Of all my resolutions for the new year, there's one that I think that I'm most likely to keep--and that's because it's simple, won't require a huge amount effort on my part, and involves one of my favorite past-times.

Are ready for it? Here goes:

I resolve to be more intentional about my reading.

And now you're going, "That's it? That's the big resolution? What does she even mean?"

Well, friends, I'll tell you what I mean.

I love to read. I read all the time. I read while I eat, I read while I'm in the bathroom, I even read while I'm driving if you count books on tape.

And I find myself at the library all the time. The kids require a new supply of books every week, plus the library has lovely toys to play with and couches for moms to sit on. However, I don't have time to just browse through the stacks looking for a whole pile of glorious new books to take home, like I did in the days of my youth. "Browsing" for me now involves a dash to the grownup section with kiddos in tow, a quick perusal of a shelf that looks promising, and a grab of a book that I think maybe I might have heard of once and I hope it's good because I have to get out of here before the kids get too noisy.

Sometimes I find good ones that way, sometimes not. Often I find myself just grabbing chapter books off the kids' shelves at the library because it's easier. And--who am I kidding?--I really do adore kids' lit. At the same time, I'm not sure reading Harry Potter for the 10th time is really growing my brainpower. And I am in serious need of increasing my mental capacity, not turning it further into mush.

So: the need to be intentional in my reading. To plan out in advance what I'd like to read. And take advantage of the library's handy "hold" feature, which means I can go online, request the book I'd like, and have it there waiting for me when I want it. No dashing to the grown-up section required.

Part of this intentional reading thing is made easy for me, because I'm a member of not one, but two book groups, which means I have a great list of books laid out for me, plus accountability to get me to follow through on reading them.

I've also started keeping a post-it on the edge of my computer monitor with a running list of book recommendations. Whenever one of the many blogs I read mentions a book that sounds good, I jot it down on my list. Then, when I'm doing my handy-dandy online library hold thing, I always know what's next on my list.

I also have started a list (I'm big on lists) of books I have completed this year. Because people are always asking me if I've read anything good lately, and even though I know I have, sometimes I just can't remember what I've read (more evidence of that diminished mental capability). This way I'll have it all down in black and white forever.

So, just in case you're curious, here's what I've read so far in 2010:

1. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini.

Here's what I'm currently reading:

2. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert.

Here's what's next on my agenda:
(forgive me, but I'm not taking the time to include links to each of these books. If you're curious about them, you can Google the titles).

3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Shaffer and Burrows

And here's what else I'm planning to read (so far) this year:

4. The Help, Stockett
5. Humble Boy, Jones
6. Columbine, Cullen
7. Angry Conversations with God, Isaacs
8. One or more of the Jeeves books by P.G. Wodehouse
9. Churched, Turner
10. The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie
11. Crazy for God, Schaeffer
12. Founding Brothers, Ellis
13. Welcome to the Departure Lounge, Meg Gederico
14. Precious Bane, Mary Webb
15. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Barbara Kinsolver (already a favorite of mine, but I'll probably read it again)
16. The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, Louise Erdrich
17. The Yiddish Policemen's Union, Michael Chabon
18. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Steig Larsson
19. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, David Sedaris
20. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
21. The Seduction of Water, Carol Goodman
22. The Sound and the Fury, Faulkner
23. Gentlemen of the Road, Michael Chabon

Twenty-three books! That's almost two books a month, and I know there will be more than that on there because one of my book clubs does not yet have all our books for the year figured out. Oh, plus one of those items on my list was a trilogy. An ambitious list for a mom of three kids age 5 and under . Not as ambitious as some--one blogger I read finished 100 last year. I'm sure I have read that many per year in the past, but those darn adult responsibilities do cut into my reading time now. Will I finish? You'll have to check back in a year and see.

Have any of you read some of those on my list? Want to tell me whether they are particularly good or bad and make me even more excited about my year of reading? Or, is there a book that I must simply add to my list? I'll never turn down a recommendation for a good read.