Reading for Pages

This is the first time in since college that I've "read for pages." Normally when I'm reading for pleasure, I don't keep track of how many pages are in the book or how many remain. I'm just along for the journey. With the Quest of The List, I'm very cognizant of pages, and it takes me back to reading assignments in school, when the goal was not to enjoy but to FINISH.

Although it's not my normal approach to reading, it's not unpleasant. Just different.

Update on The List

Finished: As I Lay Dying, Faulkner Old Man and the Sea, Hemingway Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston Animal Farm, Orwell Brave New World, Huxley In Progress: 1984, Orwell Howards End, Forster To The Lighthouse, Woolf Two of the "in progress" ones are books on tape, but I insist that counts. As long as it's not abridged! It actually takes longer than reading the books, you get the full story, and I get to feel like I'm doing something useful with my commute. More impressions on "the classics" after I've read a few more!

Bad breakup?

Seen in the Ballston Commons mall parking lot

"The List"

A friend mentioned the MLA Top 100 Novels of All Time list the other night. Confident I'd make a decent showing, I googled it so I could check my total.

9.

So I checked the MLA Reader's List - 23. The Time list - 23 again. A list that included a lot of non-English literature - 25. Barely a quarter!

That's as good as it got, so now I'm on a quest. I finished Their Eyes Were Watching God Monday night. I'm reading Brave New World and listening to To The Lighthouse during my commute (that counts!). I have another stack from the library waiting for me.

I may not finish them all before being seduced by one of the easier reads in my pile, but hopefully I'll improve my stats first!

Why Blog?

I had lunch on Tuesday with my old friend CvS, who convinced me to try out the blogging thing. This is a phenomena that has largely passed me by until now - my friends have blogs, attend blogger happy hours, and comment on each other's blogs. It's a happy little community. Although I love my friends, I don't read their blogs regularly and certainly didn't feel the need to subject anyone else to the "mind-numbingly boring" details of my own life. (Cheers, Higgy!)

However, CvS argued that even if nobody else is interested in reading my blog, it would be nice for my own sake to have a combination journal and photo album. I'm semi-convinced, so here goes!