Weekly Geeks 2009-23: Challenges

Well, summer's finally here. Don't know how half a year got away from me, but here we are – getting ready for the last few days of June. So I thought it might be a good time to take a look at my reading challenge situation and see just how things stand, at just about the midpoint of 2009. And since this week's Weekly Geeks topic is just that, I also thought I'd join in this week. I believe it's been several months since I participated in a Weekly Geeks event – must try to do better in the future.

This week's topic was suggested by Sheri of A Novel Menagerie. She writes:

"Reading Challenges: a help or a hurt? Do you find that the reading challenges keep you organized and goal-oriented? Or, do you find that as you near the end of a challenge that you've failed because you fell short of your original goals? As a result of some reading challenges, I've picked up books that I would have otherwise never heard of or picked up; that, frankly, I have loved. Have you experienced the same with challenges? If so, which ones? Do you have favorite reading challenges?"

I joined a lot of challenges this year. A lot of challenges. Probably more than I should have, but I don't regret it. They've kept me reading; and I've read a lot of books I probably wouldn't have thought of reading without the challenge to spur me on. I always try to look for challenges that don't call for a set number of books or put a huge limit on the kinds of things I can read (like MizB's Read Your Own Books Challenge, one of my favorites). And even if I don't manage to read all the books required, I don't usually feel terribly guilty when the challenge ends. I'm a slow reader, so I know going in that it's likely I won't be successful with each and every challenge. But I like the self-discipline they impose – and I enjoy the list-making and record-keeping almost as much as the reading itself. Well, I am a geek, after all.

So far, I've completed the following challenges in 2009:

• Winter Reading Challenge (12 books)
• Book Awards II Challenge (10 books)
• Spring Reading Thing (14 books)
• Once Upon a Time III Challenge (1 book)
• Victorian Challenge (4 books)
• What An Animal! Challenge (6 books)
• Southern Reading Challenge (3 books)
• Chunkster Reading Challenge (2 books)
• Books Into Movies Challenge (7 books)
• 20 in 2009 Challenge (20+ books)

Haven't written the wrap-ups for all those challenges yet. And I still have an embarrassing number of reviews I need to get posted (running behind, as usual).

So it looks like I've read quite a few books. Well, looks can be deceiving – many of those books were shared among several challenges. Still, I have read twenty-six books so far this year, which is a goodly number, for me. That means if I keep up the pace, I'll easily reach my goal of fifty books for the year – might even do a little better than that. I'm not making any promises, of course. My reading challenges have given me a nice big nudge, but it's best not to expect miracles!