What I've Missed About Reading

It appears that, in true Lara style, I wrote a whole post about my blogging plans and how I was generally going to get more organised over the next year, particularly by posting more often ... and then went AWOL for a month and a half.

Oopsie.

Sorry for my absence, guys - exam season kind of kicked my butt and I basically lost the ability to read anything except revision guides, write anything except flashcards, or commit to anything except long study sessions in the library. But now ... now it is time for a comeback.

Are you READY, punks? Because I really, really have missed you.

In fact, I am willing to write a whole post about how I have missed the whole book blogging/ bookworm community - in fact, no. I'm willing to write a whole post about just how much I've missed the simple act of reading.

#1 - TALKING ABOUT BOOKS

I've had my head in various books for the whole time I've been away, but the thing is that when people ask "So what are you reading at the moment?", they aren't really expecting me to wax lyrical about the Organisation chapter of my Biology Revision Guide. However I try to phrase it, I can't quite make indicator species sound like main characters, the digestive system into a setting, or the fact that active transport requires energy a decent plot twist.

(BTW, if anyone understood that incredibly geeky paragraph, could they actually write this book? The section set in the small intestine might be a tiny bit gruesome, but ... you'd definitely have me as a reader.)

I've honestly been spending most of my time lately logging on to Twitter and inwardly crying because I'VE MISSED SO MUCH. Half the books people are raving about? I completely missed their release days! *sighs*

I guess I'm just going to have to get stuck in. *settles down to scroll through months of blog archives*

#2 - ESCAPING FROM THE DULL, DULL WORLD

It turns out that life is kind of boring when you don't have fictional people's lives to escape into.

I mean, there are so many cool things that I don't have in my everyday existence - where are all the cute relationships who create banter with fandom references? Where're all my kickass grandmas and my time travelling teenagers and my private islands?

WHERE ARE ALL THE FASCINATING MURDERERS?

Oh. Maybe ... maybe I shouldn't be inviting murderers to enter my life. You're still fascinating, murderers, but please stay on the other side of the paper, where you can't reach my vital organs with your stabby knives.

It's probably a good job that I've managed to get over my self-created reading slump as soon as I have, or I might have gone looking for intrigue in somewhere dangerous. You know, like an organised crime ring.

See, people - reading saves lives! And does anyone have any books about organised crime rings to recommend?

#3 - BEING IN CONTROL OF MY GOODREADS GOAL

Before my exams decided to sneak up on me to steal away all my free time, creativity and knowledge of life outside of a textbook I was actually having a pretty productive reading period. I am naturally bitter about that, but since they have returned all those things to me (minus a few weeks of my life), I've decided not to press charges.

However. My Goodreads goal is now slowly spiralling out of reach, and since I failed last year's so spectacularly, this is worrying. But, fingers crossed, I'll get there; and if getting there means reminding myself that Goodreads goals are arbitrary numbers that don't define anything about my life, then so be it.

#4 - BEING IN CONTROL OF MY TBR

You know the theory that even the smallest TBR can grow astronomically big without any interaction from the person that's supposed to be making it? Yeah, that. I swear they've been breeding.

I can only tackle them so quickly, peeps, and honestly the sheer speed of multiplication is starting to scare me. Do I need to seperate them at night or something? Are they like gremlins, and I've just been getting them wet by accident? If anyone could give any tips on properly caring for them, that would be most appreciated?

But in all seriousness, I think I have a problem somehow linked with Goodreads and the sheer inviting nature of its "Want to Read" button. They should decorate it in more dangerous colours, or something.

#5 - BEING IN CONTROL OF ANYTHING, BASICALLY

*Smiles for an unreasonable amount of time in a near-futile effort to try and convince you I've ever been in control of anything in my life.*

*Fails*

#6 - HAVING AN EXCUSE NOT TO TALK TO THE MUGGLES

Say what you like about books (or actually, don't, because I might spit in your face if you're overly mean) but they are excellent mechanisms for avoiding conversation. If someone can't see your mouth due to the large volume in front of it, they don't tend to expect interesting words to come out. This comes in really handy when you're bored by people generally, or are worried you'll reveal your murder plans if you get talking for too long.

Come on, I can't be the only one.

For whatever reason, revision guides don't have the same effect. Maybe they make the people around me think I need to escape? I mean, I was studying the Implications of Research into Antisocial Personality Disorder at some point - the look on my face must have been pretty torturous.

But does that excuse people talking to me on a regular basis? Ugh.

#7 - THE WHOLE BOOKWORM IDENTITY

I guess there must have been a reason why I decided to become obsessed with books in the first place.

Obviously, there's the books. The whole words-stimulating-imagination thing is pretty darn cool. But ... there's also the whole community surrounding them. The enthusiastic conversations I can have at the library with perfect strangers who are about to check out my favourite book. The people who don't give me a weird side eye when I squeak at the new cover on the display table at Waterstones. The people on the internet (yeah, that's you lovelies) who can look at a Tweet that is basically just incoherent moaning and know I'm complaining about the first Percy Jackson movie.

Again.

I am glad I'm back because I get to hang out with my bookish friends again. I get to put on my proud bookworm cloak and join the army hiding behind a cave of books. And even just writing this post is putting a smile on my face.

So, I do actually have a point. Basically, don't ostracise yourself from this wonderful community just because you're in a busy life season or a reading slump. We won't judge you because your TBR is growing out of control and you can't even remember the exact last time you sat down and cracked a spine. We're all busy sometimes, and you're still one of us.

Come join the party.

***
In the comments: What do you guys miss the most when you don't have time to read? Is your TBR quite as out of control as mine is? And what else do you love about being a bookworm?
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14 comments:

  1. WELCOME BACK I'VE MISSED YOU.

    I can totally relate about being busy. I didn't read a blessed thing for like two months towards the end of last semester and then when break hit I devoured seven in a row. And now it's getting to be that time again for me. EEK.

    Something that's helped with my Goodreads goal (although I'm sure you probably know this already) is to count reading required for school toward it, too! :) I've read several plays for my theater class, and I count every single one of them. That's precious reading time that should be rewarded.

    I don't realize how starved I am for bookish talk until I start fangirling with someone about it. That's why I love blogging!

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    1. AWW, thank you, Kate! I've missed you too.

      I'm kind of hoping I'm going to hit a "seven in a row" style sweet spot now that my exams are out of the way. I've got through three in about the last week, and ... honestly, it's been kind of fun. Good luck for your busy time as it fast approaches, by the way.

      Oooh, I actually HADN'T thought about doing that. We get through required reading pretty slowly in English Lit, what with all the ANALYSIS and stuff (wow it's dull), but it might add a couple to my read list. Now I've just got to figure out how on earth I'm supposed to review Macbeth. (I do like reading plays though. We did An Inspector Calls last term, and it was really good fun.)

      Thanks for the fangirling opportunity, Kate.

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  2. Exams will steal your reading time. And your soul. But your reading time is more important, OBVIOUSLY. My Goodreads goal is also spiralling out of my control, mainly because most of my reading list for my classes has been bits of political pamphlets or large numbers of poems. I cannot put these on Goodreads. :( You can catch up! Summer's...still a while away.

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    1. Exams have basically stolen everything I own. Including, it seems, all of my pens. Randomly. Honestly, my Goodreads goal is a lot more out of control than it seems right now, because I have a top-secret hypothetical target in my head that's a lot bigger than what I've posted. BUT YOU SHAN'T KNOW. *mwa ha ha*

      I HATE that feeling when you read a book, eagerly go to add it to your challenge, and THEN realise it isn't on Goodreads. I MEAN, WHAT WAS IT ALL FOR IF I CAN'T POST IT?

      And summer is definitely on its way. Sloowwwly.

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  3. I always forgot how much I miss reading until I'm actually immersed in a book again and then I'm like, why haven't I been doing more of this lately it's great?? Just finished After the Fall by Kate Hart and that was one of those. But I'd say don't be too hard on yourself about not reading/blogging/etc especially when you're in school, you don't need to make yourself more stressed! Life happens, and it's okay if you only read one or two books every few months. :)

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    1. This is very true. During exams, I was kind of thinking of books as "meh" (I know, terrible, but I'm about to redeem myself) and reaching for Pinterest or Twitter because it felt like a lot less work. But now I've bothered to crack open a few spines again, I'm honestly kind of befuddled about why I avoided reading for so long.

      Thank you for the advice, too. I can always do with a little reminder not to be too hard on myself ... especially since life just keeps on happening.

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  4. Welcome back!

    (I lol'd so much at this post btw!)

    My Goodreads target is over 10 books behind schedule, and my TBR is over 750 books. There's no hope Lara, no hope *laughs hysterically* ;)

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    1. I am very glad you lol'd. That was my intention, after all.

      Oh ... none of us have any hope. I've just put my TBR through a SERIOUS weeding and I'm still up to almost 50. It's utterly terrifying. *laughs hysterically along with you*

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  5. Oh I love this! And I 500% relate to the TBR problems...I swear, I took just FOUR days off reading so I could write a novel and my tbr totally exploded. I didn't even leave the house dangit how does this happen. ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿ˜‚ I also love the bookworm community so much and just chatting over books is the besssst. I always miss that too if I don't have time to read!

    WELCOME BACK TO BLOGGING!

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    1. TBRs have powerful mystical powers that cause ... issues. Let's leave it at that. (Guess who went to the library today and now accidentally has a bag full of books? That would be this idiot).

      The bookworm community is legit my favourite thing about the internet. Even just talking to you right now is putting a huge grin on my face.

      THANK YOU. IT'S SO GREAT TO BE BACK.

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  6. In the last few months I also ended up taking an unexpected break from blogging when university life started to get a bit crazy. I thought doing a Masters wasn’t going to affect my blogging and you’ve guessed it, I was super wrong XD. I found your post very relatable. And really funny too ^^ I like to think I’ve got better at juggling uni, blogging and reading. Good luck with it for you as well ๐Ÿ˜Š

    My latest post: The Beauty and the Beast Book Tag (Original)

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    1. Ahaha ... and I think school is bad. I have a feeling that life and blogging are just going to conspire against each other more and more as work gets more intense - but I have infinite respect for you somehow managing to blog while doing a Masters. What subject is it in?

      Oh, and thanks for the good luck. I'm gonna need it.

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    2. I'm doing my Masters in Communication :)

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    3. Oooh. Sounds like a really interesting subject.

      Delete

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