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Something I’ve learned through Operation: Organization is that plans need reviews and adjustments. So I’m jumping on the end of year post bandwagon. Don’t worry, it’s not one of the many “my post got this many hits, and I have X followers” ones. I honestly don’t know who would actually care about that kind of thing. I know I don’t care about that for other people. This is more like an annual review of me. What great books did I read? An update on Operation: Organization. Plans for 2018. That kind of thing.

Some of the questions have come from a book blogger tag post. I don’t recall whose I saw originally, but here’s one from Anushka of Going Through Books. Other questions (the non-bookish ones) came from a daily review list for kindergarten kids. I just changed daily to 2017 and dropped the ones about who I played with a recess. Side point: can we have recess as adults? Pretty please?

What’s the most interesting this you learned this year?

Sheesh, so many interesting things. I discovered that driving through an ice storm with trees falling on the freeway is scary. That’s not that interesting but is top of mind.

For interesting, perhaps that octopodes is the original plural for octopus, but was, unfortunately, never accepted into English, so I cannot use it in my writing. Before you say anything, yes, I learned octopodes several years ago. It was in 2017 when I investigated using it in English. By the way, Octopi is NEVER an acceptable plural. Not my rule; octopus is Greek, not Latin.

Did you finish all of your tasks this year?

*cackles with laughter* #Ravenclaw My list is so big and so evolving that I don’t think it’s possible to ever finish it. I did enough to get the mandatories done and a lot of fun things too, and I’m fine with that.

What’s your favorite achievement of 2017?

I actually have a few. MassConsternation.com is one. This blog is a lot of fun and has forced me to be more reflective. Realizing I needed help with some things and that I have amazing friends who help is another. Picking up the ThriftBooks project is another. I struggle with projects I don’t believe in, and while I didn’t know it beforehand, this one is a dream come true.

What are your goals for 2018?

Woohoo, I’m setting some. Even a New Year’s resolution.

Personally, I want to interact more, both in-person and online. It’s my New Year’s resolution, and I only thought of it two hours ago. It may mean joining Village Book’s YA for Adults book club, but it’s the same night as the Bellingham WordPress meetup.

Biggest Realization?

That I can’t do it all. Oh, shush. I know, it’s common knowledge. Or maybe it’s that I don’t have to do it all. I can pick and choose, and change my mind.

How is Operation: Organization going?

It’s evolving again. Time blocking with a paper planner isn’t working anymore. Time blocking my ThriftBooks writing doesn’t account for thinking time and idea searching. I also have a new project starting with online scheduling. The Panda Planner’s weekly and daily reflections (similar to these questions) are useful, so I’m thinking of using the SELFjournal for those, and digital calendars for the rest. ToDoist is running it all.

Are there any books you started this year you need to finish?

How about from 2013? March 2013? That’s when I added Canon EOS 60D: From Snapshots to Great Shots by Nicole S. Young to my currently reading on GoodReads. It’s a useful set of exercises teaching how to use my camera. I just never get to finish them. Maybe 2018?

Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?

Nothing that comes to mind. Turtles All The Way Down was my big one. I had three copies at one stage. Now it’s just a digital and a signed one. I didn’t know the second Oddfits book was coming out but bought it immediately. Murgatroyd is very Neil Gaiman-esque, and Tiffany Tsao’s writing felt like I was in Singapore and made me crave noodles.

What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

There’s about a day and a third left of 2017. Not much reading time. The More Known World and The Hate U Give arrived on Wednesday so I could read those.

Is there a book that you think could still shock you and become your FAVORITE???

Their punctuation. I don’t think so. Time is slim.

Have you already made reading plans for 2018?

How good of you to ask. The Ravenclaw is here.

My reading goal is staying at 52 books for the year. I am on 97 with a day and bit left of 2017, but reading that much was accidental. Weirdly, seriously, it was an accident. Let’s set a low goal and work it up from there. I am adding in the ThriftBooks reading challenge (yes, I wrote for them the reading challenge I want to do). My plan is to Read Different more. Finally, I suppose it’s a reading goal, but it’s to make it to YA Lit Con in London in July.
 

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