Life has been crazy this week. With my first semester of nursing school winding down, my house in a mess, family in town and new responsibilities at church, I have hardly had time to breathe. Blogging tends to be my release from stress, but it has been pushed to the side almost every day this week. I feel as if something has to give, but I'm not sure what it is. I have material for the blog planned two weeks in advance, and it always stresses me out a little bit to shuffle it back a few days, but I think the change I need to make is to just realize that this blog is for fun. It is important to be doing things I enjoy, but when I allow myself to stress about it, it loses its purpose. For that reason, I will not be requesting or accepting any additional books for review this year. I want to finish the ones I have, and then we will see if I decide to accept more next year for the last two semesters of nursing school. It is fun to receive free, early books, but my TBR is long enough as it is. I don't think I will be running out of things to read any time soon.
I'm also not sure what to do about my challenges list. At the beginning of the year, when I was only going to school and working part time, I was really excited about challenges. I love making goals and I love feeling the thrill of having accomplished something, and I felt like the challenges were very doable. However, now those lists loom large and intimidating. I hate to just wipe off the page and say, "Okay, I'm not doing any challenges anymore." I've made a lot of progress on many of them. I enjoy them. But I think I am going to finish them on my own time-table. I know that is not the traditional way to do a challenge, but I'm not really in it for the "recognition," and I don't need to win any new books any time soon - I have plenty that I haven't read. So, I am still hoping to finish those books, but I may not finish them by the date by which they are supposed to be finished. I am aware of challenge rules, and will not be entering any giveaways etc. when I haven't finished by the date they have prescribed, but I won't give up on the books, either.
Finally, I saw Harry Potter last night. It wasn't my favorite of the movies - I mostly felt that they were tying up loose ends - but it was still exciting and I can't believe that Harry Potter is over (except for Pottermore, which I'm still not entirely sure I understand). I was never one of those people that watched all the movies before the next one came out or reread every single book (although I have reread a few) but now that everything is finished and before me, I want to experience all of Harry Potter together - reading all the books and then watching all the movies. I am thinking next summer - I'll still be in school but I'll have a more flexible schedule and I think it will be a good time for that. I like the idea of doing "personal challenges" next year - only being accountable to myself, but still setting goals.
Anyway, hopefully I'll be back to regular programming next week. I'm so glad I only have three weeks left in this semester, and then a week off. Thanks for your patience and your readership.
I love challenges, it helps to see things in perspective, to grow as both a reader and a writer. As for Harry Potter - Prisoner of Azkaban was my favorite movie, Goblet of Fire my favorite book. I loved the series as a whole, and plan to reread it all soon.
ReplyDeleteI agree, sometimes blogging can start to feel like another pressure when it should be fun.
ReplyDeleteAnd you sound really busy! Hope things start to become more relaxing for you soon.
I like to challenge myself with challenges...so I'm only doing it for myself. If I don't meet the "quotas" or "deadlines," too bad.
ReplyDeleteLife is too short to worry about rules, regulations, or whatever.
And blogging and reading are supposed to be fun!
Here's MY SUNDAY SALON POST
I think you are wise to think twice about your commitment to challenges and reviewing additional books. I firmly believe that it is perfectly okay to push the pause button on any activity you wish. I'm seriously considering doing so on my challenge to read War and Peace. Not this year, I think.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Sunday Salon: In Which I Travel to Bhutan and the North Pole, with a Stop at a Convenience Store in Brooklyn. I hope you will stop by. Also, don't forget to enter my July Giveaway.
I hope you get to take a little breather soon!
ReplyDeleteHP7PT2 wasn't my favorite either. I thought it was okay, until the ending. They changed too much there, to the point that it made the end LESS anti-climactic!
I have done nursing school, and I completely understand it!! There is no harm/no foul in taking a step back from blogging when you need to (despite it being a bit therapeutic for you) and also taking a break from the challenges. I completely support everything you are saying and needing to do, and the rest of this community does as well! Take the time you need to tend to your marriage, finish nursing school commitments, church commitments, and family commitments...and all of this other stuff will fall into place. In the meantime, I completely enjoy when you do get to read and post your thoughts on a book, and I'll be watching to see what makes it into your schedule for the rest of the year...
ReplyDelete~Asheley
I think it is important that you do things at your own pace, especially those things you do for fun - there is no point in stressing about the things you should enjoy. I hope you get some time to relax soon.
ReplyDeleteFar too often I think we all get a bit bogged down with feeling pressured by our blogs but you're right. It's supposed to be fun and the best content comes along when you're having fun writing :) Hope things clam down for you a bit soon!
ReplyDelete@Doris - I love that we can go back to these books over and over again and still enjoy them.
ReplyDelete@Sam - Thank you! I have made some plans to try and do better with my time management - hopefully it will work.
Creations - Yes, I think I am going to start doing personal challenges next year. That way I am working on my own goals and can adjust them at will.
@DebNance - I think it is so much healthier to re-evaluate what we are doing. Reading is supposed to be edifying, not stressful!
@Sarah - I can't even remember what all they changed! I really need to read the books again!
@Asheley - Yay - I am so glad to have someone who knows just how it is to be a nursing student and blogger! It is definitely my relaxation, but sometimes I have to just push things back and not worry too much about how many page views I get that day.
@Pepca - Thanks! Finals are this week and then I'll have a two week break. Hooray!
@Kathmeista - I love that you said the best content comes from having fun writing. That is so true. When I have to force myself my sentences are awkward and it would have been better not to write it. Thanks!