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This afternoon I sat on the grass of the City Hall in the sun and read a book, during my lunch break. I have never done this before and it felt great. Part of my new plan to be a “better” person. Step one - read more. The last book I read was Johnny Depp: A Kind of Illusion. I only got 2 thirds of the way through, and this was exactly one year ago. I have lots of reader-type friends, who generally read a lot. Every time I see them reading or hear them talking about books, or if they ask me if I have read such and such a book I feel really dumb ‘cos I actually never read.
Okay so ‘never read’ is probably a bit wrong. I rarely read books of fiction. On the other hand I am constantly reading. I read a lot of stuff, blogs, news, articles etc. I buy a newspaper everyday, and although I don’t read all of it I read as much as I can get through in a day at work. Sometimes I take it home to finish reading, most of the time I can’t be bothered when I actually get home. If theres something that interests me I look it up, soon enough I will have spent 30mins reading about it from various sources, and as if by magic, I have pushed out some old knowledge for new.
I have a thirst for knowledge, especially of things that are now. I often live quite fast-paced. Always doing at least five things at once. I rarely sit on the grass and do nothing, although I do think about it often. When I walk down the street, I like to walk slowly. Life is often too fast, I like to keep my eyes open and watch how the people and things around us work. To put it another way, I wouldn’t often sit for hours with my head stuck in a book, blocking everything out. I often feel that I’m not being constructive when I do that. I prefer to be learning something by, for example, reading a non-fiction book, or doing something, when you have a million photographs, theres always one to play with.
So you get the idea - I’ve never been big on reading. Sitting in solitude with no music playing, reading a story about a world beyond our own. Well maybe its time to change that and see if it can last. Yes, for my next trick, I will spend less time at my computer and read more. It will be tough, but if everyone else can do it…
It happens every time I change my routine slightly (Bust my cycle as Ze would say). On Monday I spent the day at a friend’s house just chillin’. Watching movies and drinking lots of coffee. I didn’t use a computer. I didn’t take one photograph. But it was different. It was lots of fun. Unfortunately my non-readingness came up. Right then I said (to myself) “I am going to read a book… soon.”
Not wanting soon to turn into never, I decided to start today. It was another beautifully sunny day. I always imagine myself sitting in the park on a patch of grass alone (though most of the time not, but this is my imagination) reading a book. Today it came true. Alone, with my book, I read. Occasionally looking up to see other people munching their lunch, reading books, or just watching the world go by (the majority in that category were older men too…).
The book I have chosen to start with is one bought for me by my good friend Ronan 2 years ago as a Christmas present. “How to be Idle” by Tom Hodgkinson. I started to read it then, though I didn’t get too far. Now I have started again and read it on three separate occasions throughout the day. It felt good and I will do it again. Tomorrow!
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