New Year’s eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights.
~Hamilton Wright Mabie
There are three times during each year when I personally find myself becoming introspective and filled with unforced motivation to make life changes: at the start of spring, with the first hint of autumn, and over the Christmas/New Year’s season. We all know that the turning of the calendar sparks within many the desire to make resolutions that they have no intention of keeping:
New Year’s Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.
~Mark Twain
To combat that tendency whilst taking advantage of the inner stirrings of change, I espouse the Uberlist concept. I spoke about it in more detail last year. The uberlist is essentially a ‘guilt-free annual to-do list’ combined with the idea of accountability to help one reach at least some of the goals set for the new year. Kelly Sue, from whose site I first discovered the concept, described it thus:
“Think about the coming year and what you’d like to accomplish. List the reasonable and the ridiculous, the practical and the absurd. When you run out of steam start thinking in terms of categories – what would you like to accomplish in your CAREER this year? Your HOME? Your LOVE LIFE (you dirty little minx…)?
When you’re done, the best thing to do is post your list somewhere where you’ll see it regularly. E. Bess put hers up in her kitchen one year. I usually tack mine up over my desk. Or, print it really small and carry it around in your wallet.”
I did mine on my PC and had a copy at work and at home so that I could check on it whenever the mood struck. I found myself checking it monthly during the first quarter of the year and then periodically thereafter. The result is that I have a focus for goals that are written down which helps me to avoid the disappearance of time which seems to happen every year. A few of the things I accomplished from my list this past year:
-Read at least 50 books, 100 page minimum
-Make bookshelf for bedroom (posted about here)
-Paint and redecorate bathroom (pics here, scroll down)
-Read LOTR trilogy for the first time
-Repair garage door
I had close to 100 things on my list for 2006 and accomplished roughly 30% of them, which is up from 12% the year before. That may not seem like much but I am actually very happy with that. Just the act of doing this has made positive changes in the type of person I am and how I choose to spend my time, prioritize things, etc. Just like typical resolutions, I accomplished more at the start of the year but having the uberlist handy actually did help me maintain some focus throughout the year. I have just started the 2007 list. One of the things I love about this is that it is a fluid list. I added to and modified it as the year went on. Items for 2007 include:
-Keep a reading itinerary (discussed below)
-Read at least one book from sci-fi/fantasy authors that I have yet to read, including Isaac Asimov, George R.R. Martin, Lord Dunsany, Orson Scott Card,
Madeleine L’Engle.
-Repaint bedroom
-Complete staining/finishing of new bedroom furniture
-Host 2 reading challenges (Fantasy/Fairy Tale in March and R.I.P. 2007 in Sept)
-Finish Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
-Plant herbs in the spring
-Complete every reading challenge I join
My list will range from more personal items to silly ones. To start the year off successfully I will actually be accomplishing one uberlist goal today, I will be putting the Christmas decorations away in a more organized manner, getting rid of things I no longer want/use. Once finished I will be able to mark that one as completed!
I encourage you to join in if you are so inclined. I also encourage you to not feel guilty about not making resolutions, etc. if it just isn’t your thing. Despite being just another day on the calendar, the start of a new year should be about hope and peace and looking ahead…not dwelling on the bad or staying stuck in the past.
_________________________
One of you wonderful book bloggers linked to this post sometime during the year and I thought it was a fantastic idea: documenting the paths that your reading takes you on. I have thought about this often since reading it as I tend to be very interested in how mood, time of year, outside influences, blog book reviews, challenges, etc. effects what I read. I keep track of my reading in a journal every year (I just list the title, author, and date completed). This year I have decided to expand upon that by journaling my reading in a timeline fashion and keeping notes about when and why I picked up a certain book to start reading.
What inspired me to pick up this book now? Was it a gift? Is it because of a specific challenge? Did a blogger mention it? Was it a whim purchase at the bookstore? Did author ‘x’ inspire me to go try author ‘y’?
I think it will be a fascinating way to track my reading over the coming year. I may also track what books I buy and why I made said purchase. I am really looking forward to examining my reading in this way. It could be argued that tracking in this way will heavily influence my reading patterns but I personally do not think it will alter my habits that much. I am very much a whim reader and even the challenges that I participate in find me picking books more because of a spur of the moment mood rather than careful planning.
Feel free to join in or suggest other, creative ways this could be done. I am thinking of printing off little stickers of the book covers I read to put on the timeline with the data that I want to track.
Incidently, the picture above this portion of the post is from this bookmark calendar that Pat bought me for Christmas. I will have to ask where she found it because it appears to be sold out everywhere online. It has wonderful, whimsical book art in it and I wish I could give it to every one of you. If you find it anywhere, please let the rest of us know. I think this will be put in my collection because I don’t think I can bear to tear them out.
_________________________
I have thoroughly enjoyed sharing 2006 with each and every one of you and look forward to expanded conversations, growing relationships, and plenty of surprises in 2007. Be safe tonight and tomorrow.
May the new year bring you
tales filled with magical adventures,
adventures that would make magical tales,
unexpected abundance of joyful moments,
abundant peace during moments of despair,
and may you find
creativity
dancing
laughter
and
love;
magic
whimsy
and
childish delight;
growth
change
and
satifsying rest
in 2007.
As the old saying goes, “Everyone dies, but not everyone truly lives”. Or, as Gandalf would say, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us”.
Let’s live, shall we?
Hi Carl!
I wanted to thank you for the lovely GIFT Challenge and to wish you and yours Happy Reading in the New Year! Good luck with those reading resolutions! ๐
Thanks Maggie! A special thanks goes out to all who participated in the G.I.F.T. Challenge, it was wonderful to read everyone’s entries!
This post is so full of things to think about. I like the “uberlist,” and actually jot down things like this (the important & trivial together), but have never considered making a huge one at the beginning of the year. I can see that it would be rewarding, because most people love marking things off, even if they are trivial. I do, anyway.
I posted about the Reading Itenerary I found at Book Lust and still find it fascinating. I’d love to see a visual map of what let to what (read this one because…etc.) then overlapped throughout the year. How would they fold back on themselves, how many times would a book interconnect?
I loved the G.I.F.T. Challenge and join Maggie in thanking you. Having my name drawn was an extra delight, but reading all the entries and seeing what memories we shared and new possibilities for traditions was a G.I.F.T you initiated.
May your new year be filled with wonderful bookish pursuits!
Hi Carl~
Lovely post with lovely sentiments. Thank you and right back at you!
Hugs and kisses,
Colleen
Uberlist item #1 accomplished: Christmas decorations down and stored neatly, things no longer desired bagged for Goodwill! Woo hoo!!!
Thank you for such a lovely blog. I like your idea of doing a more detailed journaling of books read and keeping a list of books bought. Although that one will probably send me into shock next December. I got bookmarks/calendar at the bookstore at Legends shopping center. I looked through my receipts for November and couldn’t fine it. The bookstore was called A Million Books or something similiar.
You have definitely given me something to think about, Carl. Thank you. I may just have to come up with my own uberlist. Have a wonderful New Year and thanks for putting together such a wonderful and entertaining blog!
I’m so glad I discovered your beautiful and thoughtful blog this year Carl. I’ve only been keeping track of what I’ve read for 2 years, and Iike you, just the bare minimum of details. This year I’m vowing to carry a dedicated notepad with me whenever I’m reading to jot notes, quotes, and ideas gleaned from the books. I do like your idea of noting why a book was chosen and who influenced the choice.
Love this post, Carl.
Really like the uberlist idea, may have to give that a go!
Happy New Year. Hope 2007 is filled with great stuff for all!
I adore this post! I wish you many hours of joyful reading!
Great post, Carl! Happy New Year to you and yours!
I have many new year’s resolutions. I usually Journal a lot. The last couple years and I have not found the time to do much of that which saddens me. My journals date back to Junior high days and the last two years will be very sparse and full of things forgotten.
New Year’s Day is a new clean journal day for me. I am determined to do more of that.
I also like your uberlist idea. I need to make more solid goals and put it in writing. Great way to keep on track.
That’s great that you journal Karen. I love buying journals as there are so many wonderful looking ones out there but have never (at least not since high school) been a faithful journaler. That is why I love using them for book tracking as it gives me an excuse to buy and use them…though I probably don’t need much of an excuse as, if you look carefully, you’ll find unused journals decorating my house. Happy New Year to you guys as well.
Oh Bravo, Carl. I’m all for living, and for lots of reading. I do like the idea of guilt-free plans. Did you see Kate S in her post on reading plans saying that she stuck to her reading resolutions because they were helping her to do something she wanted to do, rather than forcing her to do something she’d rather avoid. I thought that was very interesting as well. I certainly think it’s time for me to start planning in a guilt-free, pleasure-endorsing kind of way. And also a very Happy New Year to you and your family – may it be full of pleasure, productivity and peace.
Thanks for pointing out that meme, LL…I’ll have to do that one later this week, its a good one!
I set my uberlist reading goal in 06 for the same reasons that Kate mentioned. Looking back over the previous 2 years journals I realized that from May through almost the end of Sept. I rarely finished any books. Started alot but didn’t finish. I am naturally more in the mood for reading in the spring, fall and winter but I don’t find myself replacing them with anything in the summer…that time just sort of disappears. By having such a high goal in 06 I actually read roughly the same number of books all year long and found that summer didn’t become this wasteland of passed time that I couldn’t account for. My year, because of reading, was enriched so much.
Carl, thanks for a great and inspiring blog and for all yuor challenges, they have really made me think and plan my reading.
Happy New Year from wet and windy Devonshire UK
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you too, Carl. I’m so glad that I started reading your blog this year.
I really like your uberlist idea. I usually try very hard not to make resolutions since I never keep them, but I might try the uberlist this year.
Have a great first day of 2007!
I think I may try an uberlist as well…
For the first time this year I did write down every book I read in 2006 in a spiral notebook. I tend to be a whim reader as well. I have all of my unreads in the guest room and will just go in and read the titles until I find one that strikes me.
Love the idea of an uberlist! I think I am going to give it a try. I will be interested in the results of your book tracking. I note books I read for a book group but other than that I have no record of what made me pick up a book. If you have success I might be inspired for 2008! Happy New Year!
Here’s to living and loving it in 2007!
What great ideas, Carl!
And that bookmark calendar is lovely – I wish they weren’t sold out.
I have to insert again to say how much I am looking forward to the fantasy challenge, as it is one of my favourite genres. And I am with you on the reading of authors that you hadn’t read before… as my list is about the same. Glad to see I am not alone in not reading George R.R. Martin! I really have to do so this year. We can inspire each other. ๐
Best of luck and great reading in 2007!
Me too Kailana…it is almost killing me putting some books aside that I really want to read, waiting on them for the challenge!
Christmas decorations down and boxed already? Oh, you are so good. I like to do that on New Year’s Day myself, but this year we were gone most of the day.
BTW, you’ll be delighted to know that I am the recipient of the first volume of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. My first foray into steampunk!
(Although I also have Marvel 1602–is that considered steampunk too?)
Too cool, I hope you enjoy it Colleen. Look forward to your thoughts on it. I’m not sure if 1602 would be or not…probably would be though.
Lovely post, Carl. I wish you and yours a safe, healthy and happy 2007. My decorations are down and neatly stored. Now to search for those unwanted items for the Goodwill! I love to clean out closets in January. Something about a fresh start, you know? BTW, I found your cookies at a small neighborhood store here. I’ll be sure to check next year and send some down to you if you need a cookie fix!
Happy New Year, Carl! I love the idea of the reading itinerary, as it’s really in tune with my attitude to books รยขรขโยฌรขโฌย I find often I remember the context and connections better than I do the plot of a book.
I don’t always remember the whole plot of books either, Isabella. I think that is why I enjoy re-reading books so much. After a year or so when I go back to my favorites I generally find surprises that I had forgotten about.
Thanks Les…its possible that I have enough Archway cookies to last until Christmas, but I’ll keep that in mind. ๐
This is my first time visiting your blog. I learned of it by seeing your GIFT challenge at others’ blogs. I liked your post, and was just thinking the other day about those three “new beginnings” in the year, and was so surprised to read someone else thinking about them as well. I love the illustration of the child pulling a sled of books. It is just wonderful.
Thanks for the visit Nan. I found that illustration a few months back and saved it on my PC knowing that it would be the picture to usher in the new year.
A bit late but Happy New Year! What a great list to look forward to in 2007. Hope it’s a year filled with a lot of great reading.
Happy New Year!!! I love your blog ^_^
Happy New Year to you too Iliana and Mailyn…thanks for the nice words! ๐
Hey, Carl! Did you see we got snow up here? Check out my latest post.
Very nice idea about the reading journal — I’m planning on expanding mine.
So unfair, Les! ;(
I can relate to “Finish every reading challenge i join”, as I did so poorly at yours this year! I’m sorry!
Good luck with the rest, knowing you, I’m sure you can do it ๐
Thanks Janet…I’m not as confident as I left many uberlist items untouched, but that is perfectly okay. I’m happy with the things I do accomplish.
Happy 2007, kiddo.
Same to you, Miss Jay…only I think I’m older than you so I should be the one brandishing the ‘kiddo’ term! ๐
Happy New Year (a few days late…I’m a little behind in my blog reading…). I am impressed with how many things you finished from your to-do list. I am great at making lists and even better at not keeping them. Maybe you will inspire me to come up with a few things! ๐ Happy reading in 2007!
Carl, Great post. The book store Pat is refering to is Books A Million. I will try to stop by it on Friday and see if they have any left of the cool calendar she gave you. Good luck with uberlist 2007. I also like you book journal idea for this year. I need to do that too. I think I’m more of a whim reader too.
I’m so excited by this post. I don’t know how I missed it until now. I’m feeling motivated about the uberlist
and now, I, too, will expand my reading catalog to include the tracking of my reading whimsy. It is the reason, after all, why I can never complete a blog reading challenge. Oh yeah, I just came across this phrase yesterday and thought you might be the one to help me. What is “high fantasy” as opposed to regular fantasy fiction? Thanks!
High fantasy is stuff more along the lines of J.R.R. Tolkien and has those kind of stock fantasy characters in it. Wikipedia does a much better job of explaining it than I can, check this out. I’m glad that you are joining in on tracking your reading whimsy!