I don’t know what has been going on with me this year. 2026 has not been terrible, actually pretty good in many ways. However, so far this year it has been like I have been toiling away but not getting anywhere.
Let’s try to explain further. This year, I have been working hard but not always feeling the mental rewards of my hard work.
However, today, I felt like I have turned a corner.
Maybe it is because I have finished reading the textbook for the class that I am teaching. That means I could finally add that book towards my Goodreads goal of reading 40 books this year! Which puts me at 12 books so far for the year! I am beginning to believe that 40 books is a doable goal for me.
Maybe it is because yesterday I taught my second to last Prep (CCD) class for the school year!
Maybe it is because I can finally see the end of the tunnel regarding the community college class that I am teaching. I still have things to do for the class, but I am really starting to have less to do in terms of instruction. Now I just need to concentrate on these last two weeks of class and work on finishing up the grading for the term (as well as reminding my students to turn-in their work). My student’s final assignment is not due until the last day of the semester, which is May 13, so I still have a some more time in my semester. But still, I am getting closer to the end.
So, things are good. Also reading the entire children’s literature textbook for my class has given me so many ideas of books to read alongside my children during summer break. Mr. Man and I are reading graphic novels right now by Victoria Jamieson. I am reading Roller Girl, and he just finished When Stars are Scattered today. As soon as I finish Roller Girl, we are going to switch books. It’s nice to sit side by side on the couch and talk about our books.
Last week, the book club that I belong to met and we discussed the hot book of the year :The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. I liked it. I do think that most of the members of my club liked it as well. I sometimes like it when we discuss something that isn’t as mostly well liked. Still, if you read it, let me know what you thought of it.
Next month, we are reading Bread of Angels by Patti Smith or any other memoir. I also started reading One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon as my “fun” book that I look at when I am tempted to doom scroll on the internet. I think it might be fun to have a book that isn’t for class or my book club, but just for me to look at instead of my phone. I hope that One of Our Kind will be that for me. This book choice should feel trendy like Instagram and not require a lot of my brain to enjoy it. After I read it, I would like to read The Compound, a dystopian novel about reality TV by Aisling Rawle which I put on hold the last time I was working in the library.
