I can't believe it's 2023 already, and this year is already cropping up to be busy!
ABOUT THE BOOKS
2022 was an amazing year for reading. I met so many new creators, authors, characters, and stories that my head is spinning a bit! In total, I read 245 books, which far exceeded the 200 I read the year before. I wanted to share some highlights for the year, as well as some statistics, because hey, I'm a numbers person!
I read Fantasy the most, but that's expected as it's my comfort genre and I read to escape! I also continued to enjoy thrillers, horror and delved a bit more into self-help. Another big thing I expanded in was reading books with my son, so not surprisingly, 22 Children's books added themselves to my long list of read books for 2023. And before you judge, they're chapter books and I read them with him, so it counts!
I swore I would read more of my owned books, but alas, that was not the case. As always, I always rely on my library to find new authors and explore new genres, so it's not a surprise that the number is up there! Libby was a huge resource for audiobooks, as I honestly find the price for them absolutely insane and I'd already spent too much money on books last year.
Not surprising, print was my most-read format, even while traveling. Yes, my Kindle goes with me everywhere, but there's just something about holding a book in your hand that makes me feel good. I also discovered my love for audiobooks, especially when I'm doing some mindless dungeon raiding on World of Warcraft. Multi-tasking at its finest!
I read over 30 ARCs with many more waiting in the wings - some are patiently waiting for reviews to be written up. If you have made a request or are waiting for a review after the acceptance of your book, please keep reading.
ON A PERSONAL NOTE
2022 was a year of pushing boundaries and learning limits. I started the year off passionate about studies, as I was working towards my Bachelors of Science on a casual basis. I did really well the year before, completing one university course (English - and discovered that I absolutely despise the classics). I also completed a pre-calculus requisite course with extremely high marks, which was honestly surprising.
Last year was a year of discovery, too. I started my journey looking further into my mental and physical health. In February, I started treatment for suspected ADHD and trialed a few medications, some with not great side-effects. As with most mental health journeys, it hasn't been easy.
I hit a bit of a tipping point at the end of summer. I think my brain was in overload. My husband works in wildfire, which means I'm home as a solo parent for long periods of time. Due to my sensory sensitivity, I had a few really bad weeks where I broke down - a lot. Afterwards, between driving literally thousands of kilometers between my son's medical appointments and our anniversary road-trip, applying for a job and writing a complicated written assignment for the position between trips, and trying to get back to my studies, I hit massive burnout. I couldn't focus on studying, reading, reviews, or being a mom. Nothing. It was a critical point in my decision making.
Trying to get my brain to work and focus just wasn't happening. I defaulted to video games or sleeping as a way to cope, feeling guilty about not being able to put my head down and get to work. When I was studying, information seemed to seep from my head and I felt guilty that I wasn't retaining the topics I was trying to absorb.
I asked for a sign from the universe that it was okay to hang my hat up for university studies. In October, I interviewed for a position with my current workplace and kept my fingers crossed - and I got it! Getting the position meant that I could withdraw from my university course, albeit paying a penalty to work since they were funding my education through a scholarship. I felt like I could finally breathe.
Winter was a flurry of illness (yup, our house got hit by that nasty bug for something like six weeks) and music. I joined an ensemble for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic and was able to perform again - the cherry on top was the fact that my son was able to watch me perform too!
In December, I started to see a chronic pain specialist to address my Fibromyalgia, chronic migraines and CFS/ME. I'm already starting to see some progress after a couple of visits. I think I've finally found a team of medical professionals (GP, psychiatrist, chronic pain specialist) that will help me become as functional as I can.
TO THE FUTURE
I've made a few promises to myself for 2023 - I guess you could call them resolutions without the stress of hitting certain numbers (other than books, of course).
Reading Goals: I'm aiming for 250 this year! The only number goal I have. I'm also endeavoring to continue to diversify my reads. New authors. New genres. Tough topics. More self-help and biographies. And, of course, working my way through my insane home library. I'm scared of the 727 books that haven't been read yet...
Don't monetize myself: I've always tried to have a side project, usually having to do with crafting. I see something I enjoy or am good at it and my brain starts ticking on how I can turn a profit - which ultimately kills the joy. This year, I will create for the sake of creating. That's it.
Prioritize recovery, rest, and rejuvenation: I deal with chronic pain and chronic fatigue. I usually push myself too hard, go 200% in and end up hurting myself. This year is about learning my limitations, accepting it's okay to rest, and building my toolbox of professionals, practitioners and personal discovery to better my body for the future.
Walk the road to healthy: I have no goals for a number on the scale, the amount of workouts to complete, or the weight I want to lift. This year is about getting healthy, letting my body naturally shed weight so that it doesn't hurt to be upright. My knees hate me right now - so even getting to a point where I can walk and run with my son without being laid up for days afterwards would be amazing.
Feed the Soul: I want to do me. I want to BE me. Whether that's through singing, crafting, reading, playing video games, traveling, learning or whatever else may feed my fancy. If it's not enjoyable anymore, I'm dropping it like a hot potato because ain't nobody got time for that!
Thanks for sticking around for my monologue! I'm happy to be here, and excited to see where 2023 brings me.
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