Even though I graduated with an English degree in December 2012, I haven't read a new book cover-to-cover since then. Yep, you heard right. I'm an English major who doesn't read anymore. Isn't that so sad?!
That's not to say I haven't attempted it. Though the number is pretty small, I have made a few valiant attempts to try.
- My boss gave me a free copy of Gone Girl last spring but I stopped in the middle because a lot of people were giving it bad reviews. (Apparently it's a love-it-or-hate-it book.)
- A friend sent me a non-fiction self help/memoir book (The Happiness Project) that I was super excited to start, but I can't concentrate on it for more than a few pages so I'm stuck in chapter 3. (I find the author's tone a little haughty.)
- Another friend lent me a reputable diet and nutrition book that has awesome advice and pictures, so of course all I paid attention to was the pictures.
- My husband is horrified that I've still never read The Hobbit all the way through so he bought me a beautifully illustrated version for Easter. When we both sat outside for an hour reading and enjoying the nice weather the other day, I only got to page 25. I just kept reading the same sentences over and over every time something distracted me.
When I was a kid, I DEVOURED books. I was the weird quiet kid that always had something glued to her face at school, at home, at family gatherings, at sporting events. My family once got rear-ended by a mini van while we were on vacation, and I didn't notice because I was reading Shiloh and the plot was getting pretty intense. True story.
When I went to college, becoming an English major seemed obvious because I was all like, "Hey, I like books! I can write good! I'll just keep doing that!"
Well, it's quite possible that that decision is part of my current problem. While I absolutely loved my college education and had magnificent professors in Truman's English department, reading 20-40 books per semester really killed my interest in reading for pleasure. I had to learn how to skim, speed read, and fudge my way through assignments because I didn't have enough time or energy to complete everything. Even the ones I was really, really interested in barely got my full attention. I couldn't tell you what happens at the end of The Night Circus because I didn't get that far.
In struggling with my weight issues this year, I've realized that some of my motivation to exercise and eat right has to come from a place that is unrelated to weight. I've gotten too complacent and comfortable with the work-eat-Netflix-sleep-repeat cycle I've been on for a year and a half. Don't get me wrong, Chris and I still do interesting things other than spend all night on the couch, but those moments are few and far between some weeks.
If I want to change my diet and activity habits, it will probably help to change some of my other habits as well. I should spend more time outside. I should choose books over TV and movies when I'm feeling lazy. I should put more effort into running errands and finishing household chores BEFORE I dive into Netflix mode late at night.
I got a new library card after work today for a location that's closer to my house, and came out with a few selections that hopefully will peak my interest. If so, I'm seriously considering looking into Kindle/tablet prices to make reading easier and more convenient. (As I've mentioned before, I'm incredibly lazy.) However, I'm always open to new suggestions! If you have a book you absolutely love and think that I would too, please let me know in the comment section or on Facebook! You don't know how much I'd appreciate it!
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