The Miss Elaine-ous Life

random acts of life, family and photos

Back to Books

by

I don’t read a lot.

Ok wait.

I do read quite a bit but most of what I read these days can be found within the four little corners of my wonderful laptop screen (that as I am writing this, my husband is trying to sweet talk back to life, so… so am I! Please baby, hold on for me!).

So when I say I don’t read, what I really mean is, I don’t read books.

I used to love to read books, when it was required for school and higher on my priority list. One of my all time favorites is “The Count of Monte Cristo.” I also really appreciated some science fiction, like Ray Bradbury, back in the day. And I used to gobble up Shakespeare and even Edgar Allen Poe.

But somewhere between graduating from college and becoming a mommy my affinity for books got lost.

I used to read books on the plane when I traveled for my job, but that was about the only time I fit them in.

I read the first three Harry Potter books and then they got really thick and I decided I had better things to do with my time (this is the part where my husband, who’s read the series twice and a few of the books more times, scoffs at me. Alot.) Hey, I’ve seen the movies (I know… not the same…)

I actually did read “The Kite Runner” sometime last year and it felt good to get through a whole book for once. There are many books I have started and never finished. Honestly, I think I have a little bit of Book ADD.

That’s why I read magazines. Or at least I used to. That’s kinda gone on the back burnner too since I write this blog and read many others. Probably too much, I’ll admit.

All this to say, I think I need to make a commitment to read some more {yes, I’m gonna say it} Books!

I was inspired by Anglophile Football Fanatic’s PMS (Oh my Gosh, that sounds really funny by itself, I had to read it a couple of times! HA!) It actually stands for People Masquerading as Scholars. She is encouraging everyone to read a book a month which doesn’t sound that hard, so I will try (I have one I am about to finish and another I have started).

One of the books I have started (and hope to finish!) is “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kinsolver.


A quick synopsis:

“With some assistance from her husband, Steven, and 19-year-old daughter, Camille, Kingsolver (Prodigal Summer, 2000, etc.) elegantly chronicles a year of back-to-the-land living with her family in Appalachia…Readers frustrated with the unhealthy, artificial food chain will take heart and inspiration here.”

I may or may not be inspired to change our eating habits around here and this book is REALLY interesting and well written.

And I’m about to finish “Skinny B!tch” which was mis-placed on my desk for a little while (don’t judge me.) This book also makes me want to eat differently. It’s an eye-opener for sure! Especially about the corruption that that goes on within the supposed “regulatory” agencies such as the USDA and FDA. It’s enough to make you want to stop eating because of the nausia you begin feeling while reading.

Better get off my soap-box on that one…

So for now, I am reading practical things but, who knows…. Maybe eventually I will join all you Twilighters too… ; )

Anyway, whatever I am reading, at least it’s in book form! I want my kids to see me reading books too and not just Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom. Which is really good, by the way, and the perfect length for my book ADD…


P.S. Speaking of AFF, she and June Cleaver Nirvana and I are co-hosting a bloggy dinner on Saturday, February 28th. {See button on top, left sidebar!} The location and time are yet to be determined but if you live in the DFW area we would love to have you join us! You can email me at the address up by the button and we’ll let you know once the rest of the details are worked out. : )

P.P.S My laptop apparently had a mini-stroke last night and is still not working properly even after husband’s attempts to revive it. He left to go out of town this a.m. so any help will now have to come over the phone. Please pray or send positive thoughts (or both!) that it will be restored! ugh.

elaine

Comments

  1. I love Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I can read it by memory in the kitchen while TOF sits and turns the pages in the next room. Arrghhhh I need adult interaction!

  2. you are busy. Do you really have time to read? No! Me neither. I read at midnight…and stay up WAY too late, sometimes.

    Hope you get to finish those books!

  4. I’m so sorry about your computer! May it flourish with a little physical therapy.

    I’m with you on the books. I actually started Revolutionary Road last night. I’m dying to see the movie, but those have become even less frequent than book reading.

    Magazines are the best!! Off to check out AFF’s PMS – love it.

  5. I’m so sorry about your computer! May it flourish with a little physical therapy.

    I’m with you on the books. I actually started Revolutionary Road last night. I’m dying to see the movie, but those have become even less frequent than book reading.

    Magazines are the best!! Off to check out AFF’s PMS – love it.

  6. Oh no…crossing my fingers for your laptop…I don’t know what I would do with out mine! Caden pulled it off of the counter before christmas and broke my hard drive…I sent DH out to get another one THAT NIGHT!!! If it happens to be your hard drive, you can get a new one for $99 at Fry’s….Saved my life!!

    Oh, I am soooo in for the Dinner!!! Can’t wait to hear the details!

    I am a terrible reader too…I totally think I have book ADD also. But, I LOVE reading books at the same time…I keep thinking, maybe someday I will be a reader again!

  7. oh, i want to be a reader again too. i used to read novels all of the time in my life before kids. maybe would should start a book club! then we could be motivated to read by a girls night out with wine and chocolate!!!

    oh and you so should join in on the twilight craze! i loved it and am considering re-reading it. oh and i still want to borrow skinny b. 🙂

  8. My friend hadn’t read a book since college and I convinced her to read Twilight. It is a great book to ease back into reading again because it is so easy and will DEFINITELY hold your attention.

  9. I love to read. A little too much sometimes. My family does like to eat and stuff. I often forgo sleep when I’m reading. I tend to read only fiction and memoirs though. I don’t want to be improved by my reading. LOL. Good luck in your effort. I average a book a week, but I may join in the fun anyway.

  10. I LOVE to read! Just have no time to do it as much as I would like to! If you read Kite Runner and liked it, I need to send you A Thousand Splendid Suns. I am reading it now, it’s by the same author and it’s really good!

  11. I’ve been trying to read more, too! I just finished the Twilight series, and now I don’t know what to read.

    Although, I don’t know if I want to read about living off the earth, or the meat!

  12. I am a self-proclaimed book whore. I love, love books. I buy tons. But that’s about as far as it goes most days. Most of my reading is usually on my laptop as well. I have Skinny Bitch on my shelf and am going to try and start it this week!

  13. We are having a little bloggy dinner here in OK this Friday. I’m super excited.

    Good for you for taking on the reading challenge. I LOVE to read. I read about three books a month. But, I only read for about 30 min. to a hour at bedtime.

    Now that I’m doing a Beth Moore Bible study I may have to cut back on reading for fun until the study is over.

    Best of luck!

  15. I need to do that…right now I am taking a Wednesday morning class at church and we are doing Keeper’s of the Home…we are reading a Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George…this is how I have to do it..I have to be forced otherwise I find much less scholarly things to do with my time…oh well…I guess half the battle is know you have a problem 🙂

  17. So weird. YOU just left me a comment and I am on your site reading your post.

    Weird. I dont think that has ever happened to me before.

    I am taking AFF up on her challenge too. I can;t wait to get some reading done.

  18. Good luck with the reading! I can’t imagine letting too much time go by without disappearing in a book. Books are my sanity and my escape. I am a gluttonous reader:)

    Have an amazing time at your dinner, I am so jealous that I won’t be there!

  19. I love to read. I do not love that I HAVE to stay up all night reading, if the book is that good.

    I am out of “fun” books to read right now. We are taking a Dave Ramsey Financial class at church. I was dreading reading the chapters for homework, but it was actually informative and entertaining. I can’t wait for next week’s homework!

    But, I will still hit the library for something fun.

  20. Books are my crack. The only book I have not finished ever is Little Women. I know, it’s an American classic…I’m Canadian, maybe that’s why?

    Otherwise I can’t put a book down once I start. Jay finds this completely frustrating because you can talk to me and I won’t respond. I am that into it.

    And the Twilight series, I think I would love it but right now, because it’s so in vogue to read it. I don’t want to. Weird huh? I guess I am not as much of a sheep as I thought.

    Wow, perhaps I need adult conversation? Comment much?

  21. Oooh, sorry about your computer. That sucks.

    I am right there with you on the reading thing. I LOVE to read. LOVE it. But over the last few years I’ve been doing it less and less, until I suddenly realized one day that I don’t read at ALL anymore. So I too have made a commitement to get back to it again. And I’ve read two novels already this year, so I’m not doing too bad. I added Animal, Vegetable, Miracle to my list, looks good.

    Read Twilight. Please. They are SO much fun.

    You already have me on the bloggy dinner list, right?

  22. Book ADD… I like that, I’m so going to use it! I read Skinny Bitch and had pretty much the same reaction… ewww… and yet I still eat the same junk.

  23. Girl, I love to read. Andmore than just blogs, ha ha. I “try” to read every night before bed. I’m almost done with The Pillars of the Earth- man, that’s a long book but it’s so very good. It’s gets better and better the closer you get to the end. BTW- The Count of Monte Cristo is one of my all-time favorite books TOO! Great minds think alike, right?!