Friday, July 08, 2011

Book Reading

I was reading Karen’s blog the other day, and she is on pace to read 75 books this year. That is freekin' amazing.

When I was newly married, we didn't have a television, so after work, there was just sex and reading. I mean, we went to parties, went out, whatever. But that left a lot of time for reading. I read and read and read. At the end of the year, I estimated that I read 60 books. I don't really know how many I read, but I know it was more than one/week. I was a reading machine, though they don't make reading machines yet.

During the next year, I went to a talk on organization. It was a guy who talked about how to do things more efficiently. Towards the end of the hour talk, he said something about reading books. He said he wanted to read 100 books in a year, but adjusted to 50 books/year soon-there-after. And he said he met that goal by listening to books on tape while in the car.

I had two initial thoughts:

1. Are you freakin' kidding me? Listening to books counts? Does watching movies based on books count as well? Unbelievable.

2. Someone who works on organizing should have known that his original goal was way off. And we are listening to this guy.

It is summer reading season. Grab a book and a blanket and go outside and read! It will save baby ducks.

4 comments:

Zephyr said...

I love to read. And I used to read almost a book a day when I was in high school. But now... life is just so much busier. Book club is tonight and I still haven't finished the book.

But I'd say books on tape do NOT count. To get the credit you have to put in the work yourself.

Anonymous said...

I think, dear Leesa (and I am an avid reader) that obsessive reading is like any other obsession and I like to have a life outside the printed page. Sex and going for a drive, or walking the dog are all more satisfying. On the other hand I cannot sleep if I don't read for a while before lights out.

Xmichra said...

I love to read, but seldome have time to delve into a book. I read a few pages here and there between stuff, and then get to the point in the book where I can't put it down and ignore my poor girls until I can tear my eyes away. So I try to time that with days off and holidays. lol... So, I'm lucky if I get six books in a year ;)

Leesa said...

zephyr: I completely agree. I read three books last week (I was on vacation).

ian: I enjoy reading, but occasionally, I will take a week or two off. Just to make sure I am not addicted to it.

xmichra: okay, I would pick children over books every day of the week.