and crowd out all room for pleasure reading. After all, the joy I receive from reading is what led me to this field.

I'm not being unrealistic. I know that I can't read for pleasure as much or as often as I'd really like to and still be as prepared as I need to be for my classes. But I truly believe that teachers of literature can't just bury themselves in the classics. We need to at least attempt to stay current, to read some of the best-sellers, an occasional Pulitzer Prize winner. I can choose one book I've been wanting to read and enjoy a chapter or two before work, or during my lunch break, or right after I get home as a way to wind down from the stress of the day. I like it when a student asks me if I've read a book they're currently enjoying and I have and can discuss it with them. I like to model being a reader rather than just being a teacher.

I'm challenging myself to read at least two books a month simply for pleasure. This is a low-end goal. I hope to read much more than that. And, of course, I'll keep you posted about what I'm reading.

How about you? How are you going to challenge yourself as far as reading goes this year? Come on, you can tell me. I'll hold you accountable.

Booking It--Resolutions

Any New Year’s Reading Resolutions? A certain number of books you want to read in 2009? Certain genres? Something from your TBR pile? Classics to read? Authors to try? Anything at all??

I’ve already posted about my own personal resolutions, but I just couldn’t pass up writing about book-related resolutions, could I?


My New Year’s Reading Resolutions are:

I resolve not to abandon my personal reading while writing my dissertation. Every day, in addition to whatever I read that’s dissertation-related, I want to read a little for my spirit, at least one poem, a little for recreation, and something (the newspaper, a magazine, an on-line news source) to keep me in touch with the world around me.



I know it probably won’t have a chance of happening until summer, but I resolve to read at least one book off my list of Books That I’m Embarrassed I Haven’t Read. Right now, I’m thinking the Doris Lessing one, but that could change by the time I actually get around to choosing.


After finishing my dissertation, I resolve to read one of the series of books I will mention in Tuesday's (tomorrow's) post.


How ‘bout you?

So, What Else Did You Think I'd Write about on New Year's Day?

Resolutions. Everybody thinks about them as a new year rolls around. And I’ve made my share of traditional resolutions in the past: Lose ten pounds. Be more organized. Read my Bible every day. And those types of resolutions have their place.

But they are so straight forward. And, the longer I live, the more I realize that life is not. It can’t be put into neat little categories; it’s not always either/or. It’s about balance and paradox.

So, I thought my New Year’s Resolutions should reflect my realizations. Here goes:

My first resolution, of course, is to finish my dissertation as quickly as possible. Yet, at the same time, I don’t want to miss the pleasure inherent in the process. I’m being given the time to intensely study a subject that I find fascinating and to write about my findings. And, I don’t have to grade any papers while I’m doing it. How great is that?

A related resolution is not to put my life on hold while writing the dissertation. I’m one of those Type A personalities, and when I begin work on a major project, it tends to consume me. Even when I’m not physically working on it, I can’t turn it off mentally. My goal is to put in a good day’s work, and then leave it behind when I shut the office door. (Suggestions about how to do this cheerfully accepted!)

A problem with being a Type A personality is that I’m always working towards some goal, and, although I don’t actually articulate it, I believe that “life” will happen after I achieve it. One of my resolutions this year is to live more in the moment, enjoying all the little things that happen on the way to achieving the next goal—a great cup of coffee early in the morning, a good run, sitting on my front porch in the evening with my husband, getting a call from one of my children, lunch with a friend. Mindfulness, I think they call it.

Another of my resolutions is to make daily decisions that further my long-term goals rather than ones that just give me pleasure for a moment but leave me with regret. Here’s an example: One of my long-term goals is to be as healthy as possible. I’ve made a vow to my children, and to myself, that the day may come when they have to take care of me, but it won’t come because I’ve failed to do all I can to take care of myself. That goal is reached only by daily actions—exercising, eating healthfully, taking supplements, keeping mentally active—you get the picture. Deciding to skip a workout or ordering a double dip of Ben and Jerry’s might be fun for the moment, but it doesn’t fit with my overall goal. But here’s where one of those pesky paradoxes come in. As I said earlier, life is not an either/or proposition. I can’t have Ben & Jerry’s every day, but life’s not about skipping my birthday cake, either. I want to be steady over the long haul but indulge without guilt when the occasion calls for it.

I’m sure I’ll have to continually remind myself of these resolutions, but I think they are definitely worthy of my effort.

Happy New Year to you and yours!