2017 #BookishResolutions Update ~ April

I'm once again participating in the Bookish Resolutions Challenge. This challenge is hosted by Michelle @Because Reading and Laura @ Trips Down Imagination Road. For complete details and to sign up, click the graphic above or here. 

**MY GOALS FOR 2017**

I've been moderately successful with the challenge the past 2 years but I think I've come up with some tweaks so that I'll be even more so in 2017. Mostly I'm making my goals more specific and therefore more quantifiable. :)

• Blogging Goals
• Comment back THREE times a week
• Visit TEN blogs a day
• Interact with 3 blog Facebook pages a day
• Link up my challenge posts on the last day of each month (or last day of month quarterly for those updating quarterly)
• Keep track of my progress on my calendar
• Reading Goals
• NO BOOK BUYING without a gift card (that was gifted!)
• Read TWO Netgalley reads per month
• Read (at least) TWO books I already own per month
• Read ONE book from a series I'm behind in per month
• Listen to TWO review books per month
• Read books my kids *need* me to read
• Born to Run (Jax)
• Death with Interruptions (Jax)
• Everything is Illuminated (Sky)
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Jax)
• School of Good and Evil (Berk)
• The Book Thief (Sky)
• The Lightning Thief (Berk)
• Keep track of my progress on my calendar and in my book journal
• Personal Goals
• Exercise FIVE days a week
• Keep a food/exercise journal
• Spend an hour daily writing/editing
• Clean up my Goodreads Shelves!
• Spend ONE day a month on a different hobby - paper crafting or knitting
• Keep track of my progress with writing/editing and crafting on my calendar

***Update***

• Blogging Goals
  Where have I been?? I'm sure you've noticed my absence from the blogosphere lately and I apologize. I've had A LOT going on in my personal life with kids and their decisions, activities, and travel, writing, and I spent 5 days in Texas helping out with my grandma who fell and had to have 6 staples in her head. (that trip had already been planned but fell at a fortuitous time) Needless to say, I've been terrible at visiting y'all as well as commenting back. BUT I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS!! I will get back to all of you, I promise! But I'm in Atlanta this upcoming week for the RT Convention so I'll be absent again for the most part. Follow me on Instagram (@bookworm_brandee), Facebook or Twitter if you're interested in my goings-on...I'll be posting pictures there. :D
  I'm planning on a raffle for mystery boxes of books to show my appreciation for you sticking with me so stay tuned for that. And I *will* be getting back to a somewhat normal schedule when I return...at least for a few weeks. 

• Reading Goals
  I have officially made it FOUR months without having one-clicked a book! (of course I add a few *freebies* to my library) I did purchase my first physical book (using a gift card *wink* but I couldn't help it, y'all. I had to get Dragonfly in Amber after finishing Outlander!) I also read a few more Netgalley reads in April, Losing Control and Taking Control by Jen Frederick. I read (or am reading) two books from series I am behind in - My TBR reads for April, Paradise Road by C.J. Duggan and Changing Tides by Sarah Darlington. I managed to complete two audio review books and am working on a third. (traveling slowed my listening pleasure ;) I finished Your Inescapable Love by Layla Hagen, as well as Undone by John Colapinto. I'm currently listening to What You Need by Lorelei James. I still reading Born to Run from Jax's request list. Yay me! And I'm continuing to use my planner to keep track of these goals and it makes it easier to see what I have on tap. Reading-wise, it was a much slower month due to all my personal obligations, etc.
• Personal Goals
  This is one area I managed to keep on track with in April...at least partially. I've managed to exercise at least 5 days a week (except for while I was in Texas) and I'm continuing to use my fitbit to keep track of food and exercise. It's been enormously helpful since it's essentially done for me. I love that I can add in my food during the day to keep track of calories. And...I don't want to sound like I'm bragging but...I've lost 18 pounds! :D This means I've pretty much hit my goal weight-wise. I just need to keep on track to maintain. :)
  I spent ZERO time working at cleaning up my Goodreads shelves but I have spent time writing/editing. I didn't get to *THE END* but I'm close, y'all. So close! Writing, of course, has taken even more time away from blogging but I SERIOUSLY want to finish my book... So #sorrynotsorry.
  I DIDN'T manage any time for other hobbies in April...grrr! It's just been a rough month! Hopefully May will be marginally better but with two of my kids leaving for the summer, I'm not holding my breath.  

So that's my update. How are y'all doing with your challenges?