I’m not really sure where this week went, but it is (hopefully!) my last week before baby. He’s about 9 days late now. I’m not really stressing too much, but I hope he decides to make his appearance before they want to induce. Maybe now that my parents are in town for the summer he’ll show up on his own. Here’s what I’ve been doing this last week:
Bloggiesta!
I decided to take advantage of the lack of baby this weekend and participate in Natasha’s Bloggiesta, the blog housekeeping extravaganza. Even without baby, though, I failed pretty miserably. I really only worked for 4 or 5 hours on Friday and not at all on Saturday. My main accomplishment was getting through ALL the posts in my Google Reader. Each one of them was at least skimmed and I left a pretty good number of comments, if I do say so myself. I only got two reviews written, but I only have one more to write for an actual book sent to me for review, so I guess it is okay that I still have 5 to go total. I did love reading what everyone else had done and I think I’m going to make a bloggy to-do list of things I can work on whenever I get a few minutes here and there so I don’t have to use up all my work time figuring out what to do. Oh! And I learned to FTP things to my blog, so now I can add in some of my own plug-ins instead of waiting for hubby.
Reading:
I’ve started to slow down from my one book per day in June. First “Censoring An Iranian Love Story” took me a few days, although I was able to read other, shorter books in between. Right now I’m working on “Sacred Hearts” by Sarah Dunant and it is also taking awhile (both are good though!), so I’ve no longer finished as many books as there have been days in June. On the plus side, I finished my 100th book of the year! Here’s what I read (and finished) last week:
My Posts: pictures link to posts
Guest Posts:
Lives are Like Noses:On Writing A Memoir by Eve Brown-Waite, author of “First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria”
Don’t miss tomorrow’s great guest post by Marisa de los Santos, author of “Love Walked In” and “Belong to Me”!
Reviews:
How on earth do you read a book a day and get anything else done? are you a complete speed reader? How do you become a speed reader and is your comprehension great reading that fast? I am impressed and envious. I read two books a week and hold down a full time job, and still don’t get anything done because of my reading. Where do I go to learn how to read faster?
Rebecca
I’m not a speed reader, I can read about 80-100 pages an hour of a relatively quick novel (more for a quick young adult novel). The beginning of the month I was reading 280-320 page books, so I just had to use my lunch break and a couple of hours at home. For the last week and 1/2 I’ve been on maternity leave waiting for my baby to come, so I haven’t been working. Even so, with a couple of slower books this week I wasn’t able to finish a book per day.
Congratulations on the 100th book of the year! Even if the baby takes up all your time for the rest of the year, you still will have read more than most people in that time!
.-= rhapsodyinbooks´s last blog ..Sunday Salon – Review of “Princess Academy” by Shannon Hale =-.
I’d say getting through all the posts is your Google reader is quite an accomplishment! Congratulations on hitting the 100 book mark – that’s amazing!
.-= JoAnn´s last blog ..TSS – Summer Reading Assignments =-.
Congrats on finishing your 100th book, you’re more than twice ahead of me. When I finish the ones I’m in and almost done with now, I’ll hit 50, so 100 is definitely something to crow about
I didn’t sign up to do Bloggiesta, but I’ve ended up doing it anyway… maybe I can sign up late? LOL…
.-= The Kool-Aid Mom´s last blog ..TSS ~ Meme Meme Meme Sunday =-.
It may not have felt like you accomplished much but it’s more than I’ve done all week! You didn’t fail miserably at all! Any work on the blog is always a good thing in my opinion. And you get so much reading done too. Wow! This is a hectic month at my house and I’m behind on everything.
I hope the baby arrives soon. He was probably just giving you the weekend to have a little extra time to prepare for his arrival.
I look forward to seeing a birth announcement here. Best wishes!
Congrats on that 100th post. Way to go! So glad your parents will get here in time for the birth.
.-= Beth F´s last blog ..Review: Home Game by Michael Lewis =-.
I think you got a lot done over the weekend! 100 books so far this year is fantastic!
.-= Kathy´s last blog ..Another Challenge! =-.
Wow, 100 books. That’s wonderful. Sending you and your baby good thoughts for the coming week.
You have a great looking blog! I am out checking out what everyone did during the challenge this past weekend and really enjoying seeing the different tasks people had on their list.
You’ve read some great books this week – I really want to read the Unit now. Good luck with the baby – I really hope it arrives before you have to be induced.
I’m impressed at how much reading you’ve been doing, and that you are pretty much caught up on reviews! Congratulations on hitting 100 books.
I’m sending “healthy baby/easy arrival” thoughts your way.
.-= Laura / @bookingit´s last blog ..Bloggiesta Wrap-up =-.
You’ve already read 100 books? Wow! I’m impressed.
.-= heidenkind´s last blog ..Simone Elkeles Author Interview =-.
Congrats on 100!
.-= Eva´s last blog ..Sunday Salon: the Answer Post =-.
100 books so far, that’s a great accomplishment! I agree with Rhapsodyinbooks : even if you’re about to be really busy with the baby, you’ve already read more than most people in a year!
I hope for you the baby shows up soon : have you tried luring it out with chocolate cookies? You never know!
.-= Kay´s last blog ..The Summer Reading Challenge =-.
WOW you are doing great!
.-= Diane´s last blog ..Sunday Salon and 1st Blogiversary Giveaway =-.
Congrats on a well done Bloggiesta!! You’ve got some good books on your stacks. I can’t wait to read the guest post by de los Santos…she is one of my favorite writers
.-= Wendy´s last blog ..WINNER – A Thousand Veils =-.
Congrats on the 100 books. And getting through Google Reader is a huge accomplishment. I organized mine but didn’t read anything so now I’m further behind.
.-= Belle´s last blog ..Bloggiesta Update =-.
Look at all those shiny gravatars!!!!
I hope baby comes soon for you, Jen!
.-= Amy @ My Friend Amy´s last blog ..The Weekly Review Bloggiesta Style =-.
Congrats on reaching 100 books! I have also fallen off the book-a-day wagon, so you’re not alone. Slower books make it a lot harder.
I hope your baby makes an appearance soon!
.-= Meghan´s last blog ..Review: Silk, Alessandro Baricco =-.
Hang in there! The kid has to come out soon. My son was 16 days late before they induced. I think I would have preferred him to come on his own but I ate spicy foods, I exercised and he just wasn’t budging!
.-= Ti´s last blog ..Review: Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict =-.
I’m barely making my way to the bloggiesta wrap up posts! I’m glad that you were able to participate some and host the mini-challenge. Enjoy your baby time! They grow up fast.
.-= Natasha @ Maw Books´s last blog ..Unite or Die, How Thirteen States Became a Nation by Jacqueline Jules, Illustrated by Jef Czekaj =-.