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3 October 2010

Sunday Salon - 3 October - taking stock

This week Technorati sent me a link to its State of the Blogosphere in 2010 survey that, among other things made me think about why I blog. They seemed keen to find out whether I regard my blog as a potential source of income, but of course I don't.
[They reminded me also of the US FTC ruling with regard to declaring any goods received (books from publishers) in relation to my blog. I reminded them as an Australian citizen that I was not bound by US taxation laws. Surprisingly, we have our own]

Anyway I do however spend huge amounts of time on my blog.
In September I published 70 posts, so that just gives you some indication of the amount of time I devote to it.
To be quite honest though that was too many blog posts, and I definitely aim to cut back this month, although this is the sixth post for October in only 3 days.

The survey asked me what I enjoyed about blogging, and I selected the options that said the contact with other bloggers, and the comments that people leave - today the comments received total 5100.

The other thing I've been taking stock of is where in particular I am with the challenges I have undertaken for 2010.
I have actually completed a number of challenges already:
Of the remaining challenges:
  • I am currently reading book 100 for the year, so that challenge is done and dusted. From now on the challenge will be to see how many I can total for the whole year.
  • This week I will start listening to my 20th audio book, which was the total I was aiming at, so there is no doubt I'll complete that challenge either.
  • In the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge, I aim to read a book amonth, and this year I have read only 8, so I am a little behind. I need to read 4 more titles this year.  I have scheduled 3: MURDER IN MESOPOTAMIA, THE LABOURS OF HERCULES, WHILE THE LIGHT LASTS, so I think I'll be ok there.
  • I need to take things in hand for the 2010 Global Reading Challenge, where I have 5 books to go. So I have made a list.
    To finish the Global Reading Challenge:
    * CITY OF VEILS, Zoe Ferraris (Saudi Arabia) Kindle
    * HAVANA BLACK, Leonardo Padura (Cuba)
    * BEAT NOT THE BONES, Charlotte Jay (New Guinea)
    * BAIT, Nick Brownlee (Kenya) - Kindle
    * ANARCHY AND OLD DOGS, Colin Cotterill (Laos)
    Hopefully that will get me over the line
  • I've also decided to participate in the Canadian Book Challenge, where I should be reading a book a month, and have fallen a bit behind even though I have books on hand. I can see I'm going to have to resort to a Canadian binge to get back in line.
So now I feel organised.

TBRN (To Be Read Next)
  • now - WYATT, Garry Disher
  • now (on Kindle) - BLACKLANDS, Belinda Bauer
  • then on Kindle - THE LABOURS OF HERCULES, Agatha Christie
  • CITY OF VEILS, Zoe Ferraris (Saudi Arabia, Kindle)
  • next Audio - WHILE THE LIGHT LASTS, Agatha Christie
  • then on Audio - THE SKULL BENEATH THE SKIN, PD James
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10 comments:

  1. kathy d.3 October 2010 at 20:32

    Kerrie,

    Many thanks for your blog and all of the time and thought that you put into it.
    I enjoy it so much. I check it at least once a day, but because of the time difference with the U.S., I know that if I'm up late, I can check the website and know that you've got a new posting.
    I am so glad to see your challenge lists up and all of the other links.
    I have no idea how you do it--all of this blogging, writing, and, of course, reading (and listening to audio books.)
    All of you who do this are superwomen, without a doubt.
    I can only guess that somehow you have figured out the secret of how to live without sleep!
    Best wishes, and look forward to reading every review of the books on your list.
    Best wishes and thanks,
    Kathy D.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kerrie3 October 2010 at 20:42

    And Kathy, it is supporters like yourself who keep me going!
    What are you reading just now?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous3 October 2010 at 22:19

    Kerrie - I must agree with Kathy. Your blog is a real treasure trove, and I never visit without learning something or thinking about something, and that is a good thing. Little wonder I am here every day.

    ReplyDelete
  4. kathy d.3 October 2010 at 22:58

    HI Kerri,
    I just finished "Body Work," by Sara Paretsky; I love V.I. Warshawski.

    And now I'm reading "Thursday Night Widows," for the Latin America book for my "informal" Global Challenge.

    I'm waiting for books from the library and then ordering from Amazon out of frustration.

    I'm purchasing "Roseanna," by Sjowall/Wahloo, a book by Liza Marklund, and possibly the new book by S.J. Rozan, a New York writer, sometime this week at a local (but wonderful) mystery bookstore.

    And I'm going to try to sneak to another library branch, which is far better stocked than mine, sometime this week. So I'll see what I can find.

    And am waiting for a set of movies based on a few books by Ngaio Marsh; this is from the library. I've never read her books but I saw the library has a set of movies so I'm going to see that very soon.

    I finished the Scandinavian challenge but want to keep going as I have more on my list. And I want to read the Malla Nunn book that you, Petrona and RtoR recommended; sounds heavenly.

    So we'll see what I find at the library and if anything is interesting. They tend to have new bestselling mass market books, not always my "cup of tea."

    Thanks for asking. Will blog on later.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dorte H3 October 2010 at 23:30

    I also got that e-mail from Technorati but didn´t read it. I think it is rather offensive that they send emails off globally, reminding us of THEIR tax laws. We have plenty of taxes in Denmark, thank you very much - which is why our books cost three times as much as any book should.

    Sorry for this rant which is not your fault, Kerrie. Have a happy Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
  6. bermudaonion4 October 2010 at 00:53

    Wouldn't it be nice if we could get paid for all the work we put into our blogs? Keep up the good work!

    (By the way, I live in the US and didn't get that Technorati email.)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Kerrie4 October 2010 at 09:26

    Kathy d. - I don't know where to find your blog.

    Bermuda Onion - we could look at it another way - how rich would we be if we put all that time into a paid job?

    ReplyDelete
  8. kathy d.4 October 2010 at 09:55

    Hi Kerrie,

    I don't have a blog, am just an avid mystery reader who loves the blogs which I daily read, follow and heed on book recommendations.

    I would never be able to keep up with a blog in terms of time and energy nor do I have the super-technological skills you all have.

    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gavin5 October 2010 at 09:47

    Kerrie - I love your blog and visit often even though I don't always leave comments. Most of the time I get lost clicking through on one of your links and I alwys end up adding more books to my mystery TBR list.

    ReplyDelete
  10. kathy d.6 October 2010 at 07:14

    Kerrie,

    Thank you for the idea of reading Zoe Ferraris' new book, "City of Veils." I liked her first one and will read this as part of the Asia requirement for my own informal global challenge. Luckily, the library had it.

    And I will look at your other book list for further suggestions.

    Kathy D.

    ReplyDelete

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