Book People

I am a “book person.” If you are also a “book person,” then you know what I mean. If you are not, let me explain:

I love books. I love the smell, the feel, the weight in my hands, the words on the page. I love ebooks too, but when I love a paper book then I keep a copy to have because I might read it again. The books I doubt I will read again I give away. This is the key to “book people.” When they give you a book they will say one of two things.

1. When you are finished go ahead and give it away for someone else to enjoy.
2. When you are finished please RETURN IT TO ME!!!!!

Chances are very good that if I want it returned I have written, stamped, stickered or possibly engraved my name, address, SSN & phone numbers, etc.; JUST so you will return it to me.

If a “book person” loans you a book PLEASE TAKE GOOD CARE OFIT! That means you do not bend down the pages to mark your place. That is what bookmarks are for. If you need a bookmark I have plenty, but really a SHEET OF TOILET PAPER WORKS JUST FINE TOO!

Also, don’t get the book wet or drop it in the mud or we might accuse you of being Gaston, or in other words, “Positively primeval.” And No, that is not a compliment.

If you have had the book for a while we might ask you about it, casually, but really we’re freaking out because you have had it long enough for us to have read it about four times. So to not look too freakish we ask, “So how’s XXX book coming? Did you like it?”

Do Not Say; oh, I borrowed a book?  Also, do not say, Oh, You wanted that back?

We Made That Point Very Clear. Especially if my name is written/stamped/stickered/engraved on the inside (by the way, Yes, I have a book engraver, my mother gave it to me) that is a sure sign of wanting it back.

Many “book people” will not loan out their books. It only takes one or two of the, Gee, I think I put it on my bookshelf somewhere… Or, the borrower moves away.  With your book. …to get a “book person,” to stop loaning out their books.

Personally, I don’t keep as many books that I have already read as you might think. I have a lot of books but most of them have not been read and that is why I still have them. I have a couple of collections (Jennifer Crusie, The Little House Books, The Anne Books, some Judy Boltonmysteries) but for the most part once I have read a book I am done with it. I do not re-read them because I remember them. If I LOVED it then I will keep it, i.e.; Jennifer Crusie. No. I don’t lend those out. Anymore.

…just sayin’

Happy New Year!

New Year’s Resolutions

I do not believe in New Year’s “Resolutions.” I believe in goal setting. I love setting goals and many of them I do and have achieved. I also believe in constant self-appraisal and self-improvement. When something does not work for me I am on the search for a new idea, method or solution. A lot of times I will tweak a current method that is not working and if it still doesn’t work I keep tweaking and trying and tweaking and trying. As a result I am ALWAYS reviewing my goals.

What I like about setting goals at the beginning of a new year is that it feels like a New Beginning and that always provides encouragement for me. I have no idea how many times my “leaf” has been “turned,” but I am still not perfect (enough for me anyway, and I’m sure there are many that will off their opinions of my perfection level—lol) so I keep plodding away hoping the next thing I try will click.

My first year away from home at college I took a religion class at the LDS Business College and one day our instructor’s son came and substituted. He gave a lesson I have NEVER forgotten about priorities and goal setting. I have also read Franklin/Covey’s books about time management and habits for successful people. So I have combined these ideas to create my own way of goal setting.

First, my priorities, which are based mostly on relationships:

1. God
2. Family
3. Church
4. Career (school)
5. Other

Based on that I can reflect on what is important and what needs focus or improvement.

According to Covey we need to Daily “Sharpen the Saw,”

Spiritual

Physical

Mental

Social/Emotional

And figure out our “roles,” which I use the above priority list for.

I have also read The Courage to Be Brilliant in which MartaMonahan discusses how to slowly improve ourselves by perfecting five things at a time.

This year my goals are simple:

1. Improve my relationship with God (Spirituality) by Praying daily (am & pm), Reading my scriptures, Journaling (that is hand writing on paper) and keeping a Gratitude journal where I list five things each day that I am grateful for.
2. Improve my physical state by eating right and exercising daily. I don’t care if I dance crazy for 20 minutes with my kids; I need to MOVE MY BODY! Also, to eat right for me. That means a low-carb diet for my crazy imbalanced metabolism, fat loving body.
3. Cleaning my house. This is for my family (and me) to keep us all happy and organized. It has to be done. Putting it off just makes it harder when it’s out of control (…yes dear, I’ve been listening…)
4. Writing: blogging, web content, fiction. This is separate from my journaling. I want to be a “Writer.” Writer’s write. I want to get in the HABIT of writing every day so that I can get to the point where writing 2,000 words a day is just expected. Whatever that produces monetarily or not is what it produces. It is who I am.
5. Serve. Outside my family. I would like to do this daily, but serving OUTSIDE my family is a time-challenging thing for me to do.

For some these goals may seem to high or too low but I know myself. I know I can do these things. I know I am capable. (Honestly, the house-cleaning thing is the most dreaded—lol.)

These are not my “resolutions,” but my goals for 2012, which I am hoping is a MUCH better year than 2011!

Happy New Year to you too!