~Guest Post~
(photo via usnaorbust)
We are just a few weeks into the new year and it’s likely that you already have some major ‘to-dos’ planned for the next twelve months. Eat more vegetables, go to the gym, recycle and stick to a strict budget might just name a few—but, why not add an item to the list that you would really enjoy crossing off: read more! If you are an avid reader who just can’t get enough of your true love of books, then be sure to check out the following reading to-do list for 2012:
Reflect on your childhood. Take a trip down memory lane to when life didn’t revolve around work, bills, work and more bills…back to a simpler time when your days involved getting lost in Norton Juster and your only worry was when you were going to take a break for mom’s famous PB&J. Although times have changed and you are older now, why not select a favorite book from your childhood vault and enjoy the magic of reliving stories like The Phantom Tollbooth all over again? You will rediscover your imagination, dreams and of course, your fascination for books.
Read to someone who can’t. Volunteering your time to another person is one of the best gifts you can give—especially when you incorporate the gift of reading. This year, search for opportunities in your community to volunteer to read—whether it’s at a nursing home or a children’s hospital, the elderly and sick children love having company. Not only will this lift the spirits of someone who might be very ill or lonely, but it will lift yours as well.
Try something new. If you are a die-hard romance novel reader who reads romance and only romance, why not switch things up a bit this year? Try reading a book outside of the genre that you would normally pick. Opening the pages of a new book will also open you up to new stories, authors, ideas and possibly a new passion. Who knows…it just might turn out that the romance queen could uncover a love for all things science-fiction.
Visit the library. What did readers do back in the old days when there weren’t Kindles or online bookstores available? They went to libraries. In this technologically advanced world with the ability to access a book with the touch of a button, we seem to have forgotten about this once well-known venue. Although you might feel like a caveman, ditch your e-reader and spend a day getting lost in your city’s public library to enjoy your time reading, exploring and basking in the glory that is a building filled with thousands upon thousands of classic reads—even check out a book or two!
Start writing. You don’t have to start penning the next big novel on the New York Times Best Sellers List—but writing in a journal is a great goal for 2012. As you venture through a good book, take to a personal journal with your thoughts about the characters, their struggles and how you can relate situations in the book to your own life. Analyzing books you read through writing is a great way of expressing your feelings, emotions and channeling your own creative energy.
~Mark Weikel~
(guest blogger)
Mark Weikel is a guest post author who shares with us his ideas for taking your hobby of reading to a whole new level in 2012. In addition, Mark also writes for Best Gay Dating Sites where he offers gay singles information on safe online dating.
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