8 December 2012 ~ A Month of Reflection

What has been your favourite book [or blog or magazine] you've read this year? (Author: Carolyn Rubenstein) 

 I would have to say that my favourite "read" of 2012 would BE:

WHATEVER I AM READING OR LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW...

This is BEcause that is how I am with reading. I love reading [and listening to audiobooks] and spend a considerable chunk of my each and every day DOing it. In fact, I have time set aside specifically FOR reading each day and for reading certain things each and every week.

I can tell you some reading I have loved especially much:

Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
Drawing Lab by Carla Sonheim

Actually, those are just 3 of way so many. It has been a great year for reading and reading recommendations BEtween A Year With Myself and following up and through with bloggers' best reads.

And speaking of bloggers and blogging, I've been adding to and trimming my Google Reader all year and keeping it just enough that I get everything read each day or couple of days, depending on other my blog-reading fun.

I made an agreement with myself to read and visit each artist in the weekly challenges I participate in. And to comment. And while this might sound like a little too much, I am fortunate to have the time to DO this. Plus, I have come to know so many amazing people all round the World in the process.

Lots of my "reading time" is walking time or waiting for and riding on the bus time. Though I am NOT the World's greatest fan of multi-tasking, I enJOY books on the bus. For me to go to the county library it is 2 hours ON the bus and about an hour of walking time unless I catch the right bus that cuts walking time to about 20 minutes...

I had accumulated a good number of books here in the Wee Cottage [despite having left BEhind a Life's long collection of books when I moved East in 2009] and as I have been clearing out, Letting Go, and simplifying Life, I gathered up my courage and cleared them just after selling my car.

I was able to trade several of them, along with a DVD or 2 and some CDs, in at Amazon and finally worked out getting a Kindle simply by letting go and NOT dipping into my $ta$h. Now I am enJOYing more books without that long bus ride by checking the Kindle books out online. It took me awhile and some financial footwork, but I am really REALLY enJOYing my little Kindle.

I really enJOY reading blogs, listening while painting to TED Talks, and playing click the link and see what happens on others' blogs. It can BEcome a Rabbit Hole, but I've learned how to Start and Stop much better!!!

Reading, ultimately, is probably my favourite thing to DO. While writing and making my art and walking, especially with Gracie, are too, reading has always let me meander in the way others tell stories, think, and to simply marvel at how they think. 

I have gone long stretches in my Life NOT reading. I'll admit, those were times of heavy tv watching and depression. It was nearly impossible to pick up anything, even though then, as I am DOing Now with the blogs in my Google Reader, I was receiving newspapers and magazines. And buying books. On a whim. [also long stretches of NOT going to the library]

My Life simply works best when I am reading. And writing. And listening. This is what I love about audiobooks especially. I can walk miles with ease or paint and let my creative whatever dance without really even "trying" while listening to a book or a speaker.

It's good to know this and its priority in my Life Now. I'm glad for this prompt.