"Change always comes bearing gifts." ~Price Pritchett
The gifts of change is a topic I am pleased to write about today as I made a promise to myself this year and I have been keeping it and the gift of this change is HUGE.
As many of you might know, I have been struggling in my life to find/make the time to read. I thought for a while that maybe I had just lost the desire, the ability, the drive to sink myself into a good book. Last year, I tried to join Steve Duin's Reading Contest 2008 from The Oregonian and I failed - DISMALLY. I only read one complete fiction book THE ENTIRE YEAR. I think that is some kind of world record for negativity for me. I was devestated for much of the year at my failure to complete...I read parts of a lot of non-fiction, which tends to be something I can read in bits...I read most of "The Tipping Point" and a ton of books on Mangement, Rewarding people, psychology, blogging, creative writing...none of which I completed. Just one crappy paperback schlock novel that wasn't even very good. And the only reason I finished that one was because I was trapped in the Oakland airport for 12 hours with nothing else to do. I did read a number of scripts and librettos, but I don't really think that counts.
Anyway, my New Year's Resolution was to devote a minimum of 30 minutes per day to pleasure reading. Not stuff for work or interpreting jobs or how to do something - just pleasure. The only day I have missed so far was January 1 when I was working on interpreting "The Color Purple" that night. Last night, I read for about 2 hours.
I can totally feel that I am doing something for myself (in addition to writing this blog) and it is making a difference. I just feel happier. The other great thing is that I have been doing it long enough that it is kind of a habit...I get home from work and I want to immediately pick up my book.
Today, I had to get new tires put on and I got to sit in the lobby and read DURING THE DAYTIME!!! I was kind of annoyed when they called my name because all I really wanted to do was continue to read my book.
So, that is the good news. I wanted to report something that is REALLY working and a change that has truly been a gift to me. I love reading and I am thrilled to be back to my old bibliophile- wanna-be self.
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