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Well, 2013 was QUITE a year. There were changes, upheavals, bad points, low points, moments of exhaustion, moments of achievement and things that I will never forget and always be thankful for. I lost a job, walked out on another, moved to London, ran two half-marathons (technically a marathon, surely?), lost some friends, made new friends and realised the person I'm meant to be. It was a year full of stresses that I am still recovering from (I can do this) but also a year full of positivity and achievement.
There are so many New Year phrases that are slipping into cliché like, 'new year, new start' and 'this will be my year' but, honestly, screw those misery guts who moan at such clichés. I am fully embracing them both. Last year was rocky, but it paved the way for what I will achieve this year (I will get a job, I will get a job) and for that reason I am making 2014 MY year and it will be my new start. So there.
In bookish terms, 2013 was AH-MAZING. Pat yourself on the back, all you lovely people who made it extra special.
- I read 79 books (can I get a cheer?). I actually don't know whether that is a good year in the grand scheme of my reading life because it is the first year I kept a record but I'm going to take it as a darn good year and do some excited fist-pumping.
- I joined the Classics Club and read 16 books out of my list of 66 (more fist-pumping).
- I took part in some amazing challenges and found new authors, new books and new genres that I loved (yep, even more fist-pumping).
- I hosted a readalong of The Moonstone (#readWilkie) that was beyond awesome (you know the drill...fist-pumping).
I'm actually fairly happy with my reading habits at the moment (apart from when I end up reading too many books at once). I think I have this blog and the process of blogging to thank for that. It's possible that I read much less spontaneously nowadays (I no longer just read what takes my fancy in Oxfam or what my Mum passes on). But I don't see that as a negative thing - I think I read much more widely now than I ever have done before (obviously you lovely lot are also to thank for that).
I have always been a reader; I remember being called a bookworm and loving it even though it was said in a somewhat derogatory way. In the past year or so my love of reading has grown exponentially and I think my main resolution is to not lose that. I don't want there to be any pressure associated with reading. I don't want to feel tied to a TBR pile when there are so many brilliant new books coming out continuously (that said, I think Adam's challenge is an excellent way to rediscover lost gems that are languishing within my shelves). I'm a book collector and my TBR will be there until I want it. I want to enjoy books.
In a nutshell, 2014 is going to be beyond brilliant. I am going to read. I am going to travel. I am going to learn new things. I am going to meet new people. I am going to beat this. And, most importantly, I am not going to worry.
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| Happy New Year from Milly :)
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