I have decided that the second set of books I will read is Dracula by Bram Stoker and Bloodline by Kate Cary.  I have already started on Dracula through DailyLit.  I am not sure that I can read a book a short piece at a time.  I normally read straight through everything.  I will have to see how it goes.

I have also subscribed to Jane Eyre as well although I haven’t started reading it.

I am going to talk to one of my English teachers about including her students in this challenge.  I think it would be a great way to get them involved in blogging.

Melissa, over at One Librarian’s Book Reviews, has started a challenge where you pair a classic with a related modern book.

This is her description: “Essentially, the Classic Double Challenge will encourage you to read one older book (classic) and a newer book that relates to the older one in some way.”

I am going to sign up for the Medium level which is four books or two pairs of related books.

I am definitely starting with Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Jane by April Lindner.

I have just ran the circulation report for August and found out that we had checked out 3288 books in less than one month.  We are a small, combination Middle/High School and our student population is about 850 students.  Needless to say, I am very pleased.

“I am a person who, left to my own devices, would simply suffocate under the piles of stuff that accumulate around me. Fortunately, I am not ashamed to admit this character flaw, and I search for tools and tricks that will help me exorcise the mighty dragon of classroom chaos—or at least force him to stay in his cave.” -Cossondra George

I read this quote in Teacher Magazine and it definitely resonated with me.  I feel like I spend my entire life struggling to keep my head above water.  My issues with procrastination certainly don’t help.

What I find ironic is that I am a librarian.  We are supposed to be organized.  Dewey, anyone?

Many, many years ago, I was known for being organized.  All my little ducks were in a row.  Now, I think they have gone South for a permanent vacation.

I always get things done that others ask of me.  It is the mountains of stuff that needs doing behind the scene that suffers.

I don’t even want to think about the things that need doing.

Any suggestions for making me think about those things . . . and, who knows, maybe actually doing them.

I have complained many times that I don’t have enough time to read all the books that I want to read.  You would think a librarian would have loads of time to read, but I have no time during the day.

Not only do I have hundreds of books I want to read for myself, I have books that I am sent to review, and the many, many books I need to read for my students.

I am behind on all of them.

I used to feel compelled to finish any book that I start.  I have finally accepted some books are not for me and I don’t have to finish them.  I invoke the 50-page rule.  If a book does not grab me within fifty pages, I put it aside.  I still find that really hard to do, but I am determined not to waste my time on books I am not enjoying.

I recently found this quote by John Witherspoon – “Never read a book through merely because you have begun it. “  I think he may have believed in the 50-page rule himself.

What about you?  Do you always finish the books you begin?