Saturday, January 2, 2021

So Very Glad (!) to See 2021

 




And 2020 is officially over




I love to start the new year with a bang. Here's my strategy: I start a stack of books during the last weeks of the old year, and then I finish them and review them on the first day of the new year. I finished fifteen books on January 1st. Starting with a bang. 




I've never done this before, and I don't know how it will turn out, but I decided to sign up for several reading challenges this year: Back to the Classics Challenge. Nonfiction Reader Challenge. Japanese Literature Challenge. Books in Translation Reading Challenge. Diversity Reading Challenge. Comment 4 Comment Challenge. For more information about these, take a look here.

Are you doing any of these challenges this year? Are you doing any other challenges?





My dad celebrates his 94th birthday on January 3rd. We, of course, won't be gathering for his birthday this year, but it's fun to remember his 90th birthday when he had to blow out all 90 of the candles on his cake.





Shall we try for a Happier January 2021? Print out your own Action Calender here.




Good Thing #1: 2020 is over.
Good Thing #2: It's a brand new year.
Good Thing #3: I am thankful 2020 is over and it's a brand new year.






I'm happy you found your way to the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place for us to link up, to share what we have been doing during the week, to visit other blogs, and to join in the conversations going on. I encourage everyone to link up and then visit other blogs each week.

Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:

  • What was your week like?
  • Read any good books? Tell us about them.
  • What other bookish things did you do? 
  • What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.


My linkup for Sunday Salon is below.

72 comments:

  1. I have enough challenges with life! But when I look at my book list every year, I realize I probably did a few without knowing it! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have (usually) only worked on perpetual challenges. But this year I decided to try some yearly challenges.

      Delete
  2. How wonderful that you dad has lived to celebrate 94 years. He looked much younger in that 90 years old pic. (Hope you have his longevity gene as well). My parents died at 72 and 69 and my (2) brothers at 62 and 67 so I'm pushing the envelope LOL - Actually my health has been very good so far (fingers crossed).

    I hope those challenges work out for you. I'm trying a few as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My dad looks much younger than 94, people say. He's very active, too.

      Delete
  3. Happy to see 2021 indeed! Good luck with your challenges and a pre-birthday wish to your Dad.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy New Year! Let's hope 2021 lives up to the pressure and hype of not being 2020. I like the challenges you've signed up for and hope you enjoy participating throughout the year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like how you add updates for your challenges to your Sunday Salon. I think I will do the same.

      Delete
  5. Happy Birthday to your dad! I think many of us are happy to see 2020 come to an end. I have high hopes for 2021. I signed up for a bunch of reading challenges and I'm excited to begin them. Hope you have a great week and Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think doing a few challenges will take my mind off this crazy real world.

      Delete
  6. And aren't we all so happy to watch that calendar flip over to a new year? One feels full of hope that it will be a much better year in many ways, even though I know we still have some dark months ahead with the pandemic.

    Happy birthday to your dad and happy New Year to you. There's an exciting year of reading ahead!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the action for kindness calendar! Good way to remember all the positive things that surround us even when things are difficult. I'm sorry you won't be able to celebrate your dad's birthday with him but a happy birthday to him! And, I'm doing several of the challenges you are doing too so looking forward to what you'll be reading.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We ended up going over to his house and social distancing/masking.

      Delete
  8. Happy New Year! Hooray 2020 is over. I'm curious if you liked the new Jane Smiley novel? All the best to you & your family in 2021!

    ReplyDelete
  9. We are very happy to see 2021! Happy birthday to your Dad - what a wonderful video. I hate you won't be able to celebrate his 94th birthday but hopefully with the vaccine he can have all his family with him for 95. Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is scheduled to get his vaccine at the end of this month.

      Delete
  10. 15 books already?! I like your strategy! :) Hoda Kotb's book looks interesting, so I've added it to my Amazon cart (which seems to be bursting at the seams, as I read everyone's Best of 2020 lists).

    I'm not doing any of the challenges you've listed, but I plan to participate in the 20 Books of Summer, RIP, and Nonfiction November, as I did this year. If I can find enough books on my shelves for the Paris in July, I'll join that one, too, but I really want to stick to what I already own.

    Happy birthday to your dad! 94? How wonderful. I hope he's doing well, in spite of the pandemic. I'm sure you wish you could be there to help him celebrate.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is really the first year I've planned some yearly challenges. We'll see how that goes.

      Delete
  11. Happy birthday to your father!

    I like your third good thing. And your first and second. 😉

    I need to check out the Comment 4 Comment challenge. I also need to stop thinking about The Classics Club and just sign up already! I even have most of my list chosen!

    Enjoy your week!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I hope you have a great 2021. Sounds like you got the year off to a good start! Good luck with your challenges. Looks like we are doing the Nonfiction one together. :-)

    Happy Birthday to your dad! Take care, Deb!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tend to read a lot of the same sorts of nonfiction, so I hope to broaden my ideas of nonfiction.

      Delete
  13. Hi Debbie! Love your action plan! I should try that... But I am very proud of myself for actually having a reading goal and my diary and everything done and ready for the new year!

    No, no matching challenges. But I'm still going to see what you are reading and get some tips here and there!

    Have a good week.

    Elza Reads

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there, got your message on my Sunday Post, will send you an email tomorrow! Many thanks Debbie....

      Delete
    2. Wonderful, Mareli. I will look for your email.

      Delete
  14. How fun to start the new year by completing a whole bunch of books. That's a nice way to kick off the new year. :) Happy birthday to your father!

    ReplyDelete
  15. It feels so weird and so good saying 2020 is over. I've got a bit of holiday break and planning to fully use it to recharge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love repetition and I was so looking forward to 2020. It seemed like it was going to be a great year. What a disappointment

      Delete
  16. I’m sorry you won’t be with your father on his birthday.
    I’m sure you will blitz the challenges Deb, and even if you don’t the fun is in the attempt!

    Wishing you a great reading week, and a happy new year

    ReplyDelete
  17. Oh my word - what a way to start the new year, Deb! And I'm awed at your ambitious challenges, though knowing you - you'll nail them! I don't generally bother as I'm very bad at keeping up with them... It is a relief that 2020 is now behind us - have a lovely reading week and perhaps have a chance to relax a bit...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm going to try to keep up with them weekly like Helen does.

      Delete
  18. That is such a neat way to start the year! I am glad that you enjoyed The Salt Path. :) And I have Ten Ways to Hear Snow on our list for February. We are going to do a unit on snow so I thought it would be a good one. :)

    Happy Birthday to your dad!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I haven't joined many challenges in recent years, but did participate in Shelleyrae's Nonfiction Reading Challenge and finished it!

    I used to do the Goodreads Challenge, but I got frustrated by their "counting" methods (Kindle, paperback, hardcover books)...yeah, I am a little obsessive about details.

    Enjoy your week and the New Year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think the Goodreads Challenge has changed quite a bit.

      Delete
  20. Ooh, I love your strategy and may want to borrow it for the next year, if I remember it then. I mean, really - that is smart. Usually I am still trying to finish one more book in the old year but yours is so much better and makes you feel already ahead in the new year. Not that numbers are important, ahem, but but you know?

    I am glad that 2020 is over and 2021 is already looking up over here. Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ten words to hear snow sounds great. I love reading snow books with my son. Including all of Ezra Keatsbooks. Oh, and I love learning that Janet Evanovich has a new series?? I used to read a lot of her books in the day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Janet Evanovich is still the same series. Just a reworked title.

      You should check out the Cybils finalists. So many great kids books.

      Delete
  22. Wow, you did start your year with a bang! Good for you. :-) Yep, I'm finally getting back to doing challenges again. Wishing you another wonderful year of reading!

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm doing a few of those challenges this year, and a few others. Happy Birthday to your dad! 93? WOW, that's awesome! I stole your idea of reading The Yoga Mind for the Nonfiction challenge, it sounds really interesting and useful.

    I hope you and your family have a great 2021!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It will be interesting to see what you think of Yoga Mind, Vicki.

      Delete
  24. Surprisingly I only read 76 books in 2020. I blame it on the lockdown and watching too much TV. Normally we would have travelled in the winter and had time to sit and read. I would also have been wandering the city taking public transit with a book in hand. None of that happened.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Happy Birthday to your father! Wow, 94 is amazing. Love the Happier January calendar - think I will do it, too. I started the year finishing 2 books (started last year) but it sure gave me a sense of accomplishment. Happy 2021!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I printed the calendar out so that I can look at it during my early morning routine.

      Delete
  26. I'm so happy to say goodbye to 2020 as well!
    Thanks for the reading challenge information! I think I'll join the Nonfiction Reader Challenge and the Japanese Literature Challenge.

    Have a wonderful week and a fantastic 2021!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have never done anything with the Japanese Literature Challenge, and I think that will be fun.

      Delete
  27. This is my first time joining in and I hope my post is appropriate. Not all book stuff but it is life and books. Happy birthday to your father. It's a shame you can't visit but it's wonderful he is in good health and enjoying a happy birthday.

    You have some good book challenges here. I have signed up for the historical fiction at Marg's blog and the nonfiction at Shellyrae's blog.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Sunday Salon is completely open. We are happy you joined us.

      Delete
  28. I only ever sign up for one reading challenge, the Goodreads challenge. I put 150 books as my goal again this year. Good luck with your challenges.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'm just so happy to have made it to 2021 and hopefully a new page for the country. Happy reading :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am so ready to close the book on 2020 and start a new page. I am hoping that new, young, innovative leaders emerge in America this year to spark a revitalization of our democracy and our spirit.

      Delete
  30. that is a cool set of challenges; i signed up for a few (again.. and hope to see them through)..
    and happy bday to your dad...
    will check your review of lions of fifth avenue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I keep trying to comment on your post but get blocked as a suspected bot every time...just so as you know I dropped by!

      Delete
    2. I am going to try to add something to my weekly post so I can keep up with them.

      Delete
  31. Happy New Year, Deb! You are off to a great start! I'm trying to be a better book blogger in 2021; I have posted three times in 2021 already, and visited others in the link-up parties. (Nothing compared to your productivity, of course!) But we're only on Day 4 and I was off work for the first three, so I don't know if I can keep up this pace. Back to work today. :(

    ReplyDelete
  32. i like doing the challenges, but i still have to update last years before i get going on this years. hope you have a good year
    sherry @ fundinmental

    ReplyDelete
  33. My resolution re books is to blog more about the ones I have read and to try to get back into the book blogging world!

    ReplyDelete
  34. You asked for the cheddar cheese jalapeno soda bread recipe
    https://thecafesucrefarine.com/cheddar-herb-savory-irish-soda-bread/
    I just add them to it.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I only do the Goodreads challenge. I'm so terribly bad at keeping track of things that are supposed to last a whole year. I finished 3 books on January 1 but only because I stayed up until 1:30 AM to finish one I started early and then read two shorter books. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Oh wow- fifteen books?? Yikes. :) And happy birthday to your dad!!!!!

    Thank goodness the year is over! Have a great Monday :)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Happy birthday to your dad! I'm sorry you can't spend the day with him, though.

    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I've signed up for challenges in the past but I've never followed through. The only one I'm signing up for this year is the discussion post challenge, cause I need more of those.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Enjoyed this post (as always) and will go back and investigate and maybe click on a few things too. LOL
    I feel like we're both off to a good start this year.

    ReplyDelete

I hope you will leave a comment so I know you have visited. If you stop by my blog, I will always stop by yours.

Note: Disqus commenting is only available on the web version of the blog. Please switch to the web version if you are using a mobile device.