Books! 'Tis A Dull and Endless Strife

Recently I've discovered that among all its finer qualities, I love reading specifically because it demands all of your attention. That in a world where you can sit on the internet scrolling through mindless crap for hours, its very admirable and takes a special dedication to even sit down and read for pleasure for 20 minutes.

And I know there are those out there who read while they do this and that and the other thing. I am not one of these people. I have come to accept that in my life I will never be the cute interesting girl reading a book at the cafe. I am the girl who is trying to stuff an entire roll of sushi in her mouth because its falling apart and I only have one hand and this chapter is really intense so I can't put the book down and I wonder how long I can leave this imitation crab on my shirt before it stains*.

So you want to know what I'm reading!? Yay! Great! Sharing!  *Internal screaming*  Well, let me tell you that I do tend to have this irrational sort of fear about suggesting things to people. I mean, if its something that I really love, I'm just worried people won't like it and that will just break my heart.  So y'know, go easy on me, I'm taking big steps here people.   Deep breath.

For awhile now, I've been hooked on the poetry.  I like that sometimes I don't understand whats going on in a poem, but somehow it gives you all these feelings. How do they do that? The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, perfect example...I lie in wait for the day that I just start reciting that out of nowhere and someone recognizes it. Other favorites are a pair which makes it difficult to stay in the schoolroom all day considering the nature of our surroundings - The Tables Turned (Oh, the irony...) and The Moment (If you also get chills when reading the latter, I love you a bit).

Novel-wise I just finished The Bridges of Madison County in a day.  I can see why it was in the Lonely Old Lady book section (why I was there is a different story), very insightful about the love and the feelings, not quite inspired to go see the real bridges in Iowa again, though. Sorry Mum, once is enough for some things. But I do imagine it'd be a small sort of accomplishment to say that I've been to Grundy Center, Iowa twice in my life. Alas, we can't have it all.

So because of that same fear I mentioned earlier, and the notion that everyone must be thus afflicted, I also tend to take suggestions given to me very seriously just in case the act of suggesting this book means that you are indeed bearing your soul.  So to the two lovely blokes that suggested them, I'm finally making a dent in Clan of the Cave Bear (its like evolutionary fiction...awesome!) and the autobiography of an Australian man called A Fortunate Life. Such an amazing and tragic story. If I had his insight and outlook on life my autobiography would probably be called Holy Crap, How Could I Have Ever Complained About Anything, Its All Pretty Much Candy and Sunshine.

So go spend some time with a book.  And if you can handle it, tell me what you're reading or send me a poem or suggest something awesome**.

*Not very long. It stains immediately. Inspired by true events.

**Do not send me cat videos.