I read some, and you can, too.

I’ve been on a slight reading kick lately** and I’ve thought about why, exactly, I’ve had some success actually starting and finishing (and not just listening) to some really great books.

**Note: Other people with more responsibilities than me (stressful jobs! kids!) read way more than I do. Not for one second do I think I am some prolific reader.

So here are a few tips I’ve found that really help me get in a reading groove and stay there:

Get a library card.

One tip you hear over and over again from capital-R Readers is: “Don’t be afraid to walk away from a book you just can’t get into.” This has always been tough for me, so I’d like to amend this tip slightly with this one: Get a library card.

I am well-versed in the romantic Saturday ritual of having one too many bloody marys at brunch and then wandering into the local bookstore next door. Next thing I know, I’m falling head-over-heels in love with some random hardback fiction novel with the most deliciously trendy cover design without so much as reading the front blurb. Twenty-six dollars later, when the alcohol has worn off, I try reading it, and it’s a struggle to get to page 30 — I realize I’ve made a huge mistake, Arrested Development style.

It’s hard to put those books down for good because I’ve invested in them. And so I try to slog through it, or worse, just don’t pick it back up for months at a time. Reading another book in the meantime feels like betrayal, so I don’t.

This is where the library card has been clutch for me.

Bad book? No problem. Return it. Get another. Get another FIVE if you wish. All for free.

The other great thing about the library is the pressure to finish. That three-week window is like a challenge that should be pretty doable for most books. And the most popular books that have holds on them, you can’t renew. For some reason, when it’s finally my turn to read a book that I’ve had on hold for weeks, and I know there are others not-so-patiently waiting after me, something about it feels more special. I’m making someone else wait, so I better really be reading this and enjoying it and giving it to the next person in a timely fashion.

(I never have this sort of benevolence toward random strangers in other aspects of my life. But READERS, man. There’s a community there.)

Make your reading conditions ideal.

Some people get in bed at 9 p.m. for a solid hour of reading each night before bed. More power to them. Me? I struggle to get in bed before 10 p.m., and I get about two pages in before needing to turn out the light. Instead, I sneak about 20-30 minutes on a campus bench during the work day lunch. Weekend mornings with coffee are a given. I love reading outside, and my dude considers it time spent together if I’m outside reading while he’s tinkering with something in the garage or mowing the lawn.

Be that cool person reading at a bar before your happy hour people show up. And I say cool because I know I’m always jealous of those people – aren’t you?

Take yourself out on a date with a book. Leave your phone in your car. Make it a treat, but think of it as a productive treat. Reading is good for your brain!

Track your progress.

Goodreads is a fantastic app/website for keeping track of the books you’ve read, when you’ve read them, what you thought about them, as well as the ones you want to read. You can set a goal of how many books to read for the year, and every time I finish one and see my progress bar move up a little bit more to complete, it’s satisfying. It’s nice to look back since January and see what types of books I’ve been leaning toward at a glance.

Find your book people.

Listen, book preferences and opinions are about as subjective as anything in this world. You can be my my best friend and soulmate, and I can feel “meh” about a book you loved and vice-versa. However, there are people who mostly have the same tastes in books as you do. Find them, and go off of their recs. The key to staying in a good reading flow is picking ones you’re probably gonna like. No more half-drunk decisions based on cover design, mmmkay?

Just start with one good, easy book.

Or, get back on track with one easy book. Sometimes I think I’m too high-brow to enjoy a “beach read.” Sometimes I feel like I’m wasting my time if I’m not learning something, or reading something very heavy from a perspective I’ve never been exposed to. There’s a necessary time and place for all of that. In fact, it’s a main reason why we should read, in my opinion. But, there’s nothing wrong with flying through a great romance, just to get one novel under your belt.

Modern Mrs. Darcy has so many lists of great books, categorized in EVERY way (short, beach-y, reminds you of your college days, etc.) you’re sure to find a good one that appeals to you from one of her lists.

My latest read definitely falls into this category. It’s fun, easy, fast, and a good story:

Keep a running list of your Want To Reads

This is key for keeping up a good rhythm. As soon as you finish one, just refer to your To-Read list (curated on Goodreads!) so you don’t have to hem and haw over what perfect one you should read next. Just pick from those.

Another reason to get a library card: You can download books to your phone or other mobile device FOR FREE, as soon as you want to. All without having to make a trip to the library. The future is now.

Share your reads and what you thought about them.

I think sharing our reads is a really powerful thing.

When I see that someone I follow on instagram has read six books in a month? That’s inspiring, and makes me wonder how I could get in a few more pages tonight. When other people see what you’re reading and what you like, they’ll recommend similar things to you. When someone shares a beautiful image of their current read and their patio beer, I’m thinking of how I can make that happen in my near future, too.

It’s so fun to post what I’m reading next on instagram and get three responses of “Oh I loved that one, I hope you do, too!” Again – readers, man. We’re all in this together.

I think sharing encourages us all to read, which will give you more recs to weed through in the best way, you know? I think we’re all reading a little more cause we’re all sharing what we’re reading a little more. So pay it forward, and show off your reads to your friends!

One is better than none.

Don’t stress too much. Once you start reading a little more, if you’re like me, you see just how many books you can cram into a month, which will influence my picks. I’ll pick shorter, easier ones just to check it off the list, and avoid longer, harder, or more literary titles. This is dumb. Don’t be like me. Quality over quantity. We’re here to enrich our lives, learn some things, and relax a little, not check off all the boxes.

A supportive significant other helps.

My dude has bought and built furniture specifically for my books, never complains when I’m rattling on about the plot of my current read, doesn’t mind if I ignore him and read on long car trips, and has been known to bring me a glass of wine while I read. Ok, ok, now I’m just bragging. I think I’ll keep him.

Whew, that was longer than I planned. If you’re still here, I applaud and appreciate you. Reading is cool and fun! In the spirit of taking my own advice, soon I’ll review some of my latest reads here. And please let me know: What are you reading? What helps you read more? I’d love to know.

If we were on a coffee date…

A few bloggers I follow update their readers on the more mundane bits of their lives with posts structured like this, and I like the idea, so I stole it. (See Rachel Dawson’s blog here.) I miss my Texas people a lot, so if you’re a friend I just moved away from, please call me and tell me what YOU would want to talk about if we were on a coffee date. Since you will have read this, I’ll be able to skip all the parts about me. 🙂

If we were on a coffee date… I’d tell you that all the rain we had this weekend was good for me because I was forced to stay in and organize my apartment a little more. When the weather is good here, I tend to abandon all responsibilities and find any excuse to be outside. Apparently some Mizzou faculty are predicting a drought for many parts of the state this summer, so I’m working on some drought publications for work, and it just feels strange when parts of Columbia are literally under water right now.

If we were on a coffee date… I’d tell you that I’ve been all about audiobooks lately. Literally all household chores are made more bearable if I’m also listening to something engaging. It feels doubly productive, I’m more thorough in my cleaning, and I’m on track to read (or listen) to about 20 or more books this year. I just finished listening to “A Man Called Ove.” It’s a sweet story about a grumpy old man who begrudgingly finds a new sense of community in his neighbors after his wife passes away. If you like lighthearted, sweet, and short, this one’s for you. I’d also talk about “Hillbilly Elegy,” which I’m about halfway through listening to. This one’s a memoir of a boy from rural Kentucky who grew up in Ohio. It’s a commentary on the white working class and upward mobility from his perspective. It’s engaging, funny, and well-written, but some of his comments that are clearly from a conservative perspective certainly make this liberal girl bristle a bit. Definitely worth the Audible credit, though.

If we were on a coffee date… You’d tell me to stop fiddling with my hair and/or stop gazing at my reflection at every opportunity. You see, I just got my hair colored for the first time in ages. As long as I’ve been alive, my hair has never been this light. I’m mildly obsessed with it, and for this, I apologize. I need you all to keep my vanity in check.

If we were on a coffee date… I’d complain about how little storage my new apartment has. I mean ZERO closet space, y’all. I’ve never been called organized in my life, so this is providing all sorts of challenges as I try to come up with a system to fit all my clothes in tucked away places in ways that I’ll actually keep up with.

If we were on a coffee date… I’d say that living alone for the first time ever has brought out the true weirdo in me. I graze on the strangest of food combinations when I’m ravenous upon coming home from work. I talk to myself. I thought I was lazy before, but when no one’s there to judge me, I apparently will live my best sloth life and watch three whole episodes of Shameless, not do the dishes, and proceed to slink to my bed to do it all over again the next day. I’m getting better, though. When your kitchen is barely large enough to fit your wingspan, you appreciate waking up to a clean one in the morning.

If we were on a coffee date… I’d probably talk about a hard decision I had to make since I got here. I’d say that I know I did the right thing, but life still feels different in some uncomfortable and kinda sucky ways (Side note – How is sucky for journalistic vocabulary today?!). I’m leaning in to it all, trying to use every bit of the extra time to my advantage by reading, writing, and getting to know myself in all the necessary and existential ways that come with being 25.

If we were on a coffee date… I’d marvel that somehow, it’s already May. I feel like I just turned 25, but next month I’ll be rounding that birthday corner yet again. Life is weird, man. And since it’s a new month, I have some goals to keep me focused:

May goals:

Read (or listen) to four books. This should be easy seeing as I’m close to finishing three different ones already. (Hillbilly Elegy, Help Thanks Wow, The Book Thief, and Between the World and Me are on this month’s To-Do.)
Break a sweat at least four times a week.
In bed by 10 on weeknights. Mizzou’s 8 a.m. start time has been rough.
Successfully pitch an essay to an online outlet. I’ve pretty much already done this, but an approved pitch does not equal publication. That depends on whether or not my submission is trash. Fingers crossed.
Save a big ole chunk of change.

I dream real big, don’t I? Baby steps, y’all. Baby steps.

If you’re like, “Oh, real cool, Alex, you write down the basics of what you want to accomplish in a month. We all do that, we just don’t feel the need to share.” I feel you, I really do. I’m pretty insecure about these posts because I know I probably won’t hit each of those marks, even though they are relatively easy, but putting them out into the world help keeps me accountable. If you don’t need that extra push, I am genuinely jealous of you. Please roll your eyes at this and carry on; I promise I don’t blame you.

If you read this, I would love to know:

What are your goals for the month?

Some of my more creative ones have been stolen right from the blogosphere.

If we were on a coffee date, what would you want to talk about?

Shoot me an email, give me a call, or if you’re in Columbia, let’s actually go for coffee.

One Big Announcement & February Goals

Remember when I said I’d only self-reflect like this about once a month? Well, it’s February 1st. Your rent is due, and it’s time for me to look ahead a few weeks and set some personal goals for February. More on that later. First, to catch you up on my January: In a nutshell, I have never experienced so many emotions in such a short time.

The breakdown:

Jan. 6 – Approached for a possible job by an old friend.

Jan. 10 – Landed an interview with a different job that I applied for in December, scheduled for the 23rd.

Jan. 18 – Had a great but emotional conversation with a family member about what we both can do to improve our relationship. New year, new us, ya know?

Jan. 20 – Caught my ex boyfriend breaking into my car on camera. For no known reason. Knew he had been doing this repeatedly.

Jan. 20-22 – Called police. Filed a report. Got a fancy alarm on my car. Bought pepper spray. Changed my apartment locks. Cried some. Got really angry. Spent the weekend hiding at my parents’ house. Drove myself crazy wondering what he was doing and why and what I should do. Spent too much time thinking about how I could have prevented this. Didn’t really prepare for the interview as much as I would have liked. (Side note: I knew I wouldn’t make it more than two blog posts without oversharing.)

Jan. 23 – Had the job interview via Skype as well as an editing test. It went well, I guess.

Jan. 26 – Was offered the job. (!!!)

Jan. 30 – Interviewed for the job from the old friend.

Feb. 1 – Decided to accept job offer #1. Told my current employer. And now I’m telling you.

Talk about burying the lede, right? I am ridiculously excited to move back to what feels like my second home, Columbia, Mo., for an editor position with Mizzou. I’ll be editing materials developed from MU’s faculty research for the general public to use as a resource through MU’s Extension office. My office will be on campus. IT’S ALL HAPPENING, YOU GUYS.

While I’m so thrilled for this opportunity, I’ve really loved being in Dallas. My apartment and who I share it with has been the joy of my life for the past three years. I love being close to family, and I’ll seriously miss all of Dallas’s delicious restaurants (Eating is just what you do here). My first job, apartment, and city were the perfect places to navigate the first few years of post-grad life, but this move feels so, so right.

I can’t wait to do all the bucket list things I never got to cross off while I was there. Chief among them: Riding a bike on the MKT to Les Bourgeois winery in Rocheport. I’ll also finally get to see a lot of films at this year’s True/False fest. I’ll hike the Pinnacles. I’ll eat at some of the classic restaurants I missed my first time around. I’ll sit on the alumni side of a football game. It’s gonna be good.

And this brings me to February. Last year off and on my little nerdy self would write down actionable goals for each month. (Read two books, make a dentist appointment, work out at least three times a week. I aim real high, y’all.) I liked it. I’ve decided I’ll do it this year, too.

My biggest February goal: DO NOT DIE.

Others include:

Get pre-approved for a home loan before moving.
Buy a couch maybe.
Let myself cry as many times as I want to. Moving = all the feelings, all the time.
Make time for alllll of the proper goodbye lunches, dinners, and happy hours. Packing can wait.
Visit my Texas grandparents one time before I go.
Make sure my current employers like me when I leave by getting all the things done to help with my transition.
Continue to be a nice person even while very stressed.

2017 has been a bumpy ride so far, to say the least, but I’ve already seen how the bad was a blessing in disguise and there’s been SO MUCH GOOD, too. Columbia, I’m comin’ for ya.

In 2017 I …

screen-shot-2017-01-02-at-5-43-29-pm — All posts are better with a photo right? Here’s a semi-pensive one you’ve already seen before.

Would really like to surprise myself. I want to do a scary thing, accomplish something I never thought I would. Marvel at my body for lifting heavy or running far.
Want to continue to spend more and more time outside.
Want to do all the usual things: save more, travel more, exercise more, social media less, read more, write more, travel more, cook more, learn to code, take over the world, etc.
Won’t text him.
Am looking forward to a non-election year. (Aren’t we all, amirite?)
Want to do a much better job of contributing. I’ve kind of gone through the last couple of years as this bumbling post-grad, thinking it’s cute and fine to not have a clearer sense of direction. And maybe it was fine for a while, but not anymore. I am smart. I can work harder. It’s time to.
Want to stop and take note of and be grateful for my health and my family’s health a little more often. Or at least, not only as a reactionary feeling upon hearing about someone else’s health struggles. No one I am close to has cancer, or chronic pain, or symptoms with no explanation. So many others are not so lucky.
Vow to only spend roughly 12 days of the 365 doing this much self-reflection. Thinking about living a good life and planning to live a good life can take up a good chunk of time and distract us from the actual living of our lives. And, you know, side note: I would do well to remember that even having the means to do this much strategizing about 2017 comes from a place of privilege. Do you think people who are stressed about feeding their kids between now and payday are really having a goal-setting session with their family this January? I’d be willing to bet that they have bigger fish to fry, like just getting through the next couple of weeks. It bears repeating: I. am. so. lucky.
Will call my grandpa more often.
Vow to never stop searching for truth. In all things. Even though the election is over, and the news makes me weary, confused, and frustrated. I must, I must. I must keep watching, keep learning, I must keep my mind open but sharp, viewing everything with a healthy dose of skepticism. Staying engaged even when it’s uncomfortable is a small but important part of activism.

If you’re reading this, I wish you a happy and healthy 2017. May we all surprise ourselves just a little bit.