This week’s musing asks:
Do you set goals for yourself, while reading? For example, “I want to get this book finished this weekend“, or “I will read __ pages today“, etc. Why, or why not?
I set mental goals but they are usually not written in stone. For every new book I gauge the amount of time required to finish so I can plan on having books lined up. Unless the book is seriously dense and full of magical realism, I can finish a book under 250 pages on two days, averaging about 125 pages a day. I am a creature of habit—reading at least two hours early in the morning over breakfast, and I won’t give that up for anything. When I was in palm Springs two weeks ago, I got up the usual time and sat by the pool (in the shade) to read Good Christian Bitches. Temperature was 85 at 7:30 in the morning. I had a tub of blueberries and a cup of coffee on the side table and I was all set. By the time my friend was up for breakfast I was half way through the book. To make a long story short, if I’m left to myself, I can usually achieve rough the same amount of reading done no matter where I am. Back home at the coffee shop where I frequent, people always said to me that I am in my own world—reading—since I’m so riveted at the book. My mental switch must have been turned on when I’m reading because I’m completely oblivious of my surrounding. The goal is about 100 pages a day but I average about 125.
Filed under: Book Blogging, Meme, Personal, Reading Tagged: | Meme, Musing Mondays, Personal, Reading, Weekly Event
you know, as I mused about this even more, it occurred to me that I have never set a goal when reading. never.
I read when I can, as much as I can, until RL intrudes.
I’m jealous of your two-hour morning read. I cannot function early enough in the morning to do that before work. And I know exactly what you mean about the magical realism.
No, I never set goals…except when I go on holiday. I have to finish a book before I leave so that I can start reading a new one on holiday. My mindset is different when I’m abroad…and I need different books to the ones I normally read. On holiday I’m allowed ‘easy books’ to unwind and when I come home I have to start on the more difficult books again.
It sounds a bit weird now that I write it down, haha.