2008 Books I've Read

I read fifty-three books this past year. My goal was to try and read 100. I didn't make it. I got just over halfway there. I won't try to make any excuse (like I did have a baby in April). I'll just try again this year.

American Wife: A Novel (12/31)
Because of Winn-Dixie (12/16)
The Boleyn Inheritance (11/27)
The Secret Life of Bees (11/14)
The Last Lecture (11/7)
Breaking Dawn (10/8)
Eclipse (10/3)
New Moon (9/24)
Twilight (9/17)
Audition (8/31)
The Good Earth (7/22)
The Remnant (7/11)
Stori Telling (7/1)
Desecration (6/28)
Jumper (6/18)
The Mark (6/14)
The Indwelling (6/11)
Runaway Jury (6/9)
Bungalow 2 (6/6)
A Most Uncommon Degree of Popularity (6/5)
The Appeal (6/3)
Princess of Park Avenue (5/24)
Assassins (5/18)
Apollyon (5/1)
Soul Harvest (4/20)
Princess: A True Story Of Life Behind The Veil In Saudi Arabia (4/14)
The Mayflower Madam (4/13)
Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress (4/12)
Tribulation Force (4/4)
Valley of the Dolls (3/30)
Elizabeth Edwards: Saving Grace (3/26)
Three Little Words (3/22)
In the Deep Heart's Core (3/20)
Singing Songs (3/17)
Drop Dead Beautiful (3/16)
My Sister's Keeper (3/13)
Ana's Story (3/11)
Looking for Alaska (3/11)
The Constant Princess Audiobook (3/9)
The Other Boleyn Girl (3/6)
The Giver (3/5)
Becoming Naomi Leon (3/5)
Middlesex (3/1)
An Abundance of Katherines (2/20)
Chloe Does Yale (2/17)
When the Heart Cries (2/15)
Prep (2/13)
Midwives (2/10)
Esperanza Rising (1/14)
How to Teach Filthy Rich Girls (1/12)
Trans-Sister Radio (1/8)
Posh (1/6)
The Devil in the Junior League (1/4)

Audition by Barbara Walters

I've spent the last six weeks reading Audition. It's Barbara Walter's biography. It was amazing. She has led such a fascinating life. It's even a little juicy. I highly recommend it. It's one of the best books I've read all year.

I'm now reading Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I've gotta see if the hype is true.

"How do you have time to read?"

I was asked this today by an online friend who came across my listing to the right of all the books I've read in '08 (FYI: it's not a complete listing, it's only the latest 10 entries. Right now the list currently stands at 38 books to date.)

Well, I can't stop reading. It's what I do to destress and get back on track when life gets too rough. I have to do it. I'm crazy without it. I've always been a huge reader. It's just a part of me.

So, I have to make time to read.

• The majority of my reading time comes when I'm pumping. (I've been exclusively pumping for almost 7 weeks. That's a whole other story though.) I currently pump for 20 minutes every 3 hours during the day and every 4 hours at night. I read while I pump. It's an art form. J laughs at me but it makes pumping a little less like a nuisance and a little more enjoyable. I even will whip out my book while pumping at 4 in the morning! I'm dedicated.
• I read in the car (not when I'm driving!) If J and I and Goob have to go somewhere, I always pull out my book. Even if we're just driving 5 minutes away, that's five minutes of reading time.
• I read during my baths. I can put Goob down for a nap in the afternoons, and I know that I have at least half an hour to take a long, hot bath and enjoy my book.
• I also read while J spends quality time with Goob in the evenings.
• Basically, anytime I'm not playing with Goob, feeding Goob, changing Goob, washing bottles, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, or sleeping, I'm reading!

Spring Break, Day Two

I'm trying to relax AND get some work done. I've been doing a lot of reading. In fact, I just ready Ana's Story by Jenna Bush. It was very simple and conveyed a good message. If I were a junior high teacher, I'd love to share this with my class. Now, I'm half watching American Idol, doing laundry and fixing to start a new book. (I'm gonna get some reading done now cause I know that I probably won't have a lot of time once the baby gets here.)

I hate TAKS testing!

This was the most boring day of my life. But thankfully I'm done til next year since I'll be on maternity leave during the Reading and Math TAKS.

The only bright side of today was I got some reading done. Unfortunately, I left the book I'm currently reading at home so I had to stick with children's literature. I read Becoming Naomi Leon and The Giver. Good reads.

What I probably shouldn't be reading when I'm fixing to have to give birth...

I feel like I scrammed the public library

About 4 years ago when I first moved down here, I got a card at the public library. Well, I wasn't very responsible with it and I checked out 7 books and took months to return them. By that time I accumulated the maximum fine for each book which is $10 per book for a total of $70 which I never paid.

Well, J and I are trying to save money, but I love to read and I need some kind of fix. So I was thinking since I've moved twice since then and my name changed maybe they wouldn't know who I was.

So I went to the library today. I told them I lost my card and haven't been here for years. They asked for my driver's license which has my married name. The guy there couldn't find me. I didn't offer my maiden name or old address. So he made me reapply and I got a new card. Yay!

But now I feel kinda guilty. Just a bit. And I promise I'm gonna return these before their due date!!!! Promise.