It's Just a Ride

As I mentioned in my last post, I have recently gotten an E-Reader. This thing has taken over my life. My internet usage is down by about two third as I am to busy reading the latest book.

So far I have read The Hobbit, Deception Point by Dan Brown and I am now halfway through The Running Man by Stephen King. I have read all this is the past week. I don’t think I have been this hungry to read since I was at school. According to my mum I used to read a lot when I was really young and Christmas and Birthdays always bought new books to the house. But I kind of drifted away from reading during the 4th year at junior school. Sitting and thinking about it I know why I drifted away and it’s all my fault.

During Junior school we had reading ages. Right from the first year up to 4th year we had to have a reading book on the go for weekly reading times. The awful moment when you had to go and stand by the teachers desk and read from the book you had. Up until 4th year this wasn’t a problem. But some strange competitive thing over took me in the 4th year and I wanted to get up to the top reading age in as quick a time as possible. I wanted to read real books… ones without pictures accompanying the words. So I lied about reading at home and finishing books before I had actually read them. I hurt no one but myself.

The one book that I put my downfall to was The Secrets Of Nimh. I had that book in my drawer for weeks. I could never get past the first couple of chapters. I was well out of my depth and I knew it. I skipped chapters, Watched the film so I had a rough idea of what had happened. I think the teacher Mr Martin probably knew I was trying to pull a fast one but he never said anything, I was an adept fibber.

After that book did me in I didn’t take much interest in books. It wasn’t until I left school and went to college to study Theatre Arts and English A Levels that I really had to start reading again. My GCSE’s were pretty sparse in the reading front as I was dumb as a box of rocks and was put in lower sets for most classes and regular teaching was put aside for more focus on coursework done as guided individual learning. When I got to college I had to relearn how to read again. It was a struggle and I found I slipped back into my old habits… hence failing A Level English twice and only just passing the Theatre Arts course second time round.

I had no problems reading scripts but my main problem was getting my ideas from my head to paper. It has been said amongst family members that if I had been able to give oral answers to my exams I would have passed with flying colours, but writing them down was always a problem. I have tried on numerous occasions to get “back into” reading but have never had much success. I would read one book and then get all enthused and start another only to have my attention taken away by something else after a few chapters. I never settled into being a book worm again.

But that seems to have changed now with the E-Reader. I have an appetite for reading. My only problem is deciding what to read next.

This is a promo picture of the E-Reader I have. I tried to take my own picture but the results were less that acceptable for publishing.

My New E-Reader

So far I have read easy going stuff, I feel I need to expand and stretch myself. Maybe a raid on a public domain e-book site for some older books might be in order and start reading something with a little more substance. The only question is… When do I tackle The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy? I have never made it past the first book but I need to know how different the books are to the films. So much choice so little time!

In other news… I just took some pictures of the Daffodils growing the Garden that sprung up just in time for St David’s Day. I offer you a couple of the better ones. These images were taken using my iPhone using the Hipstamatic app.

A Daffodil

A different lens and film option

A drooping Daffodil

Click on the pictures for larger versions.

We don’t have that many flowers in our garden.. in fact .. to be honest … these are the only two. But hopefully the tree will blossom into something interesting over the spring and summer.

Until Next Time…