Top Ten Tuesday: Changes to my reading habits since I retired over two years ago
1. As a teen librarian I used to read mainly YA titles. Now that I am retired most of my selections are not YA, though I haven't given up them completely.
2. Because I now have some extra time on my hands I have volunteered to be a Cybils Award judge for the past two years and will be participating as a second-round judge again this year. Cybils= Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards. I've been a judge for Junior High/Senior High Nonfiction books. Last year I had to read over 60 titles in less than three months. I learned so much along the way.
3. I listen to fewer audiobooks than I used to because I used to listen to them during my commute to work. Now that I am not commuting I try to listen to audiobooks while I walk the dog but I just don't get through as many books in this format as I used to.
4. I am more likely to not finish books that I don't enjoy than I used to. I guess I don't feel like I have to answer to anyone anymore except myself.
5. I have read a whole lot more board books since retirement and becoming a grandma happened simultaneously. This is pure joy for me, rereading books I read to my daughters when they were little and discovering new gems.
6. I have started several personal challenges.
- Pulitzer Challenge---to read the current Pulitzer Prize winner and to go back and read many of the past winners. Check out my progress here.
- The National Book Award Challenge---to read two of the four winners for each of the past ten years. Here is the finale post about this project.
Other than #2 and #6, you are my doppelgänger! I also find that I actually read LESS in general. Too busy with other things, if you can believe that! I still substitute teacher, and get a lot of reading done then. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading less, too, if you back out the Cybils books.
DeleteIt sounds like retirement has brought all sorts of interesting changes to your life! How lovely.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT.
I am not doing as much in retirement as I thought I would.
DeleteI could have written a blog post with the same title. I still continue to read lots and lots of children's picture books but I also tend to blog a bit more and visit more blogs than I used to do.
ReplyDeleteI think you have chosen an interesting time to look at in your post today.
I like the way you put your list together.
Delete#4 was a hard one for me to learn. I used to feel like I had to finish it if I started. Getting older changes your mind on that, I guess!
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
I usually can't set aside a book easily. Usually they sit unread and unfinished for weeks before I finally admit I don't want to finish them.
DeleteThat's a lot of books to read for the Cybils! I guess you're probably reading a lot of YA during that time period, at least.
ReplyDeleteThis year I am a 2nd round judge so another team of readers will cull down the list and I'll only need to read about 15 titles.
DeleteI definitely listen to most of my audiobooks on my commute. Whenever I have to travel less my audiobooks suffer haha. Great list!
ReplyDeleteI always look forward to long car trips so I can catch up on my audiobook listening.
DeleteI've been kind of informally reading more Pulitzer Prize winners and have found some real gems! I particularly enjoyed Edna Ferber's So Big
ReplyDeleteI want to read SO BIG. I should make it a priority.
DeleteI'm the same way with not finishing a book. If I'm not feeling it I don't force it as much anymore, I'll just move on. Life's too short and all that. :)
ReplyDeleteThe Cybils awards sound great.
Personal challenges are great! Mine has been to take books off my TBR that I'm not going to read and to read the books that have been on there the longest this year.
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying these posts on people's blogs. I need to think about myself as a reader more and see where that takes me.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you're adjusting and enjoying the new approach to reading and your books!
ReplyDeleteSome days I love my job, and some days I can't believe how long I have to wait before I get to retire! I can definitely see how it would affect my reading life in interesting ways.
ReplyDelete37 years really went fast in retrospect.
DeleteI love this, and hooray for reading (re-reading) off your own shelves. That's something I need to get back to next year when the TBR is a bit smaller.
ReplyDeleteMy reading changed as well since I retired in 2015. Children's books have also been added as I now have 3 granddaughters and, yes, less patience for stories that don't hold my interest after a few chapters. There are very few books I've reread, and, I tend to donate my books once I've read them.
ReplyDeleteI delight in Children's books that have recently been published and enjoy rereading the old ones.
Delete60 titles in 3 months?! I love that you still add some YA. It must be wonderful to have the time to read books on your actual shelf. ;)
ReplyDelete