2014

Empty Shelf Challenge: December 2014

December 31, 2014 by Abbigail Kriebs Leave a Comment

This is the last post of the #EmptyShelf challenge for 2014. Where did the year go?

The challenge was pretty basic: starting December 23rd, you empty one shelf of a bookcase in your house completely. Hence, “Empty Shelf.” Then, through the entire next year, you fill that shelf with the books that you read. We moved in May of this year, so I haven’t had a shelf set aside since then. Nevertheless, I kept reading and keeping track and posting them here, sans photos of my actual Empty Shelf. I am positive that it would be full by now: I lugged almost all of these 65 books back and forth to the library this year, and there was plenty to fill a shelf or two.

To read what I’ve read this year by month:

January // February // March // April // May // June // July // August // September // October // November

And here is what I read in December:

56. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel – I wrote a full review of this book here. I really enjoyed it, but I do hope that Mandel comes out with a sequel. I want to know the end.
57. Bossypants by Tina Fey – I finally got around to reading this and it was good – classic Tina Fey, a little all over the place, but there were some delightful nuggets of wisdom tucked in here and there. If you like smart, funny women and aren’t afraid of a few swear words, give this a try.
58. Longbourn by Jo Baker – A beautiful read about the servants at Longbourn, the Bennet’s home in Pride & Prejudice. If you are obsessed with Austen, pick this one up.
59. Landline by Rainbow Rowell – I didn’t like this new release from Rowell as much as I did Attachments or Fangirl. It was good, just not great.
60. Locke & Key Volume 6: Alpha & Omega by Joe Hill – This was a disappointing conclusion to the graphic novel series by Stephen King’s son, Joe Hill. I feel like the story drug for the first 5 volumes, and then sped up to a not-so-tidy conclusion. Personal preference, maybe?
61. The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan -This book is a series of fiction and non-fiction essays written by a Yale graduate killed in a car accident less than a week after graduating. Overall, I found her writing mesmerizing, but all the stores were the same: young students doing too many drugs. The title essay, The Opposite of Loneliness is worth a read, though. You can find it online here at the Yale Daily News website.
62. You Deserve to Love Your Job: 20 Big Ideas for Succeeding in the New World of Work by Alexis Grant – This was a great, quick read all about breaking out of the traditional box of work and creating a day-to-day job that you enjoy. Well worth a read for anyone who wants to start a side-hustle or become an entrepreneur.
63. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – This was a beautiful story about two teenagers meeting and falling in love, and making some pretty tough choices. Anyone who likes YA will love it.
64. Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan – A charming, sweet book about a young genius learning how to be part of a family, even in the midst of tragedy.
65. The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell – This book was a tough one to get through. It was too long, and I never say that. There were so many inconsequential details, and the plot didn’t become truly apparent until 2/3 of the way through the book. I felt like Mitchell was trying to be a mix of Dan Brown and James Joyce, and it just didn’t work for me. I want to read Cloud Atlas and see if every book he writes is that way.

I also finished Population: 485 which I started last month. It was a great read – I will be picking up more of Michael Perry’s stuff very soon.

Here’s a list of all 65 books in one spot, with links to each one (I think) is worth reading.

The Verdict

One I’ll Read Over & Over: Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist. It’s one I’ll pick up when I need to be still, to listen to my body and soul more than the world around me.

Book(s) I Stayed Up Too Late Over: Attachments and Eleanor & Park – both by Rainbow Rowell. She has a way of writing where chapter breaks just don’t count. Fangirl just came in the mail, so I’ll be re-reading that one soon.

Book I Wish I Hadn’t Read: Rich Kids of Instagram – Although the concept was fascinating, the book was horrible on so many levels.

What was your favorite (or favorites) that you encountered this year?

Image courtesy of Azrsta on Flickr Creative Commons.

Change Is The Only Constant

November 22, 2014 by Abbigail Kriebs 3 Comments

I am officially labeling 2014 as “the year of change.”

I’ve moved. I’ve changed jobs. I’ve started blogging. And now I’m changing jobs again.

I accepted a new full-time job yesterday, for the second time in the calendar year.

Giving my notice at my current job was hard. It felt a bit like failure. I thought that if I didn’t stick it out, at least for an “acceptable” amount of time, that I was admitting defeat.

But really, I was admitting that I know myself. That I would not flourish in my current environment. That moving on was a better option for me – and, in turn, for the company.

And I don’t think that is what failure looks like.

The fashion industry is not for me. While I find it fascinating, the layers of business and distribution, the forecasting and trickle-down nature of trends, it is not where my passion lies.

And if you are not passionate about something, there is no reason to spend the majority of your waking hours focusing on it.

That’s the lesson I am taking away from this. That I knew it wasn’t working and I took action to make a change. If we don’t take responsibility for living our own lives, who will?

Starting December 15th, I’ll be working at an ad agency in town whose primary clients are in the food industry. Considering how I spend a large portion of my free time, I am positive that this new opportunity is one that will align more fully with my passions and be something I can dive into and enjoy.

Have you made any decisions lately that actively changed your life?

Image courtesy of SomeDriftwood on Flickr Creative Commons.

Empty Shelf Challenge: October

November 4, 2014 by Abbigail Kriebs 2 Comments

I’m really impressed that I have managed to keep track of everything I read this long in the year. I mean, 10 months? Impressive (at least it is to me – I’ve never done any year long challenge before, so I am feeling pretty accomplished at this point).

Here is what I read in October as I continue the #EmptyShelf challenge. It’s pretty basic: starting December 23rd, you empty one shelf of a bookcase in your house completely. Hence, “Empty Shelf.” Then, through the entire next year, you fill that shelf with the books that you read.

To read what I’ve read this year by month:

January // February // March // April // May // June // July // August // September

So… October. It was a blur. I had a work trip the first week of the month, and then my boss went on vacation the next week. I had two photo sessions this month, one that I took and one where photos were taken of me (I got some new head shots done), both of which I hope to share with you soon. We made it through launch week at The Collaboreat, along with our first two Twitter chats, and I started dreaming about new possibilities for the blog and the photo business and my life in general. Now that I’ve written all that out, I’m not so upset with myself for not reading more than I did. It’s all about perspective, huh?

47.) The Protector (The O’Malley Series #4) by Dee Henderson – I continued on with The O’Malley Series, one that I read as a teen. It’s Christian fiction, which is not something I usually read because of the bland characters, but the O’Malleys all have vibrant personalities and cool jobs. It’s fun to re-read these now, just some light fiction for days when my brain needs to rest.

48.) The Healer (The O’Malley Series #5) by Dee Henderson

49.) At Long Odds by Hannah Hooton – I read this on my iPad on a plane this month (the only time I usually read on my iPad). It was a free download and the book was good – entertaining and fun, but very predictable, as most romantic comedy novels are. Still worth a read if you like horse racing and a good plot.

50.) Chasing Charlie by C.M. Newman – Also read this on my iPad on a plane. This book had an engaging plot, but was SO long. So, so long. It needed some major condensing, but overall was one I wanted to keep reading. Fun fact: I had no idea this was Christian fiction until about a third of the way through the book, which I think was it’s crowning glory. The ending felt a bit stilted, a little anti-climatic compared to the rest of the novel.

51.) Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon – It’s probably not a secret anymore that I am a big Austin Kleon fan (he’ll probably be mentioned in a blog soon). You’ve probably seen me tweeting about him in recent weeks, and I finally made it to the top of the list to get “Steal Like an Artist” from the library. I loved it, as I predicted, so I will be purchasing this one as soon as I have book money to spend. I’ve got the follow up, “Show Your Work” sitting on my coffee table now for my next read.

So… what have you been reading as the leaves fall? Share your latest favorite in the comments!

Image courtesy of Mr. TinDC on Flickr Creative Commons.