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[personal profile] dogriver
When I was a kid, my father said something to me which, I expect, you
don't hear too many parents telling their children: He told me that I
was permitted to read only a certain number of books per week. While
most parents, one assumes, would be hard-pressed to get their kids to
read enough for their liking, my parents felt I was reading too much.

So reading has always been something of an obsession with me. I read
everything I could get my hands on. I'd sit on the school bus as it
headed out to our farm and read the index, table of contents,
introduction, even the acknowledgements for my school texts. I was
memorizing ISBN numbers long before I knew what they meant; I was
reading glossaries, and not just on the off chance there might be dirty
words in it; I knew all about the author, what the New York Times, the
Christian Science Monitor, Publisher's Weekly, and the Reader's Digest
book review had to say about the books. I read it all, cover to cover.

Not surprisingly, I also learned to enjoy writing. Whether or not I ever
became particularly good at it is up for debate (I suppose that's sort
of why I'm here), but I did enjoy it. Before blogging came along, I was
working on a weekly commentary, One Guy's
Thoughts
. It gave me a chance to have opinions and to share them
with anyone who might be interested.

But it was my discovery of LJ last year which really started opening up
doors for me. Here was my chance to write commentaries, offer opinions,
or say whatever the heck else I might want to say, all using a
ready-made interface. How cool was that?

And so it goes. Here I am, participating in what should be a lot of fun
in the form of LJ Idol. I am looking forward to reading the writing of
others, and I do hope my little contributions will make an enjoyable
read for some. Hopefully I'll come away with some new friends ... One
can never have too many of those, unless the saying that a friend in
need is a friend indeed is to be taken literally and to its extreme. So
let's idol along, shall we, and all the best to everyone who's
participating this year.

Date: 2007-10-29 07:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosepurr.livejournal.com
My parents limited the amount I was allowed to read, too! A kindred spirit. :)

<-----avid bookhound

Date: 2007-10-30 04:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] anchasta.livejournal.com
Ditto! I got in trouble for trying to read at the dinner table...on a nightly basis!

:D

How many times did you miss your school bus stop? (I was 3 times in one year)

Re: <-----avid bookhound

Date: 2007-10-30 09:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosepurr.livejournal.com
LOL! I still do it. I missed my city bus stop on my way to work last year (and I'm 31)!

Re: <-----avid bookhound

Date: 2007-10-31 11:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] anchasta.livejournal.com
*laughs*

The busdriver started looking for me to make sure I got off at my spot. It was embarrassing!

Re: <-----avid bookhound

Date: 2007-10-31 03:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosepurr.livejournal.com
I can relate. At my old location the other passengers kept an eye on me.

Date: 2007-10-29 09:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cerva.livejournal.com
I thought I was the only one who pissed my parents off with my reading habits.

I saw your post through the [livejournal.com profile] therealljidol topic prompt. So, uhm, hello.

the first half should be expanded

Date: 2007-10-30 01:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] michael-m.livejournal.com
What effect did having to chose your books have on you?

Did you purposely wait to read certain things, or have internal struggle because there were certain things that were huge, but which you had to select from causing internal trauma no one but a book lover would understand?

Date: 2007-10-30 08:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spydielives.livejournal.com
I too was told, more than once, to "stop reading and do something!"

I did. I climbed a tree, pulled a paperback out of its hiding place, and ... read.

Date: 2007-10-31 01:55 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] boundfate.livejournal.com
My parents also would take the books away. :) Nice to meet you!

Date: 2007-10-31 03:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] djner.livejournal.com
Totally know what you mean about being obsessed with reading. I am blind, and always thought it was cool that I could read in the dark after we were supposed to be in bed. I read a bit of the dictionary and encyclopedia, but I don't think I ever was as extreme as you were as a kid. Good to meet you, and I hope to hear from you again. Should be fun!

Book junkies!

Date: 2007-11-01 04:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tulip-in-yellow.livejournal.com
It was 1993 and I was in the midst of reading a non-school book, 'Brave New World'. I'd become so enthralled by it that I decided that while I was stopped at a stop light on my drive to school that I'd just read a page or two. I ended up gently hitting a red convertible Chrysler Lebaron! My friends gave me hell about that one for years.

Here from idol

Date: 2007-11-02 07:20 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wildcatwrites.livejournal.com
*waves* nice to meet you!

Date: 2007-11-03 03:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lacombe.livejournal.com
My parents set a time limit on reading for me. I'd sneak more time at night anyways to write and read with a flashlight. I also got wiring and books taken away from me in class. :-)

Date: 2007-11-03 03:43 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] 40sw.livejournal.com
hi! nice intro.

Date: 2007-11-03 04:01 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] n-decisive.livejournal.com
I think I've just met another hyperlexic. If I'm right, that's a happy-making moment. If not, I can still be pleased because I enjoyed your entry. :)

Date: 2007-11-04 03:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lilerthkwake.livejournal.com
My older brother's friends were amazed when they found out I was grounded for READING. They were like, "My parents would PAY me to read!" But I stayed up waaaaay past my bedtime, reading books by the red glow of the numbers on my alarm clock.

Looking forward to reading more of your stuff!

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Bruce Toews

May 2022

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