I can be a bit obsessive when it comes to books. Whenever I have a long vacation coming up…I get really nervous and start to feel that I may not have enough books to read, so I always go buy more.
So this year for my 3 weeks vacation (with 3 kids keep in mind,so not like I have all the time in the world to sit there and read!) I bought 22 books and borrowed 5 others. And I have 4 that I had bought last month that I have not read.
Box after box is being shipped to my husband’s office. He is bewildered at how I will possibly read more than 1.5 books per day?
But I will.
(....and be available for most the day to hang out with my family and kids and hopefully be somewhat emotionally present).
When it comes to books I always find a way. Likely the 5 days we don’t have the kids I will double up and maybe read 3 books per day? Or stay up until 3am overnight on my vacation? Or read every spare moment I get (aka while peeing on the toilet, floating on the lake, while kids make dinner with hubby, while they golf).
My Dad also was a speedreader so some of that got handed down to me. I absorb the page as quickly as some people gulp down a cold beer on a hot day. Often however I read more slowly to enjoy it more…indulge in it and savor the pages.
I love reading and am actually fascinated that I have never joined a book club. I rarely discuss my books,which I should. I just indulge in them. I am vowing to find a bookclub this Fall..it needs to be done. And hoping to have a few of my friends join with me-great way to see eachother more often.
I always buy a mix of three categories (Fiction, Self Help or Business and Parenting)
This year I have 15 parenting books and all are how to survive teens. After 21 days of studying this……I think I will be mighty fine on the survival of them and set up for a good long whileJ
Fiction is always all over the place-from light and beach-to heavy or ethnic focused to whatever anyone recommends to me. My taste for fiction is very, very diversified. I love absorbing myself into other people’s lives and problems. As long as there is drama and tragedy in it..I am there! I also seem to like Shades of Grey too! Finished second one and still scared to open third one. But I most definately WILL. Grey and Anastsia bring out a crazy mix of emotion in me.
Self help is whatever topic I am obsessed about at that given moment. For this year seems to be peace, happiness and the more Buddhist approach to life. Other years could be professional and career, business books and money focused. Other year could be marriage and couple or health and fitness.
If you look at my bookshelves-you know where I am at at that point and time.
I grew up with one entire level of our home being completely devoted to a library…literally thousands of books.
That I never, ever touched. What a crying shame that my way to rebel against my Dad was to not be obsessed like he was with reading. Just to ensure I did not make him too proud.
So hopefully one day my children will find love in books. So far they have not. They read for school and often like the books…but takes a lot for any of them to get into a good summer read…or enjoy it. Sometimes when they are not being forced to, I see them pick up something and it makes my heart wild with pride. It happens very seldomly though. I have to say I have been a crappy Mom in this area; I am not sure I read more than one fairytale to any of my kids, seems crazy since I have such a love of books? Guess we can’t win them all can we..?
I look at my two bookworm nieces and I am so utterly happy for them. They will always have their books….forever. I miss that for my kids as they seem so dependent on others, and each other. Where for people who love books…..books are often their best friend.
I like having friends too, but books are a close second.
So all in all I am looking very forward to my upcoming vacation, to sleep in later, to nap, to swim, to kayak, to eat cupcakes and to read. To come back a smarter person than I was 3 weeks prior. To be an expert on teens by then in terms of knowlege read (as will have read 67 other books this year on this subject so will now have 82 read)..And to come back with a plan, a vision and a strategy of what they next 8 yrs. of our lives will look like and how I can best support it. Then to take that to the next level and coach on it specifically and write my own books on it.
To come back happily spent from my weeks of the written word. With a sparkle in my eyes and love in my heart.
Books are right up there for me, with sleeping on water and messing around on boats. I think the way I feel about books is the way most people feel about drinking , sex and gardening.
