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Melanie Bettinelli's avatar

I'm only tracking books read. 46 books so far this year. My goal is 52 and I will almost certainly pass it.

I've been thinking about the future, though. In five years my youngest will be 16 and the next youngest will be 18. Instead of homeschooling four children I will probably only be schooling 1. So I can almost spy a time when I will be able to really focus on writing with something like concrete goals. Right now I'm just happy when I can snatch a chance to write anything. If a poem comes, I'm happy. If it's just dead words on paper, I have faith that those words are doing some work which will bear fruit in time. But I think my day will come.

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Kortney Garrison's avatar

My youngest will be 16 in five years as well! I didn't know our kids were so close in age! I certainly know that "times are changing" feeling. The almost, not yet.

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Amy Cowen's avatar

Such a fan of projects like this! Kudos on the 50 ... and I'm glad to see you are continuing with this approach.

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Kortney Garrison's avatar

Thank you, Amy! It's been the *just right* combination of motivation, gaming, tracking, and reward.

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Kortney Garrison's avatar

The 1900s! That sounds like so long ago! 😂 Thank you for these tender, happy wishes. So much of what’s good in my life + work finds its inspiration in your life + work 💙

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Melissa Wiley's avatar

Oh happy happy happiest of birthdays to you—birthday month, I suppose? (And here I am writing this after the calendar turns another page) I'm weeks behind on reading my favorite people but I think of you every single day, for there are touches of Kortney all over my studio. A book on the shelf, a poem taped to the wall, an envelope tucked between the pages of a notebook. Do you know, I think I've seen more of your handwriting than any other friend since, gosh, the 1900s? ;)

I love to think of you with your candle glowing & pen scratching as the same sunrise creeps across the sky. From my studio window I can see a line of trees marking the far side of the Columbia shore, so let me fling some good wishes into the sky for you and let the river carry them to your feet. ❤️

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Carol Stanbury's avatar

Awww this really inspired me!

Only tracking books here but my reading life has really blessed me and calmed my soul these difficult years.

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Kortney Garrison's avatar

I love hearing your reflection on reading--not just good stories but blessing and calm. Such a gift!

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fritz7784's avatar

Oof! I don't know that I could even think about *half* my years for a goal... Maybe I could get to 12 like Kooser. ;-)

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Kortney Garrison's avatar

Yeah well another rejection arrived today, so maybe quantity isn’t such a reliable metric 😆

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