Several years ago I started making New Year’s resolutions that I knew I could keep. I would decide to wear more make-up, wear more jewelry, etc., easy things to maintain. About six years ago, I resolved to write down the books I read. It was a great idea; as a librarian it would help me do my job, and as a person it would give me a sense of accomplishment.

There are guidelines to my recordkeeping, otherwise I would never be able to maintain it long term. I only record chapter books, non-fiction that take more than 30 minutes to read, and graphic novels. I do not record picture books or easy readers. I blissfully kept my resolution.

After a year and a half of recording my books in the same journal, tragedy struck. I was visiting my sister in New Jersey, I lived in Ohio at the time, and she and her husband took the day off so we could sightsee in Philadelphia. We went to Eastern State Penitentiary and had an enlightening time, but when we returned to the car, our day took a turn for the worse. Their car been broken into and we had been robbed. I had left my purse in the car, hidden under a seat (I had my cellphone, license, and debit card with me). My purse was stolen, their diaper bag, some DVDs, and their GPS. My brother-in-law Joe called the police, looking like murder would come easily to him, and I started calling credit card companies. The nasty thieves used one of my cards and nothing was recovered (we did check the area trash cans).

I was upset about my credit cards and keys being stolen, but I was devastated that my journal was gone. A year and a half of book recording gone.

I was not dissuaded from continuing my resolution. I started a new journal and to this day, I write down every book I read that fit my guidelines. When I left my wonderful job in Ohio, a thoughtful co-worker had two notebooks personalized for me so I could continue my reading quest.

Here we are years later and I have kept my resolution.

Reading Challenge Update:

I have read 13 books on my reading challenge list, with 29 to go!