I am participating in the American Cancer Society’s challenge to write for thirty minutes each day in May. I do a lot of writing and I can meet this challenge. I plan to make a blog entry each day with what I’ve written.
I wanted to participate in memory of loved ones who fought cancer bravely but succumbed:
My brother-in-law Jeff
My sister-in-law Ann
My dear friend Kay
My Uncle Bob
My Uncle John
I also wanted to help raise money to support research and a cure for those currently fighting this vicious disease.
My Facebook to the fundraiser is here.
"Write about something that you always have with you."
Wherever I go, I carry the book I’m reading. Sometimes I have two books with me, leaving one in the car. That’s my “in case” book, the one I’ll need if I happen to finish the one I’ve got under my arm.
I started this practice back in junior high. Often, I was finished with a class assignment before everyone else. I grew tired of feeling bored waiting for everyone to finish so I always made sure I had my library book with me. Other students who also finished early but didn’t have a book fidgeted. I had plenty of patience. I could read all day if I could.
I can’t tell you how annoyed I was when I took the PSAT and SAT in high school and wasn’t allowed to read while I waited for time to be up. What did they think I was doing, cheating? We weren’t allowed to read or doodle. Finger drumming and pencil tapping weren’t permitted either. What was there to do but look out the window at … nothing going on.
Reading in the car or on the bus didn’t make me carsick. When I was tired of looking out the window, I would pull out my book and read. It made a six-hour drive from Baltimore to Long Island pass quickly. My brother would stare glumly out the window. He didn’t care much for reading.
While we lived in Baltimore, we didn’t really need a car much. I took two city buses to get to high school and frequently rode other bus lines to get where I needed to go. I would pull out a book to read while I stood waiting for the bus to arrive. The wait didn’t seem so long, and my feet didn’t seem to hurt so much standing in place. The book would come out again as soon as I sat down on the bus.
Having a book with me has helped me endure long waits in the doctor’s office. Even when a tech finally brings you back to a room, there is still another long wait for the doctor to make an appearance. I have even pulled out a book to read while waiting in a long line at the bank or at a store.
Some years back, Ted convinced me to try a Kindle. I must admit I was intrigued by the idea. It’s become harder to hold a big book. The weight of one of the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon was enough to make my wrists and hands ache. Being able to read such a long story on a little bitty Kindle seemed miraculous.
I couldn’t do it.
I tried; I really did. It just wasn’t the same. My Kindle didn’t have the heft of a “real” book. There wasn’t a physical sensation on my fingers in turning the pages. There wasn’t a new page scent.
I am on my third Kindle. I think I’ve used it a handful of times since Ted got it for me as a Christmas gift two years ago. I still download free eBooks to it. I just haven’t read any of them. I don’t know if it’s because I’m old school or because some folks, old or young, just must have the “feel” of a hardback or paperback book.
I’m breezing through my latest book, Small Mercies. It’s written by one of my favorite authors, Dennis Lehane. Some writers just have a way with words that pull me into their stories. Dennis Lehane, Wally Lamb, John Irving, Stephen King, James Clavell, Amy Tan, and Diana Gabaldon are on that list. I would also include Betty Smith, a favorite from my teen years. She wrote A Tree Grows in Brooklyn and Joy in the Morning.
I find new favorites every time I walk into the library.
I am at the point in my life where carrying a book with me wherever I go has become second nature. I’m never at a loss for something to pass the time pleasantly, no matter where I am waiting.
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