Weekly Wrap-up for August 29, 2010: One Year Down!

I kicked off my celebrations of one year blogging on Wednesday. August 25, 2009 was when I started this whole crazy mess and began developing this project. I feel I should point out that while the 25th is when my blog began, I didn't start book 1, The Odyssey by Homer, until September 1 (I started it immediately after reading Catching Fire on its release date).

It has been a crazy year with a lot of ups and downs. And while I feel like my professional life hasn't changed much (still no job), I think that I making great strides in realizing what I ultimately want to do. I can thank the authors I have read this year, and their work, for inspiring me in ways that I'll never forget.

Writing has always been therapeutic and something I could rely on, and this blog has become a reflection of that passion. I can tell that my writing has improved over the course of the year. My exposure to new works and authors have influenced how I see things, and while I wish I didn't leave in so many typos (I am not an excellent "typer." I never learned the proper way to type), there is some improvement in my style.

In this past year I have really committed myself to writing. I've finished a few short stories and have two outlines for novels. One is in the process of being written. The other is going to sit on the backburner for a bit longer. Whether or not they ever get published...well...we'll see what happens if I pursue that route.

I guess the point is, I am enjoying this process and what it has meant in my life this year. This blog and this home have given me a place to retreat to when things got rough. I never thought anyone would read what I had to say about a bunch of books that "no one" reads anymore, but I am always surprised and grateful when I see the wonderful comments you all leave. So thank you. :)

Anyway, there will be a few more reflective posts coming up, but the main ones were posted last week. I hope that if you missed them you'll go back and take a peek.

I had a super-productive reading week. It reminded me of the old days, before this project, when I read a lot more YA and fantasy. Last Sunday I read The Hunger Games and on Monday I flew through Catching Fire. I actually finished it earlier in the day than I thought I would, so I had to go get a magazine to tide me over. Tuesday morning found me waiting outside my bookstore to go get a copy of Mockingjay. I finished it by Tuesday afternoon and then couldn't decide what else to read. I eventually grabbed Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club off the shelf and read 8 pages before calling it a night. Matt went out Wednesday night so I snuggled into bed with the cats to read a bit before going to be bed early. I ended up getting sucked in and read the rest of the book until 1:30 in the morning. Thursday found me in the same conundrum as Tuesday night, so I reached for The Catcher in the Rye and flew through that in one day. Friday was spent trying to finish The Tempest and I succeeded. And Saturday night I read a little of Charlotte Bronte's Villette before going to bed early.

Yeah, I spent almost every spare moment either blogging or reading this week, and I loved every moment of it. I still have my assigned Bleak House reading to do for Wednesday's post, and I think I might knock that out tonight so I can get back to Villette, which I am rather enjoying. I've also been craving a reread of Sophocles' Antigone, so I may read that in the nest few days.

I hope you are all enjoying your week and you get lots of wonderful/joyous reading done.

Happy Reading!