Happy New Year. The last year of the 2010s. (I’m just a little bit excited about the 2020’s but that is a story for another day).
If you follow me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, you may have seen that I spent New Year on a cruise ship somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. It was magical. And fun.
For me, I’ve declared 2019 to be the year of travel. In 2019 I’m turning 39 and I’ve decided I’m going to spend the last year of my 30’s adventuring in the real world and creating adventures in my written worlds.
They are my big goals. I have dates and plans and all those things you need to roadmap your dream into a reality. I know that things won’t go according to plan (I don’t even feel right saying “might not go according to plan”; we all know life happens), but it is definitely a good starting point. When life gets in the way, my backup plan is to shout “plot twist” and adjust the roadmap. *
But what’s New Year without a few resolutions.
I have 3.
To begin each year from now on with brunch and breakfast dessert.
My first meal of 2019 was a brunch that included dessert. It was perfect. I want to do it again. So I shall.
To review every book I read.
Last year I didn’t reach my Goodreads goal. Not because I didn’t read (or listen to) enough books, but because I didn’t want to add them until I had time to review them.
I didn’t want to review them until I had time to leave a “proper” review.
So they piled up.
Then it became a huge job.
So I just didn’t do it.
Then I felt guilty.
Which is all pretty idiotic for a self-set task. So I feel even worse. And so it continues.(I know at least a few of you out there get it!)
So this year. I will review as I go. I will review Goodreads for everything I read, but also on BookBub for the paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi type books. I can always manage at least a star rating and a one sentence review. I know that helps just as a long review.
As a reader I prefer short reviews; as an author I know any review is appreciated.
This is as much about managing anxiety and expectations as is it about reviews, but that is ok too.
To watch more TV.
Yep. You read that right. I know its little weird, but hear me out. We haven’t used our TV on a regular basis for about 18 months. Instead, the girls watch Netflix on their laptops – in their rooms. I have been watching crime shows at the gym and the house hunt type shows a few times a week on free-to-air tv.
Now its come to my attention that there are all these shows on Netflix that I will really enjoy (feel free to laugh. I know I’m totally behind the times).
Added bonus is we’re spending more time just hanging out now Netflix is on in the main living room. Total win. Especially as we are often not all home at night until 8ish (and 2 of us have early starts) so doing nothing together actually works well.
Weird. So weird. But hey, its working.
I’d love to hear your goals! Reading, adventuring, weird or otherwise.
Until next time …
Happy reading!
Cate xx
*This analogy would work better if I was good at reading maps. I try I really do, but it is not my strongest skill. To compensate I live by the motto “embrace the detour”. If you can’t make it work, make it work for you!
Cate Alexander 
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