Happy New Year

Ah, a new year and new goals.

My favorite hobby is reading. SURPRISE! Several times throughout 2011 I thought that I should make reading a reward for accomplishing other things (like doing the dishes or laundry). Not that one should be a slave to their home and deny themselves of any indulgences, but there is a physical calm when things are clean that doesn't exist when things are in disarray.

But, I never got around to implementing this idea. The pull of a good book is just much stronger than the pull of a sink full of dishes. 

It's a shame I don't get paid to read. Then I could blame my dirty dishes on work instead of slothfulness. Sigh. If anyone knows how to get a job reading novels, please share.

Anyway, with this first day of 2012 I am making some goals related to reading.

First, is the implementation of the reading reward program. I haven't worked out the details, but isn't admitting that there is a problem the first step to recovery? This is about self mastery (or something like that).

Second, I have got to get more non-fluff books consumed. I'm not sure that setting a number is the way for me to go (my 4 non-fiction books goal last year was met [barely], but it was a struggle and a stretch seeing as I started at least one of them prior to 2011).

My main goal for this one is to read my church manuals/study guides in addition to my chapter a day of scripture reading. I have started with reading Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society. My husband got me an iPad 2 for Christmas (bless him), and there is an app that lets you get all of the manuals/study guides for free. It's awesome (especially the Night Viewing feature). I'm already more than a 1/3 of the way through this book!

I also want to read some other non-fiction books, but I need to figure out a way to do this without it feeling like a chore. Any ideas on this are welcome.

This is it for now. It may not sound like much, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a bit of an adjustment for me.

May 2012 be a great year full of accomplishments and good books!