Freedom

After mopping around the house and running some errands for two days, I am feeling better today. Maybe because my brother came over and took us out for lunch and dinner so it was sort of a holiday for me. I was surprised to find myself singing in the shower again and thinking I want to get an MP3 to enjoy more songs. I want to take up arts lessons and music lessons. I also want to complete the novel I am working on. There seem to be so many things I want to do.

Hmmm. I'm not retired yet. I only have two weeks off work. What am I thinking? I am just imagining I will have more time to do my stuff even when I am working full time again. Maybe it's just a dream. And freedom is valid for a limited time period only.

But the good thing is, I've started to seriously read a book again. I mean, word by word, page by page, from beginning to end, not speed-reading, skimming or skipping any words or pages at all. I take a book with me when I go out and read a page or two whenever I have the chance. I'm now starting on my second 200-pages book. Let's hope this good stuff is going to be a permanent part of my life.

Bookshopping

Whenever I pass by a bookshop, I always have to go inside. I always have this homecoming feeling as I browse the place and I smile like I'm meeting old friends when I see familiar authors' names on the shelves. There're so many I want to own but so few that I can afford to buy.

Today I stopped by at Borders and got myself a set of four poetry books which was stacked at the bargain section (among other books such as cookery books), very beautifully packaged which was what caught my eyes in the first place. There're Edgar Allan Poe's complete poems, Robert Frost's selected poems, Carl Sandburg's selected poems and W.B. Yeat's selected poems. I've probably read some of the poems in the books but it's still a pleasure to own these books.

I would also have bought translated versions of Transtromer's poems if they had the stock but they didn't. I would have to make a "special request". Maybe, one day, soon.

There're actually many books sitting on the shelves in my study begging me to finish reading them. I feel guilty not reading as much as I should. Maybe after resigning from my job (and getting a "better" one) I can spend more time with them. (Keeping my fingers crossed).

Reading blogs

I've been trying to spend more time reading blogs and leaving my comments when I can.

I came across David's new journal which I gave a quick read of some posts. Very interesting. I tried to leave a comment on his blogspot blog but comments were limited to members only. I'm not sure if I can leave comments in his live journal posts. Maybe if he reads this, he can let me know. Thanks.

Reading Habits

I've actually finished "reading" The Bell Jar. By that, I mean I sort of speed-read and got to the end of the story. I now know what the story is about and I now have to read it again slowly, word by word to savour Sylvia's writing and use of metaphor. I've to go read Dodo again for Angie.

My initial impression of the book is that the story is engaging and well-written (obviously) with a good dose of interesting metaphor. I'll post a better review after I've re-read the book.

Interesting Read

Gosh, so much to read at PFFA this week: Design on the Reader, Negative Capability and The Poet's Trade.

Thanks guys for the threads.

Reading Books

I must really get myself to finish a book properly. I bought The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath a few months ago but I've not really started reading it properly. I've flipped the pages and read excerpts from the book like what I've been doing with a few other books but it's nothing like reading the first page of a book to the end. But, actually, at the end of the day, I do finish the whole book. I think I'll have to read only one book at a time, then maybe I may be re-discplined to read the conventional way.

I'll post my thoughts on the book when I finish reading it.