Reading

Saturday, March 1

I am not sure at what point in my life I became an avid

reader. I vaguely remember Dad and Mom reading but not very much. I know when they were older they did read more but I don't remember them sitting and reading a book at all when I was growing up. My siblings all read, quite a bit I think, so we must have gotten it from somewhere. Or, a favorite saying in psych, "we didn't lick it up from the floor"-it came from somewhere. And I am happy that both of my kids read as much as they do.

I hesitated to use the word "avid" as I know there are people who read far more than I do but I also know there are many more who read far less and I practically cry when I see or read anything about illiteracy. I think I probably read books between one and two hours a day but there are newspapers and magazine in between and so much to read on the internet.

I finished the Janet Evanovich book yesterday and went to my book shelf (above) to look for something new to read. When I retired I decided that I was going to read everything I had before I bought any new books. That didn't work at all but I have managed to keep it under much better control and only have about 17 books waiting. Some of them have been there a long time but I have weeded a number of them out and passed them along to my sister and niece. Going into a book store is comparable to going into a yarn store for me. I always end up buying great things that I just don't need.

In the meantime, newspapers pile up also. I have read the Daily News everyday for years but when I travel I always look for a New York Times. I have subscribed, unsubscribed, resubscribed to it so many times I can't tell you how many. It isn't that I don't love to read it, it is just that it piles higher and higher when it gets delivered everyday and, like any newspaper, I won't throw it out until I have read it. So now I just get it on the weekend and I buy it on Tuesday for the Science Times. Certainly seems manageable, as you can probably tell from this pile on the kitchen table.

Then in the basement there is this pile of magazines and catalogues waiting for me to read them while I am on the treadmill.

I feel sorry for people who don't read. It is such a great look outside of ourselves as well as a great escape. I have a very dear friend who has books piled all over his living room and bedroom, not a work of fiction in sight. "Why would anyone read a book that you are not going to learn something new from?" When I last saw his stash, there was a copy of "Kite Runner" laying on one of the piles. One of his friends gave it to him, encouraging him to take a walk on the wild side. He says he will, someday when he has time. All of the other books? I can only describe them as tomes. I know a tome is a large book but somehow in my mind it is also factual, small print, no pictures, no fun.

Nick comes close to that category although he does throw in fiction and cooking and baseball books once in a while. But...The Mystery of Megabytes......Programming for the K738H Generation.......Advanced OS-well, you get the idea.

In the end it is all just amazing. It is a huge, huge world out there and so much to learn and enjoy. To each his own.

My new book? A very old Tami Hoag. I think it is from 1996 but it is from the shelf. Only 17 more to go. I have read a couple of her books in the past and enjoyed them. I am not sure why this was on my shelf but it doesn't really matter. Another interesting reader quirk? Margaret reads her books in the order they were written. If she would decide to read Tami Hoag, she would start with the first one the author wrote and go on from there. If I like an author I will look for other books they have written and will try to read them in order but it isn't always a necessity, unless, of course, it is a set.

Nick and Janet and I saw Liz in "Steel Magnolias" last night. It was a good night for all and Liz, you were excellent-a hair doing, born again Christian. Good job.