Well here we are, January, and I'm already behind.
I had such great intentions this year to stay on top of writing up my reviews. I could picture it all. As soon as I finished a book I was going to run over to the computer and type up my review while it was all nice and fresh in my mind. Yup, this year it was going to be so easy. It was all so clear in my mind and so very simple.
So, here I sit in front of my computer, the books I've read so far this year piled up beside me and half of one review written up. 
Where did I go wrong? I seem to recall several occasions when I sat down at my computer with the specific purpose of writing up a review and yet, somehow, I have pretty much nothing to show for it. In my defense, I started the year off being somewhat busy at work catching up after my week off over the holidays and I had to put in some late nights to do it. And then there's the bug I caught that pretty much laid me up for several days that I still haven't managed to shake. Oh, and lets not forget my company's Winter party last Saturday at Le Chateau Montebello. We flew out on Friday at noon and didn't get back until Sunday night so that was last weekend shot. Plus there was the shopping to look for an outfit to wear to the party. Then this last week, I've had to spend my time on the computer trying to "make friends" with the new community and figure out how everything works now. Who knew there were so many interesting forums?
But that's it. It's time to buckle down and get those reviews written so that I can get caught up and then, from here on out, I'll be able to stay on track. No problem. I'll just stick with the original plan of writing up the reviews right away and that way I won't have to worry about another backlog of unblogged books. Yup, this is it. I'm all ready now. I've got all the books right here, ready to write up my reviews. Excellent! We're good to go from here on.
Hmm... Maybe I'll just take a quick peak at the forums to see if anyone has posted anything interesting and then I'll get to typing up my reviews. Really. 
it's so easy...
to get distracted by all the new stuff, isn't it??? I'm on top of my blogging/book reviews here but behind on my Kwips reviews thanks to all the playing here. I have to buckle down this weekend. That is my new mantra!!
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
Oh my heart goes out to you both!!
It's is so blamed easy to lose the impetus to quick reviewing!
Karen, it sounds as though you definitely had your plate more than just a bit full for the last couple of weeks ~ not hard at all to see why the falling behind happened.
And darn, but the forums are fun! And so easy to get hooked onto as well.
Debi, talk about double jeopardy! Two sets of reviews to do would probably wipe me out... you're my hero.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
kalyko ~ Reading: One of life's little joys and a much needed reward!
Hi Karen
I blogged about this
Post-its
Jot
down your impressions straight away, stick it in the book and then when
you're beside the computer, open your blog doc BEFORE you open your
browser - opening the browser can be your payback for bringing your
blog doc up to date
That's how come I've already blogged 35 books and have another seven waiting
but don't tell DH
Hugs
Sadhbh
Dream Team 2008 Challenge blogs
So true
Hi Debi. You are absolutely right. It is so easy to be distracted. There are so many new things to look at and figure out now. And I have to agree with Kathy. I have no idea how you can keep up with two sets of reviews. I have a hard enough time with one.
Thanks Kathy
. It has been rather hectic lately but I'm hoping that things will be settling down now. Can you believe that I've only read 5 books so far this year. Just goes to show you what my life has been like lately. I've never really explored the forums at all before. There are lots of interesting things there. I've only been lurking so far but one of these days I'll get up the nerve to post. 
Hi Sadhbh
I thought of the Post-its. I even bought some of the large ones with lines on them specifically for that. So far, I haven't actually tried it yet though.
I thought of not letting myself read another book until the last one was written up but you know I just don't have that kind of willpower
. Not opening the browser until the reviews are up to date sounds like a good idea. Maybe I'll have to give that a try.
I'm hoping that now that I'm starting to feel better and I'm able to actually focus on things (my brain was feeling rather muddled there for a while) that I'll be able to get back into the swing of things. Here's hoping anyway.
Karen ........
I don't know what the balance is for writing up reviews ..... in 2006 I did my reviews directly in my Challenge blog, though in those blogs we had the option to save the entry as a "draft" ..... so I could sort of write them in parts ... but I also found I'd get writers block and not know how to describe a book and often my books to be blogged pile got to be about 8 or 9 books
so last year, joining a Team, I decided to write up my reviews in a Word doc first, and then post it when I was ready .... I often read books that are related, and I wanted to be able to post them either together or one right after the other without effecting my team mates .... plus I thought I'd discipline myself by setting a rule, no new book until the one finished is written up
in 2006 I read 230 books ..... in 2007 I read 170 .... ummmm, following the rule of writing up a review before starting a new book made my reviews more detailed (longer) as they were fresher .... but that waiting time to get my over any "review writers block" really hindered by reading time ...... I read 60 books less!
so I don't know how I should be doing my reviews .... immdediately while their fresh and I can do proper justice to the book ..... or after I've read a few so as not to slow down my reading pace ...... decisions, decisions!
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
reviews...
writing two sets of reviews is NOT easy! I'm a bit behind now on the Kwips reviews so that will cut into my reading time this weekend as I'm going to get them done. I've had a nasty, lingering cold that leaves me tired so I'm not sitting at the computer as much (just in short spurts mainly which doesn't work for writing longer reviews).
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
It's hard to find a balance.
Hi Katherine. Wow! I know I really wouldn't have the discipline to follow through with not reading another book until I'd blogged the last one. That's impressive. It doesn't surprise me that you read 60 fewer books when you did that. I would probably have my numbers cut even more. Last year (my first year blogging) I read approx. 50 fewer books than the year before and I think that part of the reason for that was because I was spending time writing up my reviews and reading other people's blogs. I hear you about doing things differently because of being on a team. It helped me somewhat last year because, being on a team, I didn't want to get too far behind (plus, when I did, I'd have one of them commenting on the fact that I hadn't posted in a while
).
Debi, I think I have the same cold. I've had it for almost 2 weeks now and I'm still coughing and I feel like I have no energy. Not fun at all.
Hope you feel better Karen...
mine has only been here just at a day over a week so I'm PAST sympathetic about yours lasting two weeks. UGH!
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
Hi Karen, Just noticed you
Hi Karen, Just noticed you were back...nice to see your doing the challenge again this year! Did Rachel & Michaela come back as well?
Your not alone on being behind...i still am no where near being caught up this year and i have a feeling i'll be like this all year. So many things on my plate to keep me busier this year....but at least with this new site, it's easier to take time off...i like that.
Kathy D
Thanks
Thanks Debi. I happy to say that I'm feeling much better than last week. Now it's moved more into the annoying category
. Apparently, the virus that is going around here is a rather long lasting one. My friend was just telling me about it yesterday. You think you are getting better but still feel dragged out and then you start to feel sick again. Apparently this goes on for several weeks. Yay 
. I'm really hoping that this isn't what you've got.
Hi Kathy. Yup, I'm here
. I haven't been around much yet. The day the new site came on line, I was actually home sick. I came on and looked around for a bit but I just haven't really felt up to too much lately. But hopefully I'm over the worst of everything (cold and busyness) and can get back to playing. 
BTW, those puppies look soooo cute.
long lasting...
I hope that isn't what I have either, Karen! But I felt great all day today and then woke up coughing like a maniac again.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies 2008 Challenge
Cough
Yup. Coughing is how I start every morning and end my day. Very annoying. At least I'm feeling somewhat normal during the day. Just drained of energy. I don't get sick very often but when I do, it's almost alway the worst of what's going around.
Hi there
Hope you're feeling better and up to blogging a few of those books in. Just might be something I need to know about. Just kidding I have enough books to last me through next year. I would get more reading in but I've been reading so many interesting posts on these boards. Anyway, glad you're here and hope to hear more from you soon.
The D2K Paranormal Junkies ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Lots to Commiserate About Here!
After waking up after a long night of coughing, and battling a smashing headache as a result, I offer my sympathies to you and Deb. Karen, there is a lot of great advice here, offered by yourself as well as fellow challengers, to keep us all up-to-date. You were the one last year when I came to you with similar concerns, who told me to put a sticky note in the back of the books I take along on my trips so that by the time I returned and was ready to blog them, I would not have lost the flavour of the stories and my feelings about them. I have found that works quite well. I will confess my current sin for 2008 ... I have a small stack of books beside my computer, and only one of them contains the blessed sticky note reminding me what I want to write about! Oh well, we all know what they say about good intentions ... I will catch up with these posts, and do my best to keep on track moving forward.
LOL
Thanks Deb. Now that my head is clearer, I'm going to have to buckle down and write up those reviews. And I'm with you. I've got enough books I want to read to keep me busy for a good, long time too but I've always got my eyes open for something else that sounds good. I wouldn't want to miss anything.
Michaela, I hope you feel better soon. It seems like almost no one has managed to avoid getting sick. As for the post it note, I'm very good at giving advice, just not always so good at following it.
Kathy D, I'm sorry. I just realized that I ignored your question. As you can see, Michaela is back and is taking part in the challenge. Rachel, on the other hand, has decided to take a hiatus from blogging. She says that she still plans on visiting and, who knows, now that the challenge is set up so that you can join anytime during the year, maybe she'll decide later to start again.
Sounds like there are alot
Sounds like there are alot of germs floating around this blog! (making sure my mouth and nose covered by thick cloth)
Hi Michaela! Nice to see you back!
Karen, I can recall reading that one of your team members may not be coming back, but i couldn't remember which one, and if it was for sure or not. I'm glad Rachel still plans to poke her head in once and a while. And thank-you, i'm a sucker for puppies, or any baby animals for that matter. I can't wait to bring her home! But, then the work begins with training, and these dogs are supposedly known for being more difficult to train...so hopefully we are lucky.
Kathy D