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Old 01-02-2012, 08:27 AM
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adrianka adrianka is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrshobbes View Post
I totally get what you mean. In my case, last year I wanted to get back into the habit of reading--I used to devour a book a day. Then when I started working I just read magazines. Before last year I was reading a book for the last three years, lol. Putting a number on the goal really worked for me--and I really enjoyed what I read, too! That's what I love about Goodreads--you can get instant feedback on whether a book is awesome or not

I guess my point is to get that experience of being in the habit, I needed something measurable, so a number was a cool idea
Yeah, it makes sense. I used to be like you - a book a day. Then I majored in English and German and after the state exams (that included literature) I honestly couldn't even look at a book. I couldn't even look at a magazine!

It took me some time to overcome it (but I just waited for it to clear), and even then I just started reading the "lower" stuff, like detective stories, fantasy, science fiction. My "quality lit" days are over (I use the quotations marks intentionally, because labelling and generalising is dangerous - a good book doesn't have to be intellectual, IMHO, and I say that as an intellectual of sorts - even though I'm not the snobbish kind, hopefully).

Then I started working as a full-time translator and lost any interest in written word for about 4 years. I wasn't happy about it, but I didn't force the issue. That was when I kinda came back to visual arts - that I put on hold for years.

The book that made me come back to reading was a book on squirrels, of all things - it has short chapters and I could read one during my way to work by bus. Then I started reading French kiddo books and it worked like a charm... These days I'd say I read one book in a week or two, depending. I don't have a smartphone or any fancy gadgets (or a car), so usually I read while waiting for a bus, while riding on a bus, when alone in a cafeteria or even in queues.

Setting a goal wouldn't work for me - what worked was a sudden sparkle and a lot of patience while waiting for things to settle - but that's ME. I get that goals work for others. :-)

And I love GoodReads, too.

P.S. And one more thing - it took me 13 years to overcome my "allergy" to German books. Last year I read about 5 of them, and was SO HAPPY to discover that 13 years after the state exam I could finally enjoy reading in German. Everything is possible! :-D
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Last edited by adrianka; 01-02-2012 at 08:37 AM.
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