End of January Goals & Finances
For a month that's normally pretty laid back and slow moving (compared to December, anyway), this January's been lightning fast. I didn't set any month-long goals for January, so all these updates are for my 2014 goals, some of which I haven't begun to tackle so they aren't mentioned.
First up is the extra $2k toward the mortgage. We're at $570 so far. Yay!
Another goal I made progress on was reading 50 books this year (works out to about one per week). I actually read 8 books in January. What?!
I can thank the snow for this - there were several weekend days when I stayed home because of the weather (if I don't have to drive in it, I don't!). I also had a couple days off from work because of snow, plus Martin Luther King day off (he was a very influential leader and civil rights activist). Much of that time was spent reading. A cozy couch + warm blanket + good book = happiness! Out of these 8, I'd heartily recommend:
And speaking of books, Mr. G finished listening to Harry Potter, so we decided to read The Tales of Beedle the Bard together since it played such an important part in the final HP book. It's a collection of short fairy tales so I'm going to read a little aloud each day. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the library!
On to February! How are your goals going?
First up is the extra $2k toward the mortgage. We're at $570 so far. Yay!
Another goal I made progress on was reading 50 books this year (works out to about one per week). I actually read 8 books in January. What?!
- These is my Words - Diary entries that span about 20 years of a young woman's life in the Arizona territories. It was based on a true story, which always seems to make me more interested.
- Rats Saw God - The story of a teenage boy dealing with his parents' divorce and falling in love for the first time. Sounds so cliché but it wasn't.
- Ptolomy's Gate - The final book in the Bartimaeus trilogy. And I was happy to see my predictions about Nathaniel were correct ;)
And speaking of books, Mr. G finished listening to Harry Potter, so we decided to read The Tales of Beedle the Bard together since it played such an important part in the final HP book. It's a collection of short fairy tales so I'm going to read a little aloud each day. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long for the library!
On to February! How are your goals going?
Woot woot! You're killing it with that mortgage principal payment!
ReplyDeleteYes, thank you! I have my parents' Christmas present to thank for most of that January payment :)
DeleteNice work on the mortgage pay off goal, and so much reading! I'm glad my 'fun' 12 in 2 goals will get a good dent this Friday with a birthday dinner, and soon enough with a bridge climb, though all my financial goals are tracking along nicely too!
ReplyDeleteI agree, it feels so good to get things accomplished :) Enjoy your dinner and climb!
DeleteA great month for reading!
ReplyDeleteIndeed! I have end of year book lists to thank for my good fortune book-wise.
DeleteSo glad you liked Rats Saw God! Yeah, it sounds cliche now, but this was published in '96!! Everyone else is ripping him off, not the other way around!
ReplyDeleteWhat a good month of books, though! Looking forward to the Elizabeth Gilbert and have been meaning to read These is My Words forever. I really loved Feathers, too.
Yes, I loved Rats Saw God! I tried to leave a comment for you in our original convo about it on goodreads, but I must've done it wrong.
DeleteI kept hearing that the Elizabeth Gilbert book was not Eat, Pray, Love so I tried to go into it with an open mind and lower expectations, but I was still disappointed. And it could've easily been about 200 pages shorter. Oh well. Plenty of people love it though, so maybe you'll see something in it that I missed. :)
I enjoyed The Signature of All Things but then I never read Eat, Pray, Love and never will. I do agree that it could have been edited a bit more but I loved the epic nature and the historical accuracy of the tale.
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it! I found the writing beautiful.
DeleteGreat job on the mortgage over payments, you're well on your way to hitting your 2014 already
ReplyDeleteThank you! I started late in the year in 2013 and wanted to make sure I changed that this time around! I also have Christmas cash to thank for that January payment ;)
DeleteWell done on the extra payments and the reading. I have been doing a lot of reading too, since I spent last week sick in bed with the flu (in the middle of summer!) and we haven't hooked up internet at our new place yet.
ReplyDeleteGetting sick in the summer is the worst! I hope you're back to good health soon. :)
DeleteThat is such a great "chunk" of progress towards the mortgage in just one month! Very productive with all that reading as well :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! I think posting the graph really helps see my progress, which motivates me more :)
DeleteI am jealous of your 50 books. I probably read 4-5 books in 2013. Sad =(
ReplyDeleteBut you have 2 kids and I have none . . maybe you could try audiobooks in the car or while you're exercising?
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