nastya > Status Update

You know, nastya, in the real world a casual reader is someone who reads 5 books a year or less. When I tell my students I read about one book a week they open their eyes in wonder. I’m like, you’ve never been on Goodreads, have you?

Quality, not quantity:-) 🫶

Definitely - I just checked out your current reads and you’ve got such a wonderfully diverse range of interests. Looking forward to your posts - whenever they arrive😀

I know, Ulysse, most of my friends read no books a year and those few who do, read like 5. I don’t count self help crap. Hence me trying to find friends on here to talk books because it is very lonely. Or maybe I need different hobbies people can share with me? I hope I will never go back to under 5 but then if it means I will be happy and enjoy my real life and find it fulfilling instead of taking refuge in books, maybe it would be a good thing?

Katia wrote: "Quality, not quantity:-) 🫶"

In theory yes, in practice everything tastes like poop these days. So few books look interesting enough to pick up and even less are interesting enough to finish. I am in a desert now! I wasn’t really vibing with a book since moby dick and that was April!

Rosemary wrote: "Definitely - I just checked out your current reads and you’ve got such a wonderfully diverse range of interests. Looking forward to your posts - whenever they arrive😀"

Thank you, Rosemary! What a great compliment

Awwww, Nastya! These gray spells don't last forever. Living in an area that's so conducive to outdoor activity, maybe you can balance out your reading with walks in one of the bayfront parks or out in the redwoods?

What Justin said. <3 Seems like this year has been horrid, Nast', and I sympathise. I doubt I hit even 40 books, and I don't feel like I'm changing as a reader. It's life that's lifing, and this, too, shall pass. <3

Hugs!

And that's totally okay (though I have missed your reviews). Casual reader phase may not last, either. My interest in reading is more like a sine wave than a level line, mostly depending on other stuff happening in my life.

As long as you are doing something with free-leisure time that makes you happy, that is fine. I think there is nothing magical or superior to reading books, particular when compared to a lot of other things people might be doing with their free time. It's meant to make you happy when doing it, to be a relaxing thing, or food for thought or whatever. It is not better than enjoying the company of others talking or interacting with them, or helping others, or studying something or playing music or exercising or any number of other things.

I don't count books read (ah, neatily avoiding what is "one book" and which books count), nor compare years and that is very freeing for me. A book is just a "me" space, full of ideas and other people but that I can take at my own pace, free of other distractions, if that makes any sense.

TLDR - do not count books read nor worry about comparisons or whatever. Read whatever you like and just what you like and do not worry.

Doing things that make you happy is what matters... It doesn't have to be reading! I love talking to you about books, though... but there is time for everything. Hugs!

nastya wrote: "then if it means I will be happy and enjoy my real life and find it fulfilling instead of taking refuge in books, maybe it would be a good thing?"

It absolutely will be. The balance should be towards happiness, regardless how many books it includes. I gotta say, if not for audio I would not have fit half of the books I read into my life. Whatever makes you happy 🫂

Awww, thank you so much, you are all so awesome! <3 <3 <3 <3
And, Justin, you can be proud of me, I went on 2 hikes this weekend! :)

That's totally okay! 40 is still amazing and you're still an avid reader! It just means you have more time to do other things, like hiking! ;)