Measuring the Year

So here I am, sitting on the couch recovering and considering my year in countable items.

My Goodreads goal was 100 books this year, and I am not sure I'll make it (I'm at 95 so far). But I have read more pages than last year (32,255 so far compared to 31,871 last year with 104 books), so I'm ok with that. And I *might* still finish the amazing An Immense World before year-end as well.



 Top books?

    Horse by Geraldine Brooks

    Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

    Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Grams

    The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd

    Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez

    The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

    Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube by Blair Braverman

        (Small Game and Dogs on the Trail were great too)

On the other hand, I'll likely never read anything by Colleen Hoover again (just not my style), and several books I had had in my "to read" pile forever just did not pan out. Maybe I should trust my gut — or rely on referrals/loans from friends — more.

I saw 24 productions, ranging from high school shows to circus events to local theatre to national tours, which was pretty close to my pre-pandemic average. Only 17 movies, but none of them were in an actual cinema, and I miss that. Only 5 art exhibits, which surprised me; that seems to be lagging and is what I missed the most in the pandemic that I should get back on. (That said, the below picture from Sensorio was one of them and it was amazing!)


Other experiences ranged from local fairs like the State Fair and Irish Fair, various streaming shows (like Heartstopper, Station Eleven, and Hacks), and a few other "defies description" things like the Winchester Mystery House.

So all in all, a reasonable year.

ETA - snuck one more book in, finished An Immense World which was great. So 96 books and 32,726 pages read.

ETA ETA - and then added Truly Devious for 97 books and 33,142 pages read. That's my highest number of pages ever by 1,271 pages!)

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