I was told as a kid, "You make time for what you love." I forgot who told me but I’m betting it was my mom. (Sidebar: she was born on the same day and year as the lady in the picture.) The reason I bring it up is my current pet peeve is folks who say they can’t find the time to read. They usually mention that chestnut after they spot me with a paperback or Kindle in my hand. I’m, of course, polite but inside I’m thinking: I have a day job, baby daughter, writer, run a webzine, and blog a few times a week. Yet I still find the time because I love to read. True, it's harder these days but usually I slip it in by carrying a book with me in the car for idle moments and planning an extra half hour before bedtime for a couple of chapters. Bottom line, I make time. These non-readers watch endless hours of tv, surf the net, gaming, or whatever they truly love which is fine... just don't try to tell me there's no time because that's silly.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
If Marilyn Could Find the Time to Read Ulysses...
I was told as a kid, "You make time for what you love." I forgot who told me but I’m betting it was my mom. (Sidebar: she was born on the same day and year as the lady in the picture.) The reason I bring it up is my current pet peeve is folks who say they can’t find the time to read. They usually mention that chestnut after they spot me with a paperback or Kindle in my hand. I’m, of course, polite but inside I’m thinking: I have a day job, baby daughter, writer, run a webzine, and blog a few times a week. Yet I still find the time because I love to read. True, it's harder these days but usually I slip it in by carrying a book with me in the car for idle moments and planning an extra half hour before bedtime for a couple of chapters. Bottom line, I make time. These non-readers watch endless hours of tv, surf the net, gaming, or whatever they truly love which is fine... just don't try to tell me there's no time because that's silly.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
15 comments:
I'm with you on that. The "no time" argument usually means "there are other things I choose to do instead." Yes, every now and then events transpire to take more time than planned, and something else pays the price for it, but that's pretty rare.
I bet if you tell these people they really don't like to read they would take offense.
Yep, other than the Daily Show, I don't watch TV but read every night. There are also books on tape for car rides. Reading on line at the supermarket seems to make the line move faster. Even if these are only minutes and sentences, books get read.
I usually watch one hour of television a day myself and that is a news program. On the weekends we watch a movie or tv show on dvd.
As a teacher who feels the same way, I have come to the point of openly reviling the greatest time waster in my students' lives - Facebook. It is "evil" I tell them, and they laugh, because they KNOW it, but can't help themselves.
Their "can't" is more likely a "don't want to."
The best one I heard came from my daughter-in-law. She doesn't read because it's boring just sitting there reading. I just shrugged because I'm never bored with a book in my hands.
Ron, I realize it is a smart move to network for business purposes but sharing pictures and catching up with third grade friends is not for me. Btw I would enjoy sitting in on one of your classes.
That's it in a nutshell, Leah.
Sandra, I’m just the opposite and bored by network television and a majority of films these days. Give me Macdonald’s Archer or Christie’s Poirot.
I'm wondering if it's possible for all this mass media and communications garbage to actually short out the ability to use the parts of the brain necessary for reading.
I always make time for reading, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. But I don't miss a day.
Agreed, but the trouble I find is that I have to set aside more and more time as my reading becomes slower and slower!
Here's one I bet you've heard before(I lost count of how many times I've heard it). "I haven't read a book since I got out of school."
That's usually right after that other chestnut I get when people see my collection for the first time, "Have you read all these books?"
Time? What is this "time" that everyone speaks of?
I may not be reading books on a regular basis right now (long story) but I usually pick up a newspaper on a daily basis to read during the day.
I think that my life would be incredibly dull and boring if I wasn't reading something, be it a newspaper, a book, a mag, or even my latest writing project for editing/writing purproe.
Reading is what helped me survive when I was my daughter's age, and I'm forever grateful for it.
As a matter of fact, I keep a couple of (comic) anthologies next to my computer to read whenever I'm waiting for the thing to warm up.
AC, Funny theory but possibly true.
Same here, Charles. I can't imagine a day without some form of reading. A need.
Dave, I'm betting that is not true.
Randy, "Have you read all these books?" is possibly the most ridiculous. Yes, I have heard that quite a bit. Sidebar: When someone looks at my DVD collection and says "You have any good movies?" I always answer by saying "No, I buy crap."
G, I'm referring directly to folks that say they want to read books but don't have time. Yet they watch IDOL, DANCING WITH THE STARS etc. When you're obsessed with books you make the time. I will also say as a writer it is a must to read and read as much as you can lay your hands on or else your work will suffer. That may be another blog topic though.
For many people, reading is too much like work, they want mindless diversion, not to think for themselves; tell me what to buy, how to vote, where to shop.
For me it's lovely relaxation and I love diving into a book, whether novel or short stories, even non-fiction. Television? That's (mostly - there is PBS) just commercials and fluff.
I'm curious what kind of computer G has that it has to "warm up" and takes so long at it she can get some reading done.
Post a Comment