January 22nd 2023
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kim @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.
News at Home
Y’all I’m tired but I don’t know exactly what all went down this week. I worked. I had meetings with Dante’s therapists. I am trying to get his feeding therapy setup, so doing all that insurance acrobatics. I visited with my brother. But anything groundbreaking that explains this exhaustion. Not really. January is just such a long month and it’s not even over yet! We still have MORE than a week!!!
And geez, I’m realizing I had Monday off this week. That feels like it was at least a week ago, not just Monday lol. It was a nice day though. Dante was at therapy and I went and did my nails. I came home and … yeah I so don’t remember. I know my plan was to relax. But Kiko was also off so that put a slight wrench in my relaxation plans. On Monday I did have the call with the company that negotiates medical bills and basically there’s a chance they could negotiate my bill down about $1500 cheaper. They suggested that I wait until it’s ready to go into collections. Apparently medical bills don’t hit your credit until after 1 year in collections. I wouldn’t wait that long, but it does give me some time since I’m supposed to get a bonus in March but I don’t know how much it is going to be yet and it’s hard to make decisions without knowing. If I choose to negotiate I won’t be able to use a payment plan, I’ll have to pay in a lump sum. So it makes a difference.
I am trying my hand at this new approach to scheduling my day and it’s not working as well as I’d like because life keeps happening. I have had to work later on some days, had meetings with therapists rescheduled on others, and complete cancellations on others. But this week was my first true attempt, so I’m going to give it another go this week. On the plus, my mornings are working out so much better now that they moved our morning meeting from 9am to 9:45. For me that means I’m not as stressed taking Dante to therapy in the morning.
Blog News
I feel like blogging is going decently! I’ve been able to visit a few times a week at least and I’m gradually getting reviews written from like August – December (plus keeping up with current reads).
Last week on Because Reading
- [17 Jan] Tell Me Something Tuesday: Spin Off Series
- [18 Jan] Waiting on Wednesday ~ Carnivales are interesting #booklover
- [19 Jan] Ever After by Kate SeRine ★★★★½
- [20 Jan] Wicked Bite by Jeaniene Frost ★★★★★
- [22 Jan] Sunday Post with Berls | January 22nd 2023
Challenge update
This week I finished:
I’m participating in 8 Challenges, plus the Goodreads Challenge, this year. Here’s how I’m doing.
- COYER Upside Down Chapter 1 – 8 books
- Finishing the Series – my goal is 5-8 series.
- Series In Progress
- Well Met – I read book 2 so far this year. I need to read books 3 & 4
- Sean King and Michelle Maxwell – I read book 4 this year, still need to read 5 & 6
- Completed Series:
- Transplanted Tales – I read book 4 this year, which is all that is published so far (but I do think more are coming, so this is probably going to end up back in progress)
- Spoiler Alert – book 3 was the only book I hadn’t read, so that series now caught up!
- Series In Progress
- Library Love – 5/60 books
- Thrifty Thursday – my goal is 1 book each month:
- January – Just Folking Around by Penny Reid
- 2023 Audiobook Challenge – 5/100 books
- Backlist Reader Challenge – 4/50 books
- Bookish Resolutions – here are my goals:
- Review all books on goodreads within 1 week of reading them. Yes! Even finishing 5 books this week, I have reviewed them all!
- Keep up with My TBR List each month! Michelle and I have finished our first book and I have the review ready to go. Next book is selected and we have until end of next month… so we’re on track so far.
- Complete all my COYER tasks on time. so far, I’m on track!
- Sunday Post at least once each month.This makes the 4th this month!! Woohoo!
- Set aside minimum 1 hour each week for blogging. I have definitely spent an hour this week.
- 12 books from 12 friends – I shared the graphic in my first Sunday Post of the year but here are the books my friends have picked for me: (I haven’t read any yet)
- Filthy Rich Vampire by Geneva Lee Albin – Currently reading
- The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
- Morning Star by Pierce Brown
- Slay by Brittney Morris
- Pride and Protest by Nikki Payne
- Blacktop Wasteland by SA Cosby
- A Psalm for the WIld-Built by Becky Chambers
- Discipline is Destiny: The Power of Self-Control by Ryan Holiday
- The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky
- What Angels Fear by CS Harris
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
- The Darkening by Sunya Mara
#FitReaders2023
Felicia the Geeky Blogger and Jen @ That’s What I’m Talking About co-host this fitness-oriented group and I’m glad to be part of it for another year.
Goals for 2023:
This year I’m just focusing on habits that make me feel good and may/may not lead to weight loss. And rather than over-arching year long goals, I’ll be updating my goals on a week-by-week basis.
This week: My goal was water and settling into routine. I’d say I did pretty well with this. I drank my 8 glasses of water most days, but at least 6 every day. And my morning routine has been pretty solid, every day but Friday and Saturday.
Next week: I want to continue with my water goal intake and my morning routine. In addition I’m shooting for 2 servings of vegetables minimum daily.
Life is pesky like that – it does not adhere to our rules or schedules lol
As you know, I have insurance drama but at least (so far) billing and payments are not my issue. That’s incredibly stressful!
Karen @For What It’s Worth
You are absolutely right that January is feeling crazy long! I have no idea why, but it feels like it’s never going to end! I think for me, part of it is that I’m just excited about my trips so time is being cruel and slowing down.
Having to deal with any insurance stuff is just draining.
I’ve been better about visiting other blogs this year too. For a while there I just didn’t have enough time or was too tired to do it.
I use Goodreads to keep track of the books that I read so I have been adding the reviews there too.
As busy as you are, I’m surprised you aren’t exhausted all the time! But seriously, if the exhaustion continues, get it checked out. For one thing, adult mono is a thing. (I got it in my mid-fifties.) Also, being hypothyroid can really sap your energy. And I’m sure there are other physical causes. It’s worth looking into, if it doesn’t clear up with getting more sleep.
How was Well Played? I loved Well Met, and I’d like to read the rest of the series. Maybe next time there’s a Series in a Month challenge!
This month has been a busy one, I hear you! I finally have my girl back in school, and then today is a snow day! I had a friend visit and the weather has been awful. So my exercise routine has been non-existent. I need my routine!
Oh wow, snow day! I’m so glad we haven’t had that to contend with! I need routine too – without it, I fall apart lol. I hope this week is smooth (following the snow day!).
There’s always something off with short weeks. For some reason they seem to be double the length of a regular week. I have Penny Reid on my TBR. Her books look like such fun. Have a great week!
Can we just skip January going forward? Maybe February too. Just go from Dec to March. I had to laugh at your comment about not remembering what you did after getting home. So true! Ha. Have a good week.
You read some great books this past week! I was exhausted this week too, short weeks always seem almost longer sometimes! I had a medical bill one year, it was only $300, but I kept putting it off and then I got a letter saying it had been forgiven or paid off or something. It was weird. I hope you are able to get that all figured out. It’s crazy how much that stuff is. I hope you have a good week.
It does feel like a long month. I don’t know if it’s the winter clouds and cold, setting up some things for the new year, or what. In my corporate life, it was that my next vacation day would be Memorial Day because we didn’t get MLK or President’s Day or spring break or any bank holidays off work. There were just the 6 major holidays. You’re doing well with your reading and so many good books and buddy reads. Thanks for the chat last night.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
January is always such a chore! Christmas is over and everything is just dark and blah! Have a wonderful week!
You sound so busy! I hope this coming week goes better for you! It IS the last full week of January (FINALLY), so we’re almost out! Lol
January does always feel like the longest month! Insurance handling is never fun, so I hope that goes smoothly for you. Hope this week will be easier!
Here’s my StS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂