Day 2980 – Buy A Book Day!

Posted on September 7, 2017 by 365 days of marriage

I want to start off by saying I did a very poor job of following my own advice yesterday about fighting procrastination! I spent a ton of time on Facebook (not doing as well as I was with checking twice a day), I played games on my phone, I watched videos. To give you a snapshot of how bad it was, on Tuesday I did 6.13 hours of work (either for my clients, for Bret, writing, or building my business), and only 1.03 hours of games/social media. Yesterday, I did 3.67 hours of work, 1.8 hours of games/social, took 1.5 hr nap, and spent 1.22 hours relaxing. When I say relaxing, I’m typically just laying in bed and playing games. Oy. Ha ha, so the lesson is, take your own advice! Thought y’all get a chuckle out of the irony. 😀

So today is buy a book day. I love to buy books, but I very rarely buy them now. I am absolutely obsessed with the library (as you know). Since we have minimized a lot in our lives, I think differently about buying books. I want to buy books that will be a good resource, that I will go back to again and again, and will enjoy reading multiple times (I’m looking at your Harry Potter in a Trunk*). I went from two large bookshelves, to less than 1 small shelf….and even those I could probably get rid of more. I think a big shift for me is that I am honest with myself about if I will actually read or re-read a book. But there’s another side to owning books, I rarely read my own books. If I don’t have a library due date hanging over my head, there’s no pressure to actually read the book. This is also true for books I borrow from people.

Even the last book I bought hasn’t been read that much. Though, reading Dream Big, Think Small: Living an Extraordinary Life One Day at a Time* really has had a big impact on how I think about things. What I love about Tools Of The Titans is how it’s split into bite size chapters, and the system I created for reading it (highlighting in different colors), helps me keep track of what I have and haven’t read. I am hopeful that if I can add reading a chapter or two into my routine will help me to finally finish this massive (707 pages thank you very much) book.

What was the last book you bought? Do you buy lots of books or just use the library? If you want a book to buy, and it’s something you’re interested in, check out one or both of my books below.

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* Amazon affiliate link
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Day 2972 – How I Find New Books To Read – or – Which Cult Should I Join?

Posted on August 30, 2017 by 365 days of marriage

I love love love reading. If I go without regular reading time in my life, I become sad, discouraged, and just not filled. Reading brings me joy and makes me think. It gives me ideas. In a lot of ways, reading has changed my life, again and again. I read a lot too, I’m currently at 213 books for the year. Branching out my regular reading to children’s books has been, in some ways, a game changer. It has pushed me to want to read more “non-children’s” books to feel better about how many of my read list are “actual books.”

So how do I find books? What’s my method? How can you steal it?

– First is using Goodreads (this is a link to MY author page! I am still blown away that I have one.) I am connected to other readers, and I find lots of great books through them.

– I check my ever growing To Be Read list on Goodreads. (513 is the current count. Oy.)

– I follow Modern Mrs. Darcy who shares really great recommendations. Her guides and challenges are helpful in building my to be read list.

– I find book recommendations through other books I read. This alone is a rabbit hole! It is so helpful having a place to put them (can I say how much I love Goodreads?)

– I browse the new books at the library. This is probably my best source for great books. I have certain areas I always look (business and self-help type books), but having a small snapshot of all subjects pushes me to look at topics I might not normally read.

– I browse all of the stacks in the library. I love to wander around and grab books that catch my eye. I will typically look until the bag I’m carrying gets too heavy.

All of this lead me to read, Which Cult Should I Join – A Choose-Your-Own Guidebook for the Spiritually Bereft by Jo Stewart. Now, you might be thinking, why is a professing Christian reading this? I picked it up because I thought it looked interesting. I actually learned a lot in the process of reading it. So, while wildly hilarious, it was also informative.

What about you? How do you find new books to read?

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 2955 – 200 Books Read In 2017! – or – Reading Goals

Posted on August 13, 2017 by 365 days of marriage

Last year, my reading goal was 75 books, last night, I hit 200 books read this year. In an effort to be open about what I read, and that it’s not THAT impressive, of those 200 books, 146 of them are children’s picture books. I do count books like my 200th book, pictured below, as a “full length” book. I have read some amazing books this year so far. Some hilarious and awesome children’s picture books (this is my top rated children’s books on my Goodreads account – feel free to friend me while you’re there!), business books that have changed my life*, and books that made me live every day like a child*. I started the year with a few reading challenges, and they pushed me to try new books, and pick up things I never would have thought to read. I haven’t really looked at them in a while, but it’s nice to know I have them in case I need some reading inspiration.

I feel as though a number of the books I’ve read this year have had small things that change a character’s life. It’s fascinating that our lives can change so quickly by a small change. Whether it’s finding a bracelet or winning a trip or finding an urn from the other side of the country. I want to remember this as I take small steps towards my big goals.

If I’ve learned anything in this year of massive reading, it’s that there are so many more books to read. I am so thankful for public libraries, and will continue to be an advocate of using them. Think about it this way – your tax dollars are paying for it, so use it!

Another big lesson is there is much joy and wisdom to be found in children’s picture books. Don’t write them off because they’re in the kids section. Check out my link above to my favorite children’s books I’ve read this year.

I think it’s fitting that this was my 200th book. 🙂

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* Amazon Affiliate link
Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Day 2951 – Happy Book Lovers Day!!

Posted on August 9, 2017 by 365 days of marriage

I am a big book lover. Since I’m still a little out of it today, y’all are going to get a bunch of pictures of my love of books! 😀

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Day 2941 – Paperback Book Day – or – 2017 Paperback Book Recommendations

Posted on July 30, 2017 by 365 days of marriage

Ah fun days, I love you. 🙂 Especially when those fun days are about things I love like reading.

While I prefer paperback books over hardback books, most of my current reads are hardback. This is mostly due to the fact that a lot of the books I read are new, kid’s books or it seems most business books are only hardback.

Jennilyn’s 2017 Softcover Recommendations

Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget* – well, of course I had to include one of my books. 😉 I have to say, I really like the quality of the softcover books from Amazon. Have you ordered a softcover book from Amazon? What did you think about the quality?

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper* This was a fun book about a widower who goes on all kinds of adventures learning about his recently deceased wife. It was an interesting example of how you can never fully know someone.

A Fall of Marigolds* This was a fascinating book set mostly in 1911. It followed a nurse on Ellis Island in New York. I don’t read much historical fiction, but this story was right up my alley. I love stories that combine lots of random things (9/11, a fabric store, nursing) into a story that makes sense.

What Alice Forgot* I mentioned this book back in March and related it to my drinking experiences. It was an interesting idea – what would it be like if you forgot 10 years of your life? It was a page turner that I read pretty quickly.

As I’m looking back through my list of books read, I’m realizing I really don’t read that many softcover books! Do you read many softcover books? Is your to be read pile filled with hardcover books? Or are you all about the digital books? Let me know in the comments below.

* Amazon affiliate link – no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order
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