2009 Reflections

Even though there is still one day left until 2009, I'm taking this opportunity to reflect a little bit about what has happened in this past year. Of course, this wouldn't be complete with out a "top books of 2009" post, which I hope to get up sometime later tonight or tomorrow.

What can I say about 2009? I feel like the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities (It was the best of times, it was the worst of times). I had some great things happen this past year (maybe not the best things of my life, but some very good things) and I've had a lot of terrible, awful, horrible things happen too. Many of these you probably don't know about, since I don't blog about them, and I'll just leave it at the fact that this year has been quite the roller coaster. But after all, there must needs be opposition in all things.

I read some great books this year. And I read some not so great ones too. I'm working on updating my Books Completed in 2009 sidebar over the next few days, which you can find all the way at the bottom of the left sidebar. When I do have it completed I'll probably leave it up for a few days before I put a scroll bar on it so it takes up less room as I start a new list.

According to my records, I read 33083 pages this year. I have no idea how that stacks up to previous years, since I stupidly haven't kept records in the past. So that's one of my goals this coming year, to keep just as good records so I have a marker to measure my progress against. Probably 95% of the stuff I read this year I haven't reviewed yet. And many of the reviews I've written this year I haven't posted on the blog because they've been for a local newspaper review in my hometown. I just haven't had the energy to rewrite them for the blog yet. It's on the to-do list. I've been really bad about reviews this year. So that's another resolution. To keep up with my reviews!

I feel like 2009 was the year I came into myself as a blogger. Looking at my archives right now it seems I've written over 400 posts this year, which is more than the other three years combined. I've learned so much as a blogger in this past year, and I've loved connecting with more people than ever through this medium. If you had asked me three years ago when I started if I thought I would be in this spot I would have said no without even thinking. It's been wonderful to come this far.

And yet, I'm still learning too. So as we turn our thoughts from 2009 to 2010, and enter the first complete decade of the 21st century, I hope you'll continue to share this blog with me. Because as much as I enjoy writing this (and I do) having you, my readers, to share it with makes all the difference.

Here's to 2010 and many more bookish and bloggy memories to come!