New Year's Resolution and Goals for 2014

2013 was an AMAZING year for me!  I really don't know how I'll top it, but I'm sure going to try!  When setting my goals for this year, I looked at last year's goals.  Some of them didn't get done, so those are going back on the list.  Here's a look at last year's goals.  The comments in bold are my new goals for 2014!

Reading Resolutions

Read 200 books this year. I feel this is a pretty good goal. Last year, I shot for 120 books, and read 150! So time to up it! Did it!! New goal: 300 books 

Keep up and finish all my challenges. I signed up for several, and I'm hoping I can follow through!Did about 75% of them I think. So this year, I will only sign up for 6 yearly challenges, and I think I will try to stick to ones on Goodreads. 

Read more adult books. Last year, I read almost entirely YA, which is fine. But I missed my adult time! FAILED. Massively. I need to count, but I know it has to be less than 10! Next year's goal: 25 adult books.  EDIT: I actually read 13 adult books, so I did a little better than I thought!

Finish up several series I'm reading. Vampire Academy, Sookie Stackhouse, Stephanie Plum, Rick Riordan's series, and there are several others! FAIL. Again. I finished Vampire Academy, and that was it out of what I listed. So add those others back on for next year! Also need to finish The Immortal Secrets of Nicholas Flamel, Eragon, and the Matched series.

Another one that wasn't in there was I made a goal to read at least 100 books released in 2013. I read 132 new releases in 2013! So Woot! Making the same goal for 2014: read 100 new releases!

Blog Resolutions

Try to review every full length book I've read. I did a really horrible job of this last year. I read 150 books, and posted 55 reviews! I'm just sticking to full length book reviews for now. I read a lot of short story and novella ebooks, and those are almost too short to write a review for. Another FAIL. I read over 300 books this year, and I reviewed 105. I was doing great until July. Then I completely fell off the wagon until September, and had a few more reviews then nothing until about a week ago. UGH. This year, I'm going to keep the goal more realistic--I will review ALL review books and ARCs I receive. There. That should be more doable! 

Make my reviews more interesting. I need to try a few new things. Like maybe added quotes from the book. Things like that. No idea...I think they are probably about the same. I did do a few on video, but those sucked I think! Going to skip this one for 2014!

Participate in less memes, but more blog hops. I do a lot of memes. I've been cutting down the last month. I will stick with the In My Mailbox for awhile. I will continue Top Ten Tuesday and What Are You Reading Monday when I have the time. Aced this one! So its off the list for 2014 

Do more giveaways, and try some Book Tours. I am participating in my first Book Tour later this month! I did do this, more in the first half of the year. I actually got a little burned out from it, but I found some fabulous books!! So I will aim for 1 new blog tour a month I think, in addition to any authors I already do tours for. 

Personal Resolutions

Make some more blogger friends. I've been blogging over 2 years, and I feel like I'm really suffering in this department! Totally did this! I aced this one and had so much fun doing new things, and I did make a ton new friends! Some really close ones, too!  But I'm keeping it on the list, because I just love making new friends!  If you want to "friend" me, the best place to chat with me is on Goodreads!

Keep the Mr. more involved in my blogging processes. I've just realized how interested my computer geek hubby is in my blogging and reading. I didn't realize I was excluding him so much! Yup, did this. And it was met either with extreme happiness, or complete boredom. Sometimes, he really wants to know, other times...not so much! Can leave this one off for 2014, just keep doing what I'm doing!

Learn 5 new things this year. I used to keep a bucket list of things I wanted to learn or do, and every year I'd try to knock 5 things off my list. I haven't done that in at least 5 years! So now is the time to get back on it! I might even include some of my adventures in my blog! Not sure on this one...5 new things. Here we go (turning on my brain) 1. Learned how to use a meat grinder. For work. New job in kitchen. Ya know. 2. Learned how to use my webcam! 3. Learned how to record and edit my own videos! 4. Learned how to play "Hearts" (card game). Darryl taught me a few weeks ago. Kind of dumb I didn't know how to play. 5. Learned how to play Apples to Apples. At Holiday Party. That I had a little too much fun at.
Some of those may have been reaching...they weren't life changing or anything, but they will help me in my life, so I guess that's all that counts! So I will make the same resolution for 2014, learn 5 new things!

Oh, one that wasn't on the list last year but is something Darryl and I do every year: Volunteer! We try to volunteer with the kids at least 4 times a year. Same for 2014! 

That's a pretty full list!  Here's hoping 2014 is even better than 2013!!