2014-10-18

Re-reading

This post at Austin Kleon´s blog made me smile, as I had just been tossing out a few pages in my diary on how my reading was frustrating me. A prayer-answer, if ever.

I am really into no 14 on his list right now: "I will re-read favorite books the way I watch favorite movies and play favorite records over and over." Actually, I feel a bit like I have gone into some kind of literary fetal position, if that makes any sense. Comfort reading in the extreme, for me anyhow. I am trying to be kind to myself, though, as life is crazy right now, both inside and outside. Things are changing - in a fundamental way - I can feel it and I am eager for it, but it´s not yet ready. It´s like being very, very hungry and having to wait another three hours for the stew to brew. (I don´t suppose stews actually brew, but I like how that rhyme.)

Also, no 8: "I will not finish books I don’t like", no 10: "I will throw a book across the room", and no 21: "If I hate a book, I will keep my mouth shut". Actually, even no 22: "I will make liberal use of the phrase, “It wasn’t for me.”". Yeah. It´s painful to realize someone was hurt by a remark you made and you can´t take it back. So, will I only blog books I like? Can´t really blog something I stopped reading and tossed across the room, I guess. (Though I´m sure I have done.)

As you can tell, I am having a bit of a reading crisis and it´s been coming on slowly all year. It´s just a small part of the whole change, though. Since I stopped working on that novel of mine and started doing other things, reading just isn´t the same, and the reasons for picking up a book has changed. Writing anything, even blogging, has changed. Or rather, is changing. I just made a list of things to work towards, with a deadline that is nine months ahead of me, so the fetal analogy isn´t so far off. I am tempted to make changes happen, make declarations of this and that, but it just isn´t the time. I´ll just wait and see.

Upplagd av kl.
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4 comments:

  1. Divers and SundryOctober 19, 2014 at 3:20 PM

    I don't blog restaurants I don't like, but books are different for me. I read a lot and honestly have trouble remembering if I've read something -much less why I did or didn't like it. Being able to look on the blog helps jog my memory better than other systems I've tried. When my opinion differs from the prevailing wisdom, I just say so.

    I enjoy re-reading. I'm not sure why I don't do more of it. I have been known to quit reading a book and even throw it across the room lol. My biggest reading change was when I started marking in books with pencil. That felt so strange at first.

    I hope your season of change/incubation/pregnancy/growing feels good as it's happening.

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    Replies
    1. Viktoria BergOctober 19, 2014 at 3:51 PM

      You know, for a while I didn´t re-read because it wouldn´t give me any blog-fodder. I have come to terms with that, though! I suppose re-reading fits a certain kind of attitude, and that you just have to be ready for it. Sometimes it´s just too hard to digest new stuff.

      I do feel good about hibernating a bit. The hard thing isn´t starting new things, the hard thing is stopping old things. Releasing the bits that have gone sour or just run their course isn´t my strong suit.

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    2. Divers and SundryOctober 19, 2014 at 4:01 PM

      Yes, stopping old things is hard for me, too. Even when it's clear it's not working any more. I get stuck somehow.

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    3. Viktoria BergOctober 19, 2014 at 9:31 PM

      I think of it as a kind of grief. Habits represent parts of our lives that die, sometimes even relationships and people who actually die, and it needs a bit of aching time before you can release and go on. Sometimes you just have to realize, also, that you are no longer (or never were) who you thought you were.

      Deep, huh? ;-) I need to go to bed...

      Delete

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