August 2021 TBR & Goals

Let’s start with something different this time: an excerpt from a poem titled ‘Sunrise in August’ by Jimenez Juan Ramon.

Suns of new dawns against the old walls

Of cities that still are, but that we shall not see!

Illness which departs – having gathered its strength –

Once more upon the road, never to reach its destination!

There are more exclamation points in this poem than I can usually stomach thanks to a persistent eleventh grade English teacher, but the optimism is so infectious that I can overlook it this time. The rest of the poem honestly doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. These opening lines, though, embody the hope that I see lurking just beneath the surface of so many people these days. Whether it is realistic or not, I believe that hope is good and something that should be guarded and kindled.

But what does that have to do with what I want to read and accomplish in August? Aside from having the month’s name in the title, the start of a new month (and for myself and many other students, the start of a new school year) is a convenient time to remember that the sun rises on new opportunities each day, and it rises on everyone regardless of where they are or what they are going through. There are exciting things going on in cities I “shall not see” and there are terrible things going on as well. On a more mundane level, there are adventures in books that I will never read – and that is good! There are also adventures in books that I will read, and I hope that we remember the wonder and possibility of each.

Also, it’s only August 2 and I’m already tired of seeing people quote Taylor Swift’s song august, so I wanted to share something – anything – else featuring the month. This poem seemed perfect when I found it.

August TBR List

• Finish reading these:
  • Americanon: An Unexpected US History in Thirteen Best-Selling Books by Jess McHugh
  • Discernment (The Legacy Chronicles #3) by Lauren Salisbury
  • Disruptive Witness by Alan Noble
• If time permits, also read Wear No Evil by Greta Eagan and one fiction book

Other August Goals

• Post 2 or 3 times per week
• Get a solid start to fall classes
• Send just-because cards to three friends or relatives
• Help with a friend’s surprise birthday party – and complete the birthday gift I’m trying to make ahead of time!
• Start thinking about fall events & outlining basic plans
• Only go out for coffee twice, and don’t eat out for lunch at all

This month’s goals may not be terribly exciting or ambitious, but they are plenty for me! I’m more than halfway through my degree now (or I will be by the end of this week, when my summer classes formally wrap up). It feels like it is flying by and sometimes all I can do is hold on! I’m thankful for the busyness though. I would much rather be busy and productive than calm and bored.

How does August look for you, Reader? Are you looking forward to reading anything specific?

Until the next chapter,

Jana