Reading

Yesterday, a good friend e-mailed me asking about my reading habits.

She thinks the fact that I read 50 books last year is astounding.

Funny, I think it's a pathetic number.

This friend asked for tips on how she (a slacker reader)

can reach her goal this year of 20 books.

Of course I have some suggestions,

but let me begin with a disclaimer.

Reading is my thing.

Some of you have exercise, housekeeping, or crafting.

I could ask you the same...

how the heck did you run a marathon, wash your windows 5 times, or sew 85 million bags?

I do exercise, house-keep and even have a sparse crafty moment from time to time,

but not as much as most of you, I promise.

Some of you may have exercise, housekeeping, crafting, AND reading, but I guarantee you have other issues and the rest of us don't need to hear from you unless you are gonna admit it.

So, the first and most important answer is love yourself for who you are.

You may not read as much as me, but I don't look as good as you...you get the drift.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. 

One of my strengths is reading, and it may be your weakness.

But, just know we are both (commendably) working towards perfection in our own areas.

That being said, here are a few suggestions for those of you who are working on making reading a strength.

First of all, reading is lifestyle at our house.

Every night before bed, you can see every single member of my family looking like this:

Funny, I had drafted these photos to write about long before my friend's inquiry.

Our bedtime allows for a half an hour of reading every night and that goes for LG and I also.

Second, take a book with you wherever you go.

You will be surprised how all that time standing in lines or hanging out on the sidelines will add up.

Most of my family members have a book in hand if they know they are going somewhere with a potential for boredom. Reference this old post about Sophia at the soccer field.

Third, read what you like. If you are trying to challenge yourself to read more, don't start with The Scarlett Letter. Read what you like. You will find yourself reading more when it's easy to be drawn into the storyline. I personally only challenge myself with "more difficult or out of my preferred genre" a couple of times a year or if I am getting paid. 

Fourth, use your downtime for putting your nose in a book. I will admit to using a lot of my Christmas break sitting on the couch reading. And summer is the best time to really crank out half of your yearly goal.If you read only at the pool next summer, I guarantee you will be able to finish a book a week.

Fifth, make a weekly stop to the library habit. You will be happy with how much a good librarian can help you find something that you will enjoy reading.

Sixth, books on tape, are man's best friend. Whenever we go on a long trip, we always make sure we have books on tape. LG even figured out how to play books from his kindle over our FM transmitter. Awesome stuff.

Seven, read together. Get into a bookclub that will help you stay focused. Or read aloud as a family together. Right now, our family is reading the Little House on the Prairie series. It has been so fun to read and discuss how we are similar to the Ingalls family. (They lost their dog on their trek west too).