Why I Read

When I was growing up in the 1960s one of the big reading outlets was comic books. Most adults looked on them with disdain, and so-called "true readers" wouldn't have anything to do with them. But the truth was, comic books inspired reading.

I read them voraciously. My sister, Gayane, was a big reader and often got comic books from Mother, Aunt Cile, and Grandma. I didn't get them often. I learned to read, but few seemed to encourage it. My sisters taught me before I was five. And I learned that comic books were a wonderful source reading.

For me, they helped spur imagination because often the writers and the artists worked together. We got to see what the story creators envisioned.

Back in the 60s comic books were featured items at all big grocery stores. They came wrapped three together for a quarter. And some big comics (thick) were fifty cents each. I would save my quarters up and hang out by the magazine rack while Mother shopped for groceries. When she reached the checkout I would have one or two packages of comics. There was little teasing if I was buying Batman or Superman, but anything else brought ridicule. So most of the time when I read the other comics they would be Gayanne's.

But Aunt Cile would buy me Classics Illustrated. I bought the Casper, Spooky, Wendy, and Nightmare comics on my own. When I dared.

I don't see comics around anymore. I think one has to actually go to a comic book store. Even when I've been at Borders or Barnes and Noble I haven't seen them. Guess I don't know where to look. But I think it was a very good idea for grocery stores to carry them. They inspired me to read. And that kept me out of a lot of trouble while filling my head with dreams and imaginations.

Casper was one of my favorites. I liked the Harveytoon Comics. But something about the idea of a friendly ghost appealed to me. I loved the cartoons, too. Those often made me laugh. Hot Stuff was another favorite.

Beetle Bailey comics were usually purchased by Gayanne. These were cute, and good for a quick read.

Sugar and Spike were great, but they weren't easy to find. I have tried finding the cover image for my favorite issue, but no luck.

The Classics Illustrated were fantastic. If it wasn't for Classics Illustrated I never would have read the actual books. But seeing them in comic book form inspired me to grab the books without pictures to read. These included such classics as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, White Fang, The Three Muskateers, Frankenstein, and Jungle Book, to name just a few.

I miss comic books. You know, if I could find Classics Illustrated for some of the current best selling novels I just might be inclined to read the actual books.

Ice Cream Has No Bones

So it's been nap time again. Strange how sleep picks odd times to visit now. And sometimes during the night it refuses to come near.

I guess I'm being paid back for my youthful years when I often banished sleep from my presence. I often spent nights awake. My first steady job was at a pizza restaurant. I started work at five-thirty at night and worked until close, which was midnight on Sunday, one o'clock in the morning Mondays through Thursdays, and two o'clock in the morning on Fridays and Saturdays. After work it could be two or three hours before I tried going to bed.

Later, in my college days, I again worked a pizza place, and this time I, certain waitresses and cooks, would gather at an all-night restaurant and talk until dawn.

When I wasn't working I was with Stephen, playing tennis until the lights went out on the courts at midnight or one. Then we would find a pizza place and get something to eat.

And when none of those things was going on I would read. Sometimes all night. Often all night.

So now I'm old. The local pizza places close around ten. Too expensive to stay open, and with internet, cable and movie rentals nobody sits down at a pizza place to eat anymore. Haven't the energy to work them anyway.

Can't play tennis anymore. Even if I could, Stephen is gone. I don't really enjoy it like I did. Neither do I enjoy the pizza hopping late at night without him.

Still read, though. Sometimes all night. Or, I write.

But even those nights when I manage to catch hold of sleep before midnight we tend to wrestle with each other more than relax and rest. And my legs hurt all the time, so I wake a lot.

I used to wonder why "old people" took naps in the day. Now I know. It's the best time to sleep. It's when sleep can most easily be captured and kept.

Well, I'm up now. We'll be eating a late supper. Spaghetti. Almost like the old days at J's Pizza. All I need now are Chris and Stephen. After we had placed our order we would get to talking and then I would say it; the phrase that always made Chris laugh.

Because, as you know, ice cream has no bones.

Another First For Me - Life's Minor Triumphs

I don't normally do memes. For one thing, I'm not entirely sure I understand what a meme is. Apparently it is a series of unasked questions to be answered in sequence on a blog. Kind of like a chain letter. (I don't get into those either.)

But Writtenwyrdd has one on her site which she got from Charles Gramlich who's been seeing it on other blogs. This one is interesting to me because it is exclusively devoted to books and reading. So, I thought I would give it a go.

So, my first meme. Questions in red italics, answers in blue.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack:
My favorite place to read is in bed, which means snacks and a soda are right at hand. Snacks are anything which can be eaten with one hand. The most common snacks are chips and popcorn, but chocolate, apples, peanuts, and even hot dish qualify.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
Writing in a book makes my skin crawl. For the longest time I couldn't even write in a blank book. Eventually, I got so I could hi-lite and underline passages in my bible, and write personal thoughts on what I had read, but now when I read it I find myself wishing I hadn't done that.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
When I was very young I folded the corners. Then I realized the fold marks never went away. So I began laying the books flat open. But then I found the spines would break. So now I use bookmarks. I'm constantly having to buy more because they get all bent and floppy. I prefer stiff bookmarks. (Although the one I'm using now is made of cloth.)

Fiction, nonfiction, or both?
Mostly fiction and mostly fantasy. However, I also enjoy nature stories. And over the years I have found reading documentary and biographical stories enjoyable. And reading about the stars, the planets, and earth history and science is always fascinating.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?
During a first read I prefer to finish reading sessions between chapters. In subsequent reads I can stop wherever.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?
It depends. If the book is exceptionally captivating I won't interrupt the flow with a word search. I try to evaluate the meaning based on context. For not so captivating work, or during subsequent reads, I will look up the word.

What are you currently reading?
Lord of the Rings. For about the 250th time. I'm also picking up a Tanya Huff book at the library this afternoon: Sing the Four Quarters. I've not ready anything from her before, but she comes highly recommended.

What is the last book you bought?
The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron. That's been a while now. Ran out of money you know.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?
I can read more than book at a time, and I have. But generally, I read so fast that I usually finish a book in one sitting, so I don't give myself the opportunity. I have been known to stay up until dawn reading.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read?
My favorite place to read is in bed. My favorite time is when I'm going to be left alone. I don't like being interrupted in my reading any more than I do in my writing. But I'm usually nice when I am. [smiles]

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?
I don't know that I have a real preference on this. It kind of depends on the story. While I wish there was more with Lord of the Rings and Well-Favored Man (Elizebeth Willey), I'm content that Higher Power of Lucky is stand alone.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?
Very seldom do I ever recommend books. I just tell people I liked them and leave it for them to decide on their own if they're interested. Further, I have a difficult time remembering author names. I've always been horrible at remembering names.

How do you organize your books?(by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)
Ideally, I keep my books by author within genre. There are exceptions. I have some Star Trek books written by different authors. I keep these together because they still form a set of sorts. But I keep my Warriors (Erin Hunter) in order by chronological sequence and not title.

So, there you have it. My first meme. Not too difficult. Could have said a lot more. I'm surprised I didn't.