One of my favorite hangouts with my wife is Half Price Books, or basically any used bookstore with a good selection. I have enjoyed reading for my entire life, and I have (thankfully) instilled this love of learning and reading in my own children, who are homeschooled.
I actually learned to read at age two (true story). My mom took me to see my grandmother in Corpus Christi for a visit around Christmas 1972. I was two and several months old. My mom said, "Jason can read now."
Of course, my grandmother scoffed at the notion: "He has probably memorized the books that you have. We'll see how he does with the books I have here."
Later, when my mom came to pick me up, my grandmother said simply, "You were right. He can read."
This wasn't something my mom specifically set out to teach me when I was that little, but she did read to me a lot. Since I don't remember learning to read, it feels like something that was just always there.
My mind gets bored easily, so I don't like to be anywhere very long with NOTHING to do. I read voraciously, and I go through phases - sometimes I read nothing but non-fiction, sometimes only humor, sometimes fiction for months at a stretch. I usually have at least three books that I am working on around the house or in the car.
The other night, when we were at the bookstore, I realized that many of the books that interested me had personal and intimate inscriptions inside the front cover:
"Dad - This book made me think of you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I love you! Sarah"
"Tony - Happy graduation! This is a classic book about making your way as a young person in this world, and I think many of the ideas are still true today. Love, Aunt Linda"
One of my "finds" was a Kurt Vonnegut book with a handwritten note inside: "Catch 22 - Joseph Heller". I realized that I had already read that particular Vonnegut book, so I moved on.
I got home and was motoring through Johnny Cash's autobiography, titled simply "Cash". Around chapter three or four, I found something that made me feel sad. It was an unlabeled baby picture. It was a beautiful blond child, about three months old, sleeping soundly. It made me think about the previous owner of the photo. Did they notice that the picture was missing? Perhaps it was a father who took this picture of his son along with him when he traveled. Maybe they were estranged, and he had only this picture to remember his child.
As you can see, I have a pretty vivid imagination. This is a skill that has served me well through the years, in my marketing, and, now, in my writing/blogging.
I have had a number of people ask me over the past year where I come up with ideas for my blog posts. Most of them are triggered by small things that happen around me. As I approach 600 posts here on ActiveRain, I realized that I seem to always have a running mental list of possible topics. Sometimes, they turn into posts, and sometimes they are altered substantially by the time I finish writing. The rabbit trails in my mind are extensive and many are still unexplored.
I never plan anything very well before I start writing - no outlines, just sort of a vague idea of what I want to get across. I don't spend much time on the actual writing part. I think I probably spend an average of 10-15 minutes, unless I have to do a lot of layout on a recap post. The quick version of my writing seems to provide the best results. If I overthink it, it comes out less interesting. My primary advice for those of you who are trying to improve your writing skills is to be alert to your surroundings. There are a lot of cool things happening that could serve as great topics. Heck, I got featured once by using an old inside joke with my wife, and just yesterday I wrote a post that mentioned my friend's hemorrhoids. Don't think too hard - just write.
Thanks for reading my rambling thoughts this afternoon!
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Jason, you learned to read at age 2 ? I don't even have memories earlier than age four. Wow.
Gary - I don't remember it either, but I have heard the story many times from my mom and grandparents over the years. My kids also learned very early - probably by age three or so. I remember my 7-year old daughter crying because she couldn't read one of her books - she was 2 and a half then.
I taught myself how to read....I think I was 3 or 4. I still have very vivid memories of when I was young and I remember being very angry that I couldn't read the books......so I learned. I too think the writing in the front of the book provides a great look at the previous owner....it's very interesting.
MANDI - That's very cool! I just commented about my daughter doing the same thing before she was even three. I think the inscriptions are poignant sometimes, and they make me think about the fact that the book was meant to be a treasured gift, but I am buying it for a dollar or so.
Jason - I still have a heard time reading now... kidding of course. Learning to read at that age is amazing. But now you like to read a lot, so maybe it was learning at such an early age. As far as your 'ramblings'... sometimes you may not have a point, but you still tend to get a lot of readers and a lot of comments. You are obviously doing something right. :-) Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Have a great weekend!
I love to read as well and am trying to spread that joy to my own children. My daughter just turned 3 and I didn't even think about teaching her to read. I read to her every night and she has basically memorized her favorite books - but Hey I may have to give it a shot!
Great advice Jason. Anything that's worth doing is worth doing poorly. With quantity comes quality.
Thanks again for writing,
Ken
Hey Jason!! I liked this blog a lot. I love to brag about the fact that I never sit down with a plan when I write either. The words flow as soon as my pen hits the paper and my fingers hit the keys on the computer. It is a wonderful thing!! I write a lot of poetry, and short stories. I couldn't imagine not being able to read.... just for the record, I really like your blogs. Keep reading and writing....
Stacey~
Jason, the free flow of thoughts that turns into a final blog is the best natural -organic result. Too much editing is like trying to polish a beautiful pebble you found on the beach. It's great the way it naturally occurs. thanks and congrats on the # of posts. Steve
Great advise. Thanks for sharing.
Jason my daughter also learned to read by the age of two. You must of had awesome parents.
Jason- I taught all my children to read except our last one between 2 and 3.
I agree, the posts that take the fastest to write, when it just flows, turn out to be the best posts. It does not take long to do the writing. I usually can get my posts written in about 15 minutes but it is the linking and the photos and images and all that. I have to take the photos, then upload them on the computer, then edit the photos, size them,then save them with titles, then upload them on the post, then tag them and place them. Interlinking takes a while too, especially when I have to pull up the post, grab the link, insert it, tag it and then repeat this throughout the post and at the bottom of the post. Now all of that takes another 30 to 40 minutes. The writing part is easy!
I've always enjoyed hanging out in bookstores, and can't imagine a life without books... so many journeys taken and re-taken...It always relaxes me A LOT...It's the best escape ever. Everyone needs to hear a story, and everyone has one to tell.
The few featured posts I've written were the ones that I spent the least amount of time on. Simplt things that I experienced in the course of a day.
My son definitely aquired my love of reading. My sister's children hate reading. My sister used to make me read the books school required read so I guess it makes sense her kids don't like it either.
Jason,
When visiting my wife's family in Dallas the first place I go is Half Priced Books...the best book stores I've ever been in...!!! Thanks, Fran
Awesome about the reading so young. My daughter has the same enthusiasm for learning and I'm hoping she learns to read early too...she's two now, so we better get cracking if she's going to keep up with you!
I realized that I seem to always have a running mental list of possible topics.
Hmm. Very interesting. Since my mental capacity is essentially limited to what I had for breakfast yesterday, I've compiled a written list of topics I will address when I finally get registered here. :)
Jason, that is about the length of time I usually spend...I just get an idea and start writing and the rest just comes along.
I enjoyed your ramblings. They seemed pretty coherent and made sense. Go with the flow.
Jason
Thanks for the post. Some of the best blogposts are in fact great rantings!
Jason... I could read at the age of 1.... beat you. LOL seriously, just teasing. My one nephew who is now 9, could read before he was 3. And got better, even with bigger words. He was able to pick up things quickly and remember them. We thought he was memorizing at first also. But in any case, very interesting. In regards to writing and ideas of what to write? I know from personal experience by being on AR for 2 years, that when you press yourself to think of something, that is usually when you come up with nothing. As you tried to mention, just about every day occurances and such...
That's ironic. I learned to read when I was twenty two. I've been a house a'fire ever since, though ;)
You're one of my favorite bloggers, and many people feel the same way. You're obviously doing something right. And I learned to read at about age 3. My mom taught us at home, before we started school. As a result, I started a year earlier than the other kids. And my brothers were able to skip all the way to the 3rd grade. They just kept testing up =)
And I write the same way you do. Unfortunately, it takes me forever this way. I'm too much of a perfectionist.
My daughters two children are avid readers. My wife and daughter and son-in-law are avid readers and they must have picked it up from them.
I am still learning how to write from all of the masters here in AR. Thank you for your tips.
Jason, wonderful reverie on your evening. I love the quotes from the books. We also have a wonderful used bookstore that is our favorite haunt on a Sunday or Saturday afternoon. We collect books and love to read to each other. We've owned several boats and never allowed a TV on them. We just alway read to each other and had such a wonderful time doing so. Great post....as usual.
Jason, there is no substitute for the eros of opening a good book (hard cover, please). The smell, the feel, etc. are a sensation I was fortunate enough to learn at an early age. It is also a great way to get some good tips on how to write. It can be very inspirational. Although I love the internet and I do get some of my inspiration, I think it is imprtant to get it form many sources.
Good post!
Bo
Jason that was so sweet...I too have loved books as long as I can remember and always seem to have both left brain and right brain books on the go...
The comment about inscriptions inside of books...........that makes me sad - to think something so personal ends up in a bookstore......those books should be posted somewhere online so people could find them again! You hear stories all the time of people searching for long lost books that meant something to them...
As for the photo...i like how your mind things and where it goes...how little things have special meaning and that you actually 'think' about those things in life...
Jason .. you are very gifted and thank you for sharing your ... uh .. thoughts!
Jason,
I'm impressed. My husband and I love reading. He read more than I do now because I am so busy with other things. My husband is a voracious reader. You won't believe it but he is the only person I know who has read the whole series of "Civilization" by Will Durant. We have books everywhere in the house. When we go to Charleston to spend some time off, we have no TV in our townhouse. We read and we do not miss the TV either.
Nice post Doogie Howser. Were you doing calculus at age 5? Seriously, that's pretty impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Wow! Reading at age 2? That's incredible. I don't have children yet, but I would love for them to start at age 2. I also love to read, in fact, I recently looked up the top 100 books of all time...and I'm set on reading them all this year. We will see how that goes!
--Anne Rains
LadyofRealty.blogspot.com
www.TheRainsTeam.com