Final Thursday 13 for 2024

Colleen at The Thursday 13 holds a weekly blogging prompt where bloggers make a list of 13 things on Thursdays. The topic is for you to choose. The blog host doesn't have any official graphics to display on the Thursday 13 posts, so I decided to whip one up myself. 🙂  

This was my first year participating in The Thursday 13. I did not begin until June and have been going at it since, missing some weeks in September and November. I plan to go at it again next year, as it has been fun. I like how the topic is open for the blogger to choose. Thus there is a variety of topics by different participants. 

As 2024 comes to a close, here are some things from the past year and the coming week. 

1. As I said earlier this month, this year marked 16 years of blogging for me. I still can't believe it's been that long.
2. In one of my first Thursday 13 posts, I listed new authors I discovered. I know I found more than those listed, and hope to find even more in the coming year.
3. Still just cannot comment on the election result, and am not looking forward to next month, let alone the next four years!
4. I began experimenting with writing in unusual formats. I then neglected to finish what I had begun, and keep saying I will get back to it! I just don't know when!
5. I joined the Book Blogging Discussion for the first time, and am planning to join again next year. The sign-up post for 2025 is now live on one of the two hosts' blogs and I intend  to make my sign-up post soon. Looking forward to next year and seeing what other posts about.
6. In August, I shared some bizarre reading categories I came across this year in my various challenges. I've resolved most of them, and am now struggling with two I did not mention then: Translated fiction by a woman published prior to 1980, and "Bought whilst on vacation." I may have to fudge that one a little. I don't know if I'll get those done. If I don't, I will not have finished two of the challenges I did this year. I tried looking for a used book at Goodwill this post week, but nothing has caught my attention as of yet.
7. I didn't get around to watching a lot of Christmas movies on the different streaming services this year. I rewatched a series of movies I had discovered a year or two ago, one from 1995 that I could only find on Youtube, and one new-to-me one I came across on Christmas Eve.
8. I will probably stay home for New Year's Eve next week. I don't even see myself stying up past 9PM, as that has not been the case in the last week. Even before COVID hit, I was going out less and less on NYE. I'm used to it.
9. Deciding what to read during the first  days of the new year. The county library reopens on January 2, but I want to read from home for a while.
10. Once again, joined the April A to Z Blogging event, and am planning on doing it again next year. Will begin coming up with possible themes.
11. Had a great holiday party at work. My white elephant gift was a mini waffle maker. I never had one of these until now, but have not been eager to use it just yet. 
12. A new local bookstore is scheduled to open in my home town next year. I'm so excited for that. We have not had a bookstore in my town for more than 20 years. On a sad note, I also learned that the owner of the previous bookstore has passed away this year. RIP
13. Deciding whether or not to brave the stores on the day after Christmas. I don't know what it'll be like, since today is Boxing Day. And I still barely understand what that really means!

And that's my final Thursday 13 post for 2024. I'm looking forward to doing it again in 2025. Please visit then! And have a great rest of this year.