I’ve been struggling to read this year.

I don’t know why but ever since the beginning of this year, my reading has slowed down drastically. I set myself a target to read 80 books this year but already, I’m way behind.

However part of me isn’t too concerned because in its place, I’ve been knitting a lot more plus I’ve been writing. So methinks it’s because I’ve simply replaced it with other activities.

On a positive side, my phone tells me every week that I’ve reduced screen time for social media, it’s because I’m using the phone a lot more for writing. I use the Jetpack app which is integrated into my WordPress blog so it makes it easier to just tap out a daily entry.

Currently I’m reading a novel called Once Upon a River which is on the Kindle.

It’s not a bad book albeit a bit slow but it’s what I read in bed just before sleep overtakes me.

I’m also reading Australian sociologist, Hugh Mackay’s new book called The Kindness Revolution: How We Can Restore Hope, Rebuild Trust and Inspire Optimism.

It’s not a bad read but I do wonder why we have to revisit the very values we deem human such as respect, trust, community and co-operation in this book. I’m reading it and thinking, “yes, and?” Have we strayed so far as a society that these are now considered new and novel?

Aren’t they meant to just be known?

Isn’t this how we should already behave?

I’ve had to borrow the book from the library a couple of tinrs because I’m not reading quick enough however, I hope to finish it over the next few days and then do a review on it.

Let’s see how I go.

Here’s a tweet I found in my timeline from 10 years ago on 22 acts of random kindness I tweeted.

10 years ago. Wow. Imagine I went back in time to meet my 2012 me to tell her that:

• She has a young nephew
• She lost two beautiful cats to old age but gained a new one whom she loves and adores
• She would have left the corporate world
• She would have started her own consulting business which subsequently failed (because she was too early)
• Travelled to Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Germany, USA, Hawaii, UK and Singapore
• Lost her best friend to ovarian cancer
• Managed to run 10km without stopping
• Pandemic would have ripped through the world; world closest to WW3 than its ever been
• Been under an ultra conservative right wing, populist government for all of it
• News of Australia’s worst bush fires and worst floods ever to happen in her life time; gone through 2 earthquakes
• She stayed inside the house for 263 days
• Co-wrote two books
• Acted and shot a short film screened at the local cinema
• She learned a new language to fluency
• Her knitting has vastly improved
• She got the fence finally fixed no thanks to that annoying neighbour