Thoughtful Ferret Reading Challenge 2020

Back by popular demand, it’s the Thoughtful Ferret Reading Challenge!

I initially did this a little while ago, back in 2017, which simultaneously feels like yesterday and aeons ago. This year I’ve opted for six books on the list. I kept it short to allow more freedom between the challenge, and to avoid any rushing. I think there is a tendency in readers to feel as though the quantity they have read in a period of time is an accomplishment, rather than the quality of book or the quality of time spent in another world. I occasionally (more often than I’d care to admit usually) end up rushing to finish a book for a myriad reasons (usually because I’ve tried to stick myself to a reading schedule and failed), but there’s nothing so sweet as spending as much time as possible with a book, feeling every word and dawdling between the pages, truly indulging. It was with this in mind that I chose the number of books on this year’s reading challenge, along with the categories.

If you are new to the concept of a reading challenge, the idea is to find books within set criteria and read within the set time-frame. I share mine on this blog, although originally also used Instagram, but I have also had people share theirs with me directly.

Without further ado, here is my reading challenge for this year:

For anyone struggling with the image for any reason, here is the challenge in text form:

1. A book published this year
2. A loved one’s favourite book
3. A book by an author most well-known in another field (eg acting, music, politics)
4. A banned book
5. A book you studied in school
6. A translation of  a book not originally written in your first language

(NB can be completed in any order, numbers for aesthetic satisfaction only)

If you would like to join me in the challenge, please feel free to save the image for your convenience, and I would love to know and stay up to date with how you’re doing.

This year I will be trying to update here as I go, rather than doing one long post at the end of the year. I think it’s more fun to follow along this way, and then I can more accurately speak about the books, on the off chance I have anything of interest to say.

An Obligatory New Year’s Post

I had thought that the last couple of years I have written at least a little something here acknowledging the New Year, but upon further inspection, it seems I didn’t bother last year, so I shouldn’t feel as obliged as I do to write something now.

I am not feeling the moment for reflection in this instant, so perhaps this will amount to nothing, but 2019 was such a time that it felt worth acknowledging in some small way. I’m not doing resolutions – I don’t usually, and I did last year and followed very few of them through – at least in the way intended – with the exception of finally reading The Lord Of The Rings trilogy (absolutely kicking myself for not reading it sooner, by the way, and nowhere near as intimidating or dreary as I’d imagined). My only two things that come close to resolutions this year are the following:

1. Remember to take my fucking glasses to work. I have been dreadful with this recently, and I really need to shape up because I’m sick of pushing through the day with a headache, and coming home to nap immediately lest the migraine monster take me.
2. Write more – which is the same every year, and is potentially the inspiration behind writing this now in some way. I have different motives than usual, perhaps; I know I need to write more because I feel that there are several areas of my life that would benefit from some level of therapy/counselling, and as I can’t afford that right now (in terms of time or of money), then I think that penning in a journaling session for certain things at least once a week is a good idea. On the same note, I would like to improve on my honesty regarding emotions, and writing (and potentially sharing some of that writing) seems like one way of going about this.

My hopes for 2020 are simply to go into it with a healing, patient, positive energy. There is a girl I follow on Instagram, and about eight years ago we caused each other a bunch of grief and pain over some miserable dude who didn’t deserve either of us. Since then, we have both grown up a lot, and over the years “liked” each other’s posts on social media etc, but earlier this year, we had a comment conversation about pets on one of her photos. It’s one of those tiny things that made me feel happy, the healing energy surrounding it was wonderful, and it made the weight I carry for some of those bad decisions (I was the “bad” girl in the triangle) feel a lot lighter. Earlier this week, I saw an old friend, another girl who in the past had caused me pain and vice versa, and we briefly messaged on her birthday a few days later. This is the sort of healing energy I would like to move forward with in my life.

2019 was not a write-off of a year, but the second half was definitely a struggle. The first half saw me go to the States for the first time, which was also my first time flying alone. It was an absolutely wonderful trip, seeing people I love very much, and I cannot wait to go back (hopefully this coming year). The other notable things for the rest of the year aren’t quite so wonderful. There was a lot of loss and hardship, and personal struggles affecting more people than me that are not so easy to share. I lost an important friendship, which was an incredibly difficult journey in and of itself and resulted in me moving house to a flat alone, which is more of a positive in terms of self-discovery and my own journey, but also resulted in me losing “custody” of my cats (I got to keep the ferrets, though). I lost my grandfather, which was my first significant loss as an adult, and has been a difficult thing to talk about, in some ways. I also lost my boy, Finnick. Altogether, it seems I have been somewhat careless! I also had the ever-fun twenty-something experience of an unpleasant and confusing break-up. Now, this isn’t a list of reasons to be negative or moan. It is just to acknowledge that this has been a difficult year for me, but each struggle has taught me something about myself, or helped me to grow in some way, or at the very least, given me something to write about in the little book I keep beside my bed.

Anyway, in the spirit of healing energy and moving forward, I had a low-key New Year’s Eve with two of my very close friends (who have shown incredible kindness to me this year, and our relationship is perhaps the shiniest of silver linings to some of the aforementioned rain-clouds). We went out for dinner together, and then took a stroll down to the beach for midnight, and watched the fireworks across the bay (and there’s probably a joke or comment to be made in there about Gatsby and his green light and the American Dream vs plans for next year but I’m too tired to come up with it). The morning of my New Year’s Day was spent in bed finishing Little Women (the book), so that this afternoon I could take my mother (along with my sister and aunt) to see Little Women (the film). We then had pizza at my parents’ house, watched a little bit of the BBC Pride and Prejudice and a little bit of Bridget Jones. So altogether, I am feeling I have successfully started as I intend to go on.

If there is anyone reading this, I do hope that you had a good 2019, but I also hope that your 2020 is better and also filled with whatever positive or healing energy you need. A Happy New Year to you.