Feb 2, 2010

Tubular Tuesday and the Realizations

Tubular Tuesday is my freebie day, where I can talk about 
whatever the hell I want and get away with it.

I recently decided to drop out of my goal to read one hundred books this year.  I am shooting for fifty instead.  While this is a drastic difference, I think it'll still be hard to reach, with my seven days of blogging, work, and my special project...coming soon.


You may have noticed the March is Classic sign to the left.  I made it.  Ain't it purdy?  Ugh, that hurt.  I decided to dedicate the month of March to only classics, mostly YA and middle grade.  The list is short at the moment and can be changed, so feel free to leave suggestions.  Here's what I've got on the docket:







Wind in the Willows
Catcher in the Rye
East of Eden
Island of the Blue Dolphin
Three slots left (maybe)
(If I stay to my eight or nine books a month, then I will still reach 100 books by the end of the year.)

Do any of these offend you?  Would you definitely remove some of these from the list?  I have been thinking on this for quite a while, let me know what you think.



I dedicate this short post to all those that have little time to be online, but still make it over to my blog and heed my disclaimer.


I'll be reminding you of this all week, so if you already know, then just skip over and get commenting.





Don't forget about Something About Me Saturday (SAMS)!  Post your questions in any comment this week under the headline SAMS.  Kelly asked some good ones the other day.


For Tina:

29 comments:

  1. First!!!

    To Kill a Mockingbird?

    The secret to reaching goals is to make them attainable in the first place!

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  2. I would have suggestions if I had more coffee. What about the Farenheit one--help my brain out, waht's it called?

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  3. Okay, HK - Calm yourself. I have read TO KILL MOCKINGBIRD twice, so I thought it'd be getting off too easy if I added the. I honestly think I would have been able to reach 100 books by the end of the year, but, alas, better opportunities have presented themselves.

    Christina - Fahrenheit 451? Um, I could add that list. I am trying to avoid books that are too solemn...so as to deter myself from quitting.

    I should add - classics are not my cup of tea.

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  4. How about L'Engle. I <3 L'Engle. And, did you revisit my "numbers" post? That might give a suggestion. http://editedtowithinaninchofmylife.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-are-your-numbers.html

    I enjoyed F 451.

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  5. Done L'Engle, I am choosing Watership Down!

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  6. The Outsiders. I'm rereading that soon.
    Did you see the Fuse#8 best MGs of all time list compilation? You are supposed to add your top ten. That will give you some ideas. Murph had a link on his blog to it a few days ago.
    My goal this year is 25! Challenging for me, yet attainable! (You are right, Heather!)

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  7. I did see that list. it intimidates me to have to choose my favorite MG's...Which is hilarious considering the fact that I rank everything else. I think MG's are so close in nature, it will be hard, but I'll do it.

    Also, done THE OUTSIDER. I am trying to only read ones that I have not read. I did read Wind in the Willows when I was eight or nine, so I think it's safe to reread that one fifteen years later.

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  8. How about LORD OF THE FLIES? A bit morbid, but a fascinating classic, IMO.

    I love the classic theme. I'm not cultured enough to commit too all classics (I luvs me some contemporary, easy reading :), but it sounds like a great undertaking.

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  9. Brandon - I agree, LotF is a great one. It brought on so many new thoughts and ideas for me when I was in sixth grade. I know I should post a list of the classics I've already read, but I think that would detract from the intention of getting everyone's input. Instead, I like getting reactions based on, 'You should...," or "What about..." Good input guys.

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  10. The novels you listed for the month of March seem like good picks.

    Also, you have quite a bit of talent with the design thing. That March is Classic sign was very well done.

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  11. Oh---you've "done" L'Engle, huh? All 60 books? (I'm just saying...)

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  12. Heather - Okay, gotcha. But in the scope of classics, I am not thinking L'Engle's 'other' books are at the forefront of my study in getting out of my comfort zone. I have read three of her books, I liked them well enough, but I'm sorry, none of her other books are making it onto this March's list.

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  13. I think you can read anything you want. Go for it! I'm shooting for one book a week. Right now, I'm ahead by one. :)

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  14. Cannot think of classic MG books. Will be back later when brain is functioning.

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  15. Elana - Gosh, really. I was hoping someone would say that. Declaring March is Classic carries way more weight of having something to prove than I knew it could. I like my list so far.

    Mariah (or is it Ri?) - Thanks! You have until the end of Feb to put in your two cents.

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  16. Jon--many of her books aren't MG at all--I was just taking issue with EVER being done with Madeleine. Not possible. She's awesome.

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  17. Gotcha. You're mean to me in public, but butter me up on Google...

    Heather's tricky folks! But worth knowing despite that.

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  18. Thanks for the beard picture. I'm glad you have it and I'm glad you share it.

    And this may have been a short post but the comments have made it out of hand. Which is beautiful. I'm just saying.

    As far as classic MG go, did you look on the list that Heather posted a while back via Editorial Anonomous? Are there any unread on their that srike your fancy?
    Here it is: http://editedtowithinaninchofmylife.blogspot.com/2010/01/what-are-your-numbers.html

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  19. I did look at the list. I took Watership Down and Island of the Blue Dolphin from there, since I've been wanting to read those for a long time.

    Thanks for the link.

    You know what's curious about that post, is that it's one of the first I found as a new blogger. It is my gateway post.

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  20. I'm interested to see whether you finish Island of the Blue Dolphins. I tried reading it a couple of years ago and almost fell asleep.

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  21. How about Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen? or White Fang, The Giver, The Phantom Tollbooth, Treasure Island, Julie of the Wolves...?

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  22. What about any of the Chronicles of Narnia books? Funny, but I never read them as a kid, but I "discovered" them a few years ago (about the time the movie came out). I loved all of them, especially The Magician's Nephew.

    I dropped my reading goal to 50 books, too. My free time is extremely limited, so I thought a more realistic goal was needed:)

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  23. I like your March is Classic sign and I love the idea of reading the classics this month. Too much to read, so little time.

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  24. I read 115 books in 2009, and definitely think you can make 100 in 2010. It’s only two books per week. As for your March classics, I love “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Huckleberry Fin”, and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”. But lets be honest, there are so many great books out there, you could read 500 books this year and still not run out of titles.

    Happy reading.

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  25. Haha, I appreciate the dedication ;)

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  26. Murph - I'll do that one first, just for you.

    Shannon - I've read each of those. THE GIVER is currently in the #10 spot on my list of all-time faves and THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH is #26. The others I liked well enough, but in a these required reading that I don't mind kind of way, not an epiphany inducing way.

    Kim - You liked my one word comment on your blog? Yay.

    Melissa - Narnia and I go way back. I first read the series when I was in fourth grade. Then again in eighth and again about four years ago. We are on our second cat named Aslan and he is thirteen. A HORSE AND HIS BOY and THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER are by far my favorite. The movies SUCK, they fail beyond belief at capturing the emotion and struggle of the Narnians and instead, casts them as weird fantasy beings. Ugh, they piss me off. Sorry, not taking it out on you.
    Together to fifty we go.

    Kate - Thanks for the blind vote of confidence, but it's just not gonna happen. If it does, yay, but I am not shooting for it, for fear I'll be shooting myself.

    Ali - Thank you so much!

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  27. I'm seconding To Kill A Mockingbird :)

    The Little Prince?? As a Brit I'm not 100% certain what age group falls under 'middle grades', but I'm trying to think of any books I read at that age that would've been considered classics.

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:D