It shouldn't be any surprise that I thoroughly enjoy reading. I used to read simply for entertainment, getting my thrills as a kid from books like The Babysitters' Club, Sweet Valley Twins, and Nancy Drew, and later moving on to mystery/thrillers by authors such as R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, and Stephen King. In high school and college I had no time to read anything for leisure as my days and nights were filled reading mandatory selections, and I was barely able to finish those on time. I entered into a reading slump at that time, with reading for fun taking a place on the back burner. After moving back home after college, and pre-graduate school and working almost full-time, I started dabbling with books again. The first one? Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Poor choice. I hated most of it, but trudged through it to the end. I got smarter with my second choice: The Da Vinci Code Special Illustrated Edition. That got me back on track and things progressed. Now I LOVE reading again, and not just for entertainment. I like to read some non-fiction, too, in hopes that I'll better myself in some way.
Some teachers are stuck on having students read "quality" literature and the classics, but I have to be honest, I've read a lot of what's considered "quality" literature along with many classics and they just don't keep my interest. We took our classes to see the musical Little Women last year, and to prepare myself I read the unabridged, original version. I won't even say how long it took me to complete it, but it was a long time. So I don't push the classics or even quality literature. My advice to students (and their parents) is read. Read a magazine, newspaper, cheesy chapter book, even the back of the cereal box. As long as a child is reading, and reading for fun, they are becoming a better reader and they will love reading. That is my personal opinion.
Anyway, I'm finishing The Giver right now. It's a young adult novel, so it's a quick read. The messages in this book are so powerful and relevant to our world today. If you have not read this book, make sure it's your next pick from the library or bookstore. It will change the way you look at society and the way things are. Now off to my next book, a gift from a friend: One Day by David Nicholls. I can't wait: I'm so excited! Reading has now taken the place of TV watching in my life.
(If you have book suggestions, send them my way. I love reading books based on personal recommendations!)
Two springs ago I read Eat, Pray, Love (don't judge it by the movie). I think it was that book that introduced me to the idea of introducing meditation to my life. After reading the book, I tried to meditate. I mean I TRIED. Rather than calm me, it frustrated me. I couldn't do it with ten thousand thoughts popping through my head. I love how the sun feels on my back right now. That breeze feels good. I wish I was at the beach. Maybe we can go to the beach this summer. I'd need a pedicure first. What color should I get? It went on and on and on. Then I got smarter, realizing I couldn't do it on my own, so I picked up a guided meditation CD from the library. I had better success with that. The problem is, I haven't graduated beyond the guided CD. The book I just read by Deepak Chopra recommends meditating 30 minutes twice a day. I would love to do that, but I don't think I can. Can I even sit still for that long? Probably not. Anyway, that is one of my new goals, to meditate twice a day (even if only for a few minutes). Everything I've read claims it is restorative to the mind, body, and soul. I'm ready to be restored!
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