I hereby submit a mid(ish)-February update on The Great Reading and Writing Project of 2010. Firstly, a warning at my attempt to acronym-ize the project: GRaWP 2010. Yep. Grawwwp. It doesn't entirely work, but neither does the project, so I'm going with it.
Well, it seemed earlier this weekend like the GRaWP 2010 was going to be a failure. But thanks to a weekend day well-spent reading my eyes to death, I'm relatively back on track and excited that I might still make my deadline. For your consideration, here is my pathetically-low "Read in 2010" book-count chart (you may need to click on the image for a better view):
Yes, you see that I have read but a mere NINE books thus far. Slacker. However, as it is still relatively early in the game, the time-allotment for each book still hovers at around 2.64 days. Not too bad, as this number was simply closer to 3 when the project started. If this were September, I'd be needing to read a book every 0.79 days. Let's consider for a moment the fact that I need to sleep.Personally noted: Reading on a regular schedule needs to start, should I desire to meet this goal and do so while retaining whatever sanity I currently possess. Unless I decide again to insert fast-reads such as graphic novels into this plan, I'll probably not recover again so easily. Here's a tasty pie chart of what I've read to show you just what I mean.
Also Noted: I've cheated a bit on the rules. Especially, the one that stated I must read only one book at a time. I cheated but once: the most unfortunate passing of J.D. Salinger prompted me to interrupt the reading of the droll and horribly-constructed Dead Until Dark and consume the delightful Franny and Zooey. Once I'd again read the deliciousness that is Salinger, it was nearly impossible to go back to the vile DUD (oh! Dud! I'm delighted that's so applicable!) vampirey novel. If I could footnote, I would, but I can't - and I know this isn't a review on the book, but let's just say that I wasn't particularly drawn in by an account of a supposedly dreamy hot vampire, mixed with mind-numbing descriptions of the main character's wardrobe and hairstyle choices every four pages, all recorded in an unrealistic character narrative (the author is a southern woman in her 50s. Sookie reads like a southern woman in her 50s, delighted to be in the attractive body of a woman in her 20s). If I wanted to read a poorly-written vampire novel with the author's personal agenda thinly veiled in that of a young woman desired by the hottest vampire man of all, I'd reread Twilight.No I wouldn't. Once was enough. For the record, I'm not saying I could write a better vampire novel... like, in my sleep or anything.
Anyway. I've sidetracked horribly.
As for the writing component of the GRaWP 2010: I've done essentially nothing. Nothing! Here's a look at those stats:
Conclusion: While this looks immediately like a fail, I'm going say that it's still early and not such a tragedy. Also, I'm wondering if I should amend the rules of the GRaWP 2010 and exchange a proposed word count instead of page count. Page count is so wishy-washy and cheatable. Word count is far more SOLID!Update on commitment to project: This Friday = my first day off devoted to read, read, reading. What is vacation for, after all, if not to recoup and get back on track with personal goals. Very excited.
Good day all.
Andrle
*Title quotation excerpted from J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey
3 peep(s) talked back:
I think if a book turns out to be terrible, you should be free to discard it. Is that what you determined about DUD?
I must say I admire your ambition and your pie charts.
I am really bad at completely abandoning a book, even if I find it terrible. I did rate DUD a 2-star "it was OK" on goodreads, so I guess I just sort of sassed off there rather than being completely fair. However, if it had been more on a 1-star (or, impossible, 0-stars!) rating, I'm sure I would have been more likely to toss it down and say never again.
It would have felt like wasted time though, investing effort in part of the book but not counting it toward the final goal of 125.
OH! And I'm concerned that someone who adores both vampire series will read this and hate me. I have to confess - the bulk of my aggravation with DUD was that I'd grown tired of the True Blood series because it got lame.
Yes, ambition in this case is just pure crazy. And spreadsheets and I adore one-another. Oops.
As a fellow graph-and-data oriented blogger sort of person, I approve of this post. Mmmm... data data data.
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