Magpie tales # 10
Do you like to read? Books, I mean? I like to read books. I also like to read magazines and newspapers, to say nothing of blogs and facebook and so on and so forth. But it's with books that it all started for me. My fondness for books preceded the television age in my house.This past weekend I started and finished a book, and when I went to enter it in my "Shelfari" list, I was informed that 'til then I'd read no books this year. To be honest, Ive started a few but haven't finished them as yet; haven't taken the time.
Time is a funny thing isn't it? When we don't get to things that we wanted, wished, said we would or should, we find it easy to say: I didn't have time. Baloney! We take the time to do things we really want to do and we waste a fair amount of time to boot. At least I do, Maybe you're one of those people who has mastered the art of time management and have it all planned and scheduled out so as to get the maximum accomplished, but then you wouldn't be here reading this drivel now would you?
Growing up, I did most of my leisure reading at the kitchen table, usually while eating breakfast. I remember reading Tarzan books and Bomba the jungle boy while eating my Wheaties in the mornings before school.
The kitchen table is still my favorite place to read. This weekend my wife went off to Lake Placid to help a friend celebrate her "55th" birthday. Which left me at the kitchen table for most of the weekend. (It rained off and on all day Saturday, precluding any gardening efforts on my part.) I thought that I'd make good use of the time to write an impressive piece for Willow's Magpie prompt this week. Blank, blank, blank. I recalled a caveat of the many books and articles I've read over time that suggest the best way to prepare to write is to read. Since my creative juices were at a stand still I decided to follow that advice.
In my den there are many books, including too many stacks of unread books piled on the floor. as I perused the area my eyes settled on the book "Rules for Old Men Waiting." That looked interesting and coincidentally had a photo of a pocket watch on the cover. The photo prompt for this week's Magpie is a pocket/pendant watch. Atop the pile beside the one where sat "Rules" was the book,"play it forward" which if I recall correctly is about taking time to give some of your time to someone in need of caring attention.
So there you have it: I read a book, cover to cover, Thought about TIME, and wrote a blog piece.
Now I'll spend some time doing my Monday morning exercise routine and get myself ready to spend some time caring for others.
Labels: magpie tales 10 TIME reading
posted by rel at 4:37 AM
22 Comments:
Clever take on the picture prompt.
My view on reading as a free agent being retired my time is my own!!
Christine
Dear Rel: Reading is wonderful, so relaxing; you conjure your own unique characters, setting; of course it helps if you have some back story first to develop the scene; if it is a complex novel, etc. If you've never been to Spain for example and you are reading Don Quixote it would be good to have first perused a travel book or two, then the experience would be much more of a quality experience. Some novels today are extremely long and I do love books on tape (DVD). The way we use our imagination when reading is so much better than when we get "forced-fed" a story when watching a movie, for example. Plus there is always so much more input in a book and movies tend to extract only visually interesting material. I need to get new glasses as I find I cannot see the words so clearly. That's why I may start a reading into tape project. Good idea? Libraries do have these. I like to be read a story from someone like Lorne Greene (he's dead though) or William Shatner. I guess if it doesnt get too corny like some silly radio shows, more dramatic like something read by HG Wells. That I'd really like. So I can imagine and not be force-fed a lot of noise etc. I can do that in my head!
actually i love to read...carry a book with my just for those down times when i get a chance...usually about 2-3 a week. you make a great point in that we will make time for those things we consider important...nice magpie!
A nice chat about the joys of reading, rel. We share those joys.
Sounds like time well spent!
Ah, the joys of reading. I remember the days when I used to have the time to read many books in a month... Now I only have time for one. How I wish I had more time. :)
what a winner,
make time for something important and worthy to one, which is cool advice.
I love to read as well.
books keep us rich and full in spirits and soul.
enjoyed your work!
http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/it-is-time-to/
here is mine,
thank you in advance for reading it.
Lake Placid is lovely - as I am an ex-New Yorker now living in the North West traded the snow for the rain..
Do you remember the book Fahrenheit 451 -- a dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury first published in 1953.
Any way in my thoughts I get the feeling this Magpie group that we are saving and savoring and preserving the art of reading and writing to keep books alive.
-- in this rapidly techno age where it is all quick tech messages.
Making time in my hectic schedule for something important like Magpie Tales and all the worth while reads from the posts from others.
Joanny
I usually read in bed right before I fall asleep. lately, I've been better about reading. I'd say I read a book about every week to two weeks.
I always have a pile of books to read. I got to the library once a week or a fortnight, return the ones I've read and get five or six more. I cannot stand the idea of not having a book to read.
My favourite place for reading is in my recliner or in bed and I do read while I'm eating breakfast or lunch. Dinner time, I watch the news.
Glad you finished your book, Rel. Now open another one...
Happy reading.
yours was such a wonderful read, flowing easily into my world. i wanted to thank you for reminding me that i love to read, books, that is, but i've found myself too far from them!
you got a chuckle out of me, too, because i haven't heard anyone refer to bomba for a very long time :)
I love reading too!
I grew up on the Breakfast of Champions, too, only I was reading the back of the cereal box!
Nothing can beat a good book on a rainy day. i have always been addicted to reading... and i plan to take my addiction further ;)
Time is a funny thing. Man made time that is. I like the Grand Scheme of Things timing. I don't feel as time crunched that way. ;)
And, Thank You, for your very generous words about my new direction. If you are new to my blog, you might not know that I have undergone a little switch. I got tired of being cynical!
I guess the timing was right!
This week I'm listening to Bram Stoker's Dracula on CD while I drive to work and back each day. Can you believe I'm 55 and I've never read it? Reading and books have been my lifelong friends.
Sadly, on the rare occasions my wife goes away, she doesn't recognise 'reading' as being a productive pasttime for me in her absence.
Enjoyed the thoughts - I have 4 books by my bed, all started, none finished
Since Christmas Day I've read over 30 books! I've been on a real crime spree since then demolishing the works of Colin Dexter, Elizabeth George, Ian Rankin and Val McDermid. I know have a few more in my sights! And a fortunate thing is that we've had a very wet season here this year...and what better marriage is there than rainy days/nights and a pile of good books???
I enjoy reading also. A good book and iced tea - that's what I like.
I love to read when I have time,books keep us rich :)
Nice blog, enjoyed your work!
marinela x x
I enjoyed this magpie about time and reading. Yes we do have time for what we really want to do
Glad you found your way back to wanting to read...That book sounds interesting...
First rule of writing I guess is READ......I followed along with you with your thoughts...nice
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