Challenge: 50 Books discussion

Is anyone else despairing of meeting the 50 books by Dec. 31st? I know I am. With moving into a new house and job hunting, I have little free time, or let's just say I feel guilty about reading when there's so much else to do. I just finished #24, so I'm almost halfway there, but this fall is already booking up with plans for family and friends. Help!

I am a little worried. I'm at 30, but 20 books during school will be tough. I'm trying to get through as many as I can before school starts on September 8th.

My friends and family think that I am a little obsessive because I have a little book stand that I use when I eat at the table at home and on break at work. I read when I eat, I read when I watch TV and I read for a few minutes (or more) when I go to bed. The only time I really don't read is when I am on the computer-LOL. Sometimes I even read when I am at work if I can do so without getting in trouble (depends where I am assigned for the day-I work at an airport as a gate agent and there is down time between flights).
Good luck with your challenge.

yeah me too I started off so good in January and Febuary but since April haven't gotten that much accomplished.Not in the mood to read for some reason found myself distracted with all the finanicial woes this year.The once summer hit not much time for reading.Now we got a new puppy and it takes up all our time.

i started off so well.. but seem to have slowed down lol #31

we either finish or we don't no punishment lol

I am in the same boat! I am on 25, but with buying a house, working full time, going to school full time, and attempting the raise a puppy into a gentledog, I've got my hands full.

I was steady going until about March and I dwindled away slowly. Oh well!

Now it's time to play catch up!

I read around 7-8 books during January and February (alright, they were mainly shorter books) but have only managed to get 3 to 4 books done per month ever since. Can't seem to get any faster.... Have got to 35 books so far.

I have only about 6 books to go. I am seeming to slow down since I had surgery 6 weeks to go. And my college kids are moving out and getting the other kids for school on Monday.

I've slowed down too. I only have about 4 to go, but I haven't finished a book since the end of July. I'm not sure what's going on with me, but at this pace, I won't make my 50. Rachel, I feel like I'm in the same boat as you. I work full time, I'm a part-time doctoral student (2 classes this semester and my preliminary exam), and nursing a dog with an injured knee back to health. I'm thinking of listing my doctoral reading on my list, but that feels like cheating.

I don't think it is cheating to list doctoral reading - do the rules say you must read only fiction or novels?

I feel like there's a distinction between assigned reading and self-selected. About 1/2 of what I have to read, I'd never read on my own. Arlene, you have a good point about the rules. I suppose in my brain there are "the rules" and the "my rules".

I'm feeling amazingly hopeful about getting to 50 this year! With my night job on summer break, I decided that I'd read at least 1 hour every night, and it's surprising how that little guideline/goal has helped me plug along through my to-read list. (Also, the guilt of seeing my bookcases overflowing and knowing I need to move those books somewhere else has helped force me to read when I otherwise might be watching TV or playing on my computer.)

i shouldn't have any problems hitting 50, evne if i take out the two re-reads i currently have on my list. i believe i'm at number 44 or 45, if i count those two books.

i slowed over the end of july/beginning of august because i was determined to get through a biography, and it was very slow going. however, i've read four since i finished that one, so i've started picking up my pace. i'm secretly hoping for 75 before the end of the year, but with school starting tuesday, football games starting this coming weekend, and baking season for christmas just around the corner, that may not happen.

I think that re-reads are OK especially if you originally read them years ago. I have read a couple of books like that - I get into it, then realize I read it before!