"From now on, I am going to limit myself to only reading two books at a time! No more of this three-or-four-books-simultaneously thing. I am overwhelmed!"*
And Matt said yeah right. He pointed out that one of my "only two" book slots is currently being taken up by my slowly attempting to read "Harry Potter" in Spanish. He said he believed me for right this second, but that the second I realized that I had two book club books to read in a week's time, I'd freak out and start reading both at the same time regardless of how many other books I had going.
Not book club picks. Just for fun. :)
And then came the question: "Just how many book clubs ARE you in?!"
Um. A lot.
See, when I found out we were moving, I joined several different book clubs on Meetup. I made a lot of good friends in my book club in Texas, and I figured it was a good way to meet like-minded people. Of the three I signed up for, two of them ended up being a good fit. And then I'm also in … two online-only book clubs. And I occasionally participate in a podcast-based book discussion group. I know it's a problem, but I just love getting book recommendations and reading new things and talking about them!
(Once upon a time in middle school, I actually believed it was possible to read every book in the world and I wanted to do that. I now realize that's ridiculous and impossible, but a little part of me still harbors that irrational fantasy.)
So yeah. I'm a little overwhelmed. I had to create a Stickies note on my computer desktop so I can keep track of what book is coming up next among all these groups. But I'm starting to feel less guilt about putting books down when I'm not enjoying them, because there are just too many other things to read.
Are you in a book club? What is your favorite thing about it? How many is too many, in your opinion? What things did you believe were possible when you were a kid?
*I later clarified that audiobooks do not count in my tally. Because I listen to them in the car on the way to and from work**, and that doesn't overwhelm me at all.
**Oh, right, I got a job! One that's actually kind of in my field! I had someone tell me there were no marketing jobs in this area and that I may as well go back to school and get another degree, so suck on that, snotty girl in the third book club that I didn't end up sticking with!