Month: January 2025

Daily Journal: January 26, 2025

As I finish up another week of reading, number 34 of the current year, I can help but see some glimmers of hope for the final stretch of the year. I mean, when the total for the week is 1,938 pages, and you are running on 4 straight days of 300 or more pages, there’s no way not to feel excited .

What can I say, my motivation and inspiration are going thru the roof.

As you might recall ,on the past few post, my main focus has been to return to reading form, and the best way for me to do that, is to challenge myself to hit certain milestones to get the not so impressive numbers of this dwindling year to a decent amount, at least enough so I can regroup and intensify my strategies for the remaining years.

As always, and it’s beside me why I don’t stick to the formula, the combination of reading graphic novels and books are proving to be the most effective combination to keep things rolling and more importantly adding up pages to the rachitic coffers of this year’s total.

For today’s reading, and the reason in over 300 pages, I dove into another story of the incredibly interesting universe of the famous video game Assassin’s Creed, in the Fall and The Chain, you follow the exploits of assassin Nikolai Orelov as he navigates 19th-century Russia, and a deep plot involving the Tsar and Templar.

To continue the journey, my next read will be the series, Origins, set in Ancient Egypt and the creation of the Assassin Brotherhood, just by the setting, I’m so eager to jump right into it.

The final story that accompanied me was the second story arc of Frankenstein, but the one that shares a universe with my all time favorite comic book character Hellboy. In this mini series, the Adam is living in exile inside the Hollow Earth , this of course after surviving the Ragnarok, his relative peaceful existence is shattered when a little girl seeks his advice after receiving a new darkness brewing. There’s not much to say, Mike Mignola + Frankenstein = One very happy Azriel.

There’s nobody like Mr. Mignola to take all this elements and recombine them into a coherent mythos. That man is literally the definition of taking something and making it yours.

As you can see, I had an intense day of reading, and just to make a quick recap here are the current status of my 4 challenges

  • 10-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (Completed)
  • 5-day gold reading streak, at 300 pages per day (4 day streak)
  • 4 week reading streak, at least 1,253 pages per week ( 2 week streak)
  • 100-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (17 day streak)

Everything is going forward to much of my delight, tomorrow, I’ll return to what became my traditional “Magic Monday” or officially known as the Numbers post, where I’ll update the broader scope or my reading project

For now, I’m off to read

Azriel

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Daily Journal: January 25, 2024

Another amazing day of reading, not only did I surpassed the 300-page mark, but I also reach the weekly quota. My total for the week right now stands at 1,612 pages, that’s 359 more pages than the weekly goal, and with a lazy Sunday still ahead of me, this week will end up being the best so far this year.

Again, my numbers surge when I start combining some reading sessions of manga with the current book that I’m reading, in this case, Long Live Evil. I don’t know how this perfect balance slips my mind.

Today, I started another manga series to keep this habit and reading scheme going, Priest, is a manhwa or Korean comic book created by Hyung Min-Woo about the fallen priest Ivan Isaacs who sells his soul to the demon Belial in order to fight the forces of evil. The story fuses elements of Western, Dark Fantasy and Horror. The first volume introduces us to some of the inner turmoil of Ivan and the deadly task of facing the 12 fallen archangels.

I’m feeling really confident, even a little bit cocky. With only 130 days left on my reading year, I’m starting to get the crazy idea of aiming to finish the year in style, with all the remaining days without a single one under 179 pages. You know me, I love a good challenge.

With the Bookly Readathon approaching and the year total being in the lower part of the 20,000-page, the idea of finishing with the 179-page a day streak seems more like a necessity rather than a optional approach for closing out the year.

But as I have been doing this passed month and my personal mantra “one page at a time “ , the best approach is to take it one step at a time, and surely, I will be celebrating my next birthday with a 40,000+ page year in the books .

Below, you can see the latest status of my challenges

  • 10-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (Completed)
  • 5-day gold reading streak, at 300 pages per day (3 day streak)
  • 4 week reading streak, at least 1,253 pages per week ( 2 week streak)
  • 100-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (16 day streak)

As you can see everything is well under way, in fact, the reward for the first challenge finished is already in my hands, you may wonder what it is, without any further ado.

The first volume of the Horus Heresy, this seminal series will be become the year-long challenge for the eighteenth year of my project, I’m so excited that the first piece is already in my hands , and I’m more than eager to start my journey in the Grimdark

Off to read

Azriel

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Daily Journal: January 23, 2025

I’m so glad to be writing to inform you , my beloved readers, that my reading has been not faulted or taking any miss steps for the past two weeks.

As I write this, not only did I cross the 179-page mark, taking up the streak to 14 days, but I also started on the path of the final challenge not yet active, the 5-day gold reading streak, and with the weekend fast approaching, I don’t see any inconvenience for that to reach day number 4 by the afternoon of the lazy Sunday that’s ahead of me.

The other challenge that’s looking promising for is the 4-week reading streak, there’s only 335 pages standing between me and the second week in a row of hitting the weekly quota. In order to achieve that the easiest way , and one of the most entertaining, is to get knee deep into a new manga series.

The turn this time is one I have been eyeing for a while, Assassin’s Creed : Dynasty. Set in the year 755 d.C. follows the attempts of Li E, an assassin trained by The Hidden Ones and his quest to turn the tide and save the Tang dynasty from complete obliteration.

As always, this quick and fun read keeps me motivated, and most of all, keep those pages adding up without me even realizing it. what I was lacking the most was this balance between pure adulterating fun and more dense and deep reads.

With things keeping this trajectory, I will be crossing the finish line of the hardest challenge, the 100-day reading streak, by April 19, and what a prize that will be.

A quick recap of the reading challenges

  • 10-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (Completed)
  • 5-day gold reading streak, at 300 pages per day (1 day streak)
  • 4 week reading streak, at least 1,253 pages per week ( 1 week streak)
  • 100-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (14 day streak)

The other thing that I’m excited about is the beginning of the Bookly Readathon, officially called “Page One”, starting in exactly 5 days and 18 hours. Call me crazy, but in order to really make it a challenge, I would love to hit the top tier of hours read, That would mean that I should read at least 45 hours to call myself a “Chapter Champion” with all the pride in the world.

What do you think? Do you think I’m up for the challenge?

For now, I’m off to read

Azriel

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Daily Journal: January 19,2025

Back on January 11, I decided to spicy things up with a few reading challenges to get this year out of the slump. Well I’m glad to inform that the first challenge has been achieved.

For the past 10 days, I have hit the mark of at least reading 179 pages per day, even better than that, my average has been around 215 pages per day. Thanks to that, another of the challenges has hit its first mark. The 4-week challenge of reading 1,253 pages per week. Things are starting to have the forward momentum that gives me hope that the coveted 1,000,000 pages at the end of the road, will be achieved.

I also mentioned that as a motivation tool, after each challenge completed I will reward myself with a prize, more books of course, for now I’ll keep the suspense until I get the first prize physically in my hands.

Just a quick recap of the challenges :

  • 10-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (Completed)
  • 5-day gold reading streak, at 300 pages per day (Not started)
  • 4 week reading streak, at least 1,253 pages per week (1 week streak)
  • 100-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day (10 day streak)

To add to this progress, I will also be participating on the Bookly App first Readathon of the year. Taking place from January 30 to February 9.

Although the app focuses more on the time spent reading, it is a great way to get those pages rolling.

This time, as they often do , there’s levels according to how much time you read. As always, being the greedy reader that i am , I would love to aim for “Chapter Champion” level , more than 45 hours logged in.

The other cool thing about the Readathon is the prompts, themes or characteristics of the books you are reading,. This I believe always have motivated me to read outside of my comfort zone, a thing I have been doing more often this past few months.

The particular prompt that I think that tackling first will be a great motivator should be ‘A book You’ve Started but Never Finished” there are quite a few on my TBR pile.

To close out the day of reading , I think I’ll try to get the last of challenges started, 5 gold days of reading, let’s see how the rest of the night plays out

Off to read

Azriel

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Daily Journal: January 15,2025

Things have being picking up on my reading. Yesterday I didn’t post because the choice was to read and keep the streak alive, now on its sixth consecutive day. I

made the decision of skipping my daily post in order to focus on what brings me here in the first place, journeying thru infinite worlds and stories that would bring me closer to my coveted goal of reading 1,000,000 million pages before my 50th birthday, which, by the way is only 2,334 days away.

Some noteworthy things to point out is that I have reached the 20,000-page mark for this year of reading, a little behind from where I would like to be, but nothing that some intense reading session, including a Readathon on the Bookly app, but more of that shortly.

The other thing is that yesterday, I started a couple of new adventures. Firstly a new manga series, Laughing Under the Clouds, in my trustworthy Kindle Unlimited subscription. Following brothers Tenka, Soramaru and Chutaro Kumo and their endeavor to catch and lead prisoners to the infamous island prison built in the middle of a lake they soon find out that their destiny is far more complex. Samurai, ancient curses, and Serpent Gods, what more can you ask for in a series

The other is the first book of Time of Iron, Long Live Evil by Irish Author Sarah Rees Brennan, the premise is killer, What if you could walk into your favorite book? . This book is from a genre I’m beginning to explore, but if this is testament of what’s to come, I’m in for a killer ride.

In all, things are progressing very well, let’s hope that by the end of the week the 10-day streak is achieved, I can start the 5 gold day streak and the 4 week streak. Lots of reading and scheming.

Off to read

Azriel

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Daily Journal: January 13, 2024

Things keep on going onward. With a little over an hour to go on the day, I’m almost done with the daily reading goal.

This will mark the fourth consecutive day that I reach the goal, almost at the middle of the 10-day reading streak, I wonder what will be the prize will be at the end of the challenge, guess we’ll find out together.

Hopefully,  this will set up the beginning of the 4-week reading streak and push me forward with the biggest challenge of the year 100 straight days of meeting my goal.

I’ll better get back to the books, I’m not sure how much longer my eyes will hold.

Off to read

Azriel

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Daily Journal: January 12,2025

The third day in a row that once again, I get past my daily reading goal, I’m pretty sure that this type results will become the norm for the rest of the the journey of this year of reading. The current number for today is 203, and I know that one more short reading session before the night is done is in order to try and start the 5-day gold reading streak and the chasing of those mysterious prizes

Not sure that my eyes will agree with the idea, but I’ll give it a go anyway. For this task I’ll recruit the help of the apprentice Witch Coco from to the extremely cute manga Witch Hat Atelier.

Until today, and I can’t recall why, I finally got around reading the first Volume of the series, which has been on my lend list from Kindle for around six months, and to be honest, I was missing some great artwork and story.

I think it was probably a hangover of reading manga during last year’s final stretch so profusely, that I purposely avoid them. But I think that’s way overdue to start some pending series, actually, this is Exactly that kind of light quick reading that will get me back on track with my goals.

Later on the week, now that I mention goals, I’ll write the first Numbers post in a while, there, I will have the whole run down of how things are progressing.

The good news is that the first streak I’m chasing, the 10-day reading streak of at least 179 pages is already on its way. My hope was to start the 4 week streak, but I fell short. But things are finally starting to be more consistent, it only a matter of time to get back on track.

For now

Off to read

Azriel

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Daily Journal: January 11, 2025

For the second day in a row, I have achieved my daily total of pages, I feat not that common in this year of reading. To put it mildly, consistency has not been the common denominator in the past few months, but thankfully, that’s beginning to be a thing of the past.

Today the main reason I could achieve this goal was a graphic from one of my favorite artists/characters combo. On this particular story the Scottish artist Jock takes Batman on a journey to reach Blackgate prison on thru the treacherous streets of Gotham, that not only are infested by a turf war between street gangs but also with the deadly villain EMP and the familiar Killer Croc, the behemoth adversary that roams the underground of the city, all of this while the lights of the city have gone out.

A bloody and almost broken Batman must fight for his survival one city block at a time. As always the fuzzy and dynamic penmanship of Jock fits perfectly with the dark persona of Gotham’s Dark Knight.

This new momentum has inspired me to create some new reading challenges to boost up my total numbers for the year. Of course, to spicy things up, I’m attaching a prize for myself when each of the mini challenges are achieved. I’ll start with the following four challenges, this until I scheme some new ones.

  • 10-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day
  • 5-day gold reading streak, at 300 pages per day
  • 4 week reading streak, at least 1,253 pages per week
  • 100-day reading streak, at least 179 pages per day

This will help me get things back on track, and achieve another successful year. As you can see there’s a lot of reading to do, and with that in mind

Off to read

azriel

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Daily Journal: January 10, 2025

Today, that’s the approach for this period of my reading.

I have fallen a little behind my reading, nothing catastrophic , but my intention is to get back on track, taking that exact approach. Focus on today.

My current goal for each day, in order to reach my coveted goal, is 179 daily pages. This year ,that number has decreased to 98 pages per day. Still a solid number, but not enough to get me across the finish line.

Luckily ,over the Christmas holiday, I received a batch of books that are slowly taking me out of my slump , and the past few days that number has increased exponentially.

With that in mind, my immediate goal is to cross the 20,000 page line for this year over the weekend, and more importantly restart the streak of the weekly goal, which is 1,253 pages, to carry it until the end of the year of reading, the last 20 weeks of the year are going to be really interesting.

But for now, I’ll focus on today, and those 179 pages that will get me closer to the million pages goal.

Off to read

Azriel

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The Road that shouldn’t be abandoned

Almost half a year ago, as I have done on several occasions, I abandoned the idea of sharing my progress thru my journey of trying to read 1,000,000 million pages by my 50th birthday.

Has the due date gets neared, I find myself in the crossroads of continuing to do it without any kind of outlet, or, as I did for several years, capture particular moments on this digital journal for anyone that wants to share my experience can do so.

Well, my dear readers, I’m glad to inform you that I choose the latter.

I will be returning to much of the sections, that you can see on my About page. Also, returning to some of the previous formats of entries, like my daily journal, the numbers report for each week, and so much more fun ways that I unfold this journey.

For the current year, number 18 of the journey, my plan is to at least reach the next milestone, 600,000 total pages. With 149 days left in the reading year, it’s quite the challenge, but really doable.

For the next year, I plan to jump in totally into the massive Sci-Fi saga set in the Warhammer universe. I’m of course talking about the massive story of The Horus Heresy, expanding over 64 volumes of pure outer space deceit. I’m really excited to jump into such an expansive universe.

To get you back on the loop here are some quick numbers:

Pages to reach 600,000: 36,016 pages

Total pages for (Y-18): 19,512 pages

Days left until my 50th birthday: 2,340 days

Much work ahead of me, but it’s good to be back

Off to read

Azriel

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