Time, time, time
A woman set off a firestorm last week when she posted out a "WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?" posting (http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/maria-kang-fit-facebook-mom-accused-of-fat-shaming-with-facebook-picture-1.6284134). Well, I would like to use this same approach and ask "WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE?" for not reading. There is a piece in the Washington Post today abot just that topic: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/08/yes-you-do-have-time-to-read/. I like the advice here though none of it is new. Donalyn Miller in her forthcoming book, READING IN THE WILD, talks about reading on the edge. I use the term fringe reading. It is taking whatever time presents itself and using it for reading.
I wake each morning early, get my coffee, sit sown and read Facebook and Twitter postings. Then I turn to the book at hand and read until it is time to shower or move on to the next task. Do i do this daily? Most of the time. It is a habit I developed that sticks with me. But do I sometimes go days without reading for much longer than 10-20 minutes? Sure. Do I beat myself up about it? Sometimes. But I know that eventually I will find time to spend an entire day or weekend snuggled with book after book after book. I binge on picture books and graphic novels when I feel I have been away from books for too long. I can read quite a few, feel better, and then move on to tackle the bigger stuff.
Right now I am keeping my iPod in the car. Everytime I drive somewhere I listen to the Audie nominations. I might be in the car 30 minutes or several hours, but I am reading (with my ears). My next car will not have Sirius radio, just the connection for the iPod.
I have emergency books everywhere: bathroom, office, car, and on the phone. I take books to conferences, on airplanes, to dinner when I am eating alone. I often have more than one book going at a time (and I love that advice from the WaPo piece). I DO abandon books unless I have to review them or read them for committee work. I read very few adult titles. I manage to figure out how to get in the reading time. Now, if I could just make the committee Maria Kang would like to see of me.....
I wake each morning early, get my coffee, sit sown and read Facebook and Twitter postings. Then I turn to the book at hand and read until it is time to shower or move on to the next task. Do i do this daily? Most of the time. It is a habit I developed that sticks with me. But do I sometimes go days without reading for much longer than 10-20 minutes? Sure. Do I beat myself up about it? Sometimes. But I know that eventually I will find time to spend an entire day or weekend snuggled with book after book after book. I binge on picture books and graphic novels when I feel I have been away from books for too long. I can read quite a few, feel better, and then move on to tackle the bigger stuff.
Right now I am keeping my iPod in the car. Everytime I drive somewhere I listen to the Audie nominations. I might be in the car 30 minutes or several hours, but I am reading (with my ears). My next car will not have Sirius radio, just the connection for the iPod.
I have emergency books everywhere: bathroom, office, car, and on the phone. I take books to conferences, on airplanes, to dinner when I am eating alone. I often have more than one book going at a time (and I love that advice from the WaPo piece). I DO abandon books unless I have to review them or read them for committee work. I read very few adult titles. I manage to figure out how to get in the reading time. Now, if I could just make the committee Maria Kang would like to see of me.....