Statistics

There was a widely bruited-about statistic reported last week, stating that 1 in 4 Americans did not read a single book last year. Clearly, we don’t fall into that category, but . . . how many of our friends do? Do you have friends/family who read as much as you do? Or are you the only person you know who has a serious reading habit?

I've been thinking about this question all day today. Most of my very good friends (yeah, like I have so many ...) are readers, maybe not the same kinds of things, but they do read on a pretty regular basis. I can think of one or two who don't read much at all, but to be honest, they don't seem to pay attention to much of anything ...

My sisters were never as into reading as I was. As far as I know, they are now pretty regular readers, though I have no real idea how many books they may read in a year. I do remember that when my middle sister was in high school, and had to read for a literature class, that she would set the timer each evening for one hour. As soon as it rang, she stopped reading - even if there was just another page left in the chapter! This used to really amaze/dismay my parents. Now she reads things she wants to read, so I'm pretty sure the timer gets used for other things ...

A lot of the people I know who don't read much were actually turned off completely by it in high school or college, it seems. I will admit that if I hadn't been an obsessive reader when I encountered Paradise Lost, by John Milton, in high school, I may never have voluntarily picked up another book. (I got in a lot of trouble in class, when the teacher asked me what I thought about it, and I said it made me think that Milton deserved to go blind for writing something that boring and annoying. [I'll pause here while many of you gasp in horror.])

My late mother-in-law had a friend for a few years, Dick (or, as I used to refer to him, The World's Most Appropriately Named Man), who always used to be amazed that she liked to read. He would always brag that he "hadn't read a book since he finished high school." It showed.

I know a lot of people who say they read at work all day, so they are not interested in reading for leisure. I just figure they weren't big readers in the first place.

Huh?

Carol posted about this the other day, and at the time, I was slightly amused by it. However, I am now puzzled about the entire thing. Not that I think people wouldn't want to knit "icons," but I'm just not so sure that we needed a book. Well, Bridget, you may be saying to yourself, there are plenty of books being published that no one really needs. And I would be the first to agree with you (The Gospel According to Oprah springs immediately to mind).

And then I remembered that Rupert Murdoch is now the owner of the Wall Street Journal. One of the new network shows in the upcoming season features the cavemen characters from an insurance commercial. And every year, hundreds of people risk their lives running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, in an effort to be like Ernest Hemingway.

I'm just saying that sometimes, it makes me wonder why people think I'm the weird one ...

It was the best of times ...

This past week, that is. I can't remember when I have enjoyed any one week so very much. I had a chance to make a trip to Baltimore and see some family, hang out with The Tim and the kitties, hang out with Sebastian, do a lot of knitting and a lot of reading, drink, watch movies, finally see "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," and just enjoy whatever came my way. The weather was even nice (everyone else was complaining, but we enjoyed the cool)! The only bad part was yesterday, when we had planned to go to the shore for the day. I woke up with a migraine, which meant that I stayed home while The Tim, Seb, and his mom Karen got to go. I was miserable most of the day, so it was just as well, but I was still disappointed, once I felt better enough!

Alas, tomorrow it's back to The Worst of Times, aka work. Ick. But such is life, you know?

Check this out ...

My friend Sue sent me a link, to a poem called The Book of My Enemy Has Been Remaindered, and I love it! For all the wrong reasons, of course ...

And when you need a pick-me-up, you must turn to a fave:

Mr. Ed

Scattergories

Kim had this meme at her MindFull blog, and I really liked it, so I decided to give it a try. I've seen it some other places, too, and supposedly it's harder than it looks.

Here are the rules:

* Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the questions.
* They MUST be real places, names, things ... NOTHING made up!
* If you can't think of anything, skip it.
* You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.
* If your name happens to start with the same letter as mine, sorry, but you can't use my answers!
*Rule I added for myself - use the first thing that comes to mind!

My name: Bridget

1. Famous Singer/Band: Beatles
2. Four letter word: Book
3. Street: Broadway
4. Color: Blue
5. Gifts/Presents: Bubble bath
6. Vehicle: Bicycle
7. Things in a Souvenir Shop: Banner
8. Boy Name: Brian
9. Girl Name: Bonnie
10. Movie Title: Babe
11. Drink: Beer
12. Occupation: Bookie
13. Celebrity: Brad Pitt
14. Magazine: Bride (ugh)
15. U.S. City: Boston
16. Pro Sports Teams: Boston Bruins
17. Fruit: Banana
18. Reason for Being Late for Work: Busy trying to figure a way not to have to go ...
19. Something You Throw Away: Bread crusts (actually I give them to the birds ...)
20. Things You Shout: Bastard! (ok, I only really shout this in my mind)
21. Cartoon Character: Betty Rubble

Kim, if you are reading this, I realize I didn't even come close to having any answers as good as "Kachinas," but I did what I could!

Feel free to consider yourself tagged, if you are interested. If you want to do the meme, but don't have a blog, feel free to put your responses in the comments.

Indoctrination

Using a suggestion from Erin today:
When growing up did your family share your love of books? If so, did one person get you into reading? And, do you have any family-oriented memories with books and reading? (Family trips to bookstore, reading the same book as a sibling or parent, etc.)

My parents were both voracious readers - books, magazines, newspapers - I don't think there was a room in the house without something to read on some surface. I can remember that every Christmas, I would receive at least one book as a gift, and Santa always put a book of some kind in my stocking. I think my mother got me more actively involved in reading, as she would often say, "Why don't you go read something," when I was bugging her. The funny thing is, I can remember one time in the summer, when I had gone to the bookmobile, and brought home a book I was dying to read. I plopped on the couch, and was still reading at dinnertime. Ate dinner, and then back to reading. About 8 p.m., she said to me, "Oh for God's sake, would you put that book down and say something??"

I can remember trips to the library as a kid, which were a big deal. My mother would take us, and she would go her way, and I would go mine, walking through the aisles and looking at books that looked interesting. This was at the old library building in our town, which had the large marble steps at the entrance, and rooms with high ceilings. It was just what I thought a library should be ...

Shocking events!

This morning - brace yourself - both Garden Kitty and Jetsam were cruelly put into cat carriers, and taken TO THE VET for a checkup!!! Can you imagine such a thing happening in this country? Well, trust me, there was lots of moaning (GK) on the way there, while there, and coming home. Jetsam actually growled at the vet - we'd never heard him growl before! Fortunately both of them got clean bills of health, but oh the trauma of it all ...

Garden Kitty was just happy to be home, where he never ever has to see anyone else but us again:






They gave me a shot! And took my temperature!





Whereas, other family members appeared to have, um, moved on:

I wonder why they don't set this out for me all of the time? It's so pleasant here ...