Finally

When I started this class, I was not an avid reader. I liked to read but usually I only read for pleasure during the summer. I read mostly popular fiction that my cousin recommended (she is a dedicated reader) or self-help nonfiction, like The Happiness Project. Since I mostly read in the summer, I would read outside in my backyard or by the pool.

Over the course of the semester I read mostly nonfiction and popular fiction. It was very easy to find books that interested me because I had already accumulated a long list of books that I want to read next summer. I discovered the majority of these books by word of mouth. Some weeks I had trouble meeting the weekly page quota because of homework and other activities. It became especially hard when I was assigned a massive novel to read for my other English class.

I did most of my reading in my bed in the evening. During this time I gave my undivided attention to my book. However, when I occasionally read in the afternoon, I would find myself distracted by my phone or  the TV. In the afternoon I would read on my living room floor, next to my dog. I found myself talking about The Help. I frequently saw other students with a copy, and I would ask them how they liked it because it is my favorite book.

I haven't changed as a reader--I'm still slow and I still like the same genres. I am already starting a list of books I want to read this summer, and I may even start a few during the school year. It's my goal to read The Hunger Games over Thanksgiving and Christmas break. 

Keep It Classy

This is my last blog response! That's crazy. This is the 48th entry to my blog--I consider this to be a great accomplishment! I've kept up with all of my blog deadlines during the semester, so my blog is pretty long. I'm really proud of it.

However, I'm a bit embarrassed about my sidebar called "Fall Semester 2011 Books" because of its sparsity. I've only read four books this school year!  I'm a super slow reader, so I'm not surprised at the low number, but it looks pathetic. The ironic thing about this is that I read constantly. Not only do I read textbooks and classic novels for school assignments, but I read The Journal Gazette over my breakfast and The News-Sentinel after dinner. I read the news, other blogs, and online articles (I love WebMD) on the computer. Sometimes I read magazines. I read college information pamphlets and the long passages in my SAT prep book. I read the letters that my grandmother sends me every month (we've been pen pals since I was in kindergarden, something I am also extremely proud of). So, although my blog might not reflect it, I read all the time. This blog made me realize that I should read even more!


On my must-read list are The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Hunger Games trilogy. It seems like everyone is reading The Hunger Games now. I notice girls and boys reading them in my sixth period seminar class (that I tutor in) and my grandma is reading them! I need to check these books out.

Out of all the books I've read this semester, The Help is my favorite. It is the kind of book that sticks with you. Plus, I adored the movie.

Remember to keep it classy, readers! Chao!

You Can Change Your Life Without Changing Your Life

I finished The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin today. I always feel a sense of accomplishment when I finish a book, but this time I got a warm and fuzzy feeling. It's like I've been living with Gretchen for her year-long experiment and have participated with her. I'm disappointed that it had to end! This novel has inspired me to create a list of resolutions for myself. I don't have the self-discipline to construct a year-long experiment like Rubin, but I want some resolutions that I can remind myself of each day. Like Rubin says in the concluding chapter of the book, "you can change your life without changing your life." In other words, you don't need to make drastic changes to better yourself.

Some personal resolutions/rules of mine include:

• When making a choice about what to do, choose work.
• Attend every party or event to which I'm invited.
• Believe in yourself.
• It's okay to be shy.
• Be fearless. You can have fears, but leap anyway.
• Lighten up--don't take yourself too seriously.
• Sometimes all you need is a good cry on your bedroom floor.
• Don't be ashamed of your deep admiration for Taylor Swift.
• Know when to keep your mouth shut.
• Keep everything in perspective.
• Look at the world through rose-tinted glasses.
• Say hello.
• Eat mindfully.
• Don't judge--keep an open mind.

I will conclude with an extended metaphor: I encourage anyone searching for a little more sunshine in his/her life to check this book out. I'm not blinded by the light, but now I know in which direction the sun rises. 

Currently

The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin
David Copperfield, Charles Dickens

Pages this week: 345
Pages this semester: 1795

Sentences of the week:

1. "Do you think I don't know," said my aunt, turning a deaf ear to the sister, and continuing to address the brother, and to shake her head at him with infinite expression, "what kind of life you must have led that poor, unhappy, misdirected baby? Do you think I don't know what a woeful day it was for the soft little creature when you first came in her way--smirking and making great eyes at her, I'll be bound, as if you couldn't say boh! to a goose!" (David Copperfield, page 227)
2. "An atmosphere of growth brings great happiness, but at the same time, happiness sometimes also comes when you're free from the pressure to see much growth." (The Happiness Project, page 231)
3. "If you don't believe you're happy, you're not." (The Happiness Project, page 219)

My absolute favorite sentence this week is number 1. Not only does it illustrate the prolix style of Dickens, but it is an EPIC moment in David Copperfield's life. His aunt Betsey Trotwood agrees to adopt him, and he is free from the evil Murdstones! Woo-hoo!

The Happiness Doesn't End Here

Once again, I am burning the midnight oil. It's not midnight, but it's late for my standards. Staring at this black white box is so intimidating, which is why I am rambling on in an attempt to fill it.

There. That's a little better.

Now that I am nearing closer to the end of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, I am starting to think about my next book. I want to read The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Not only is it a coming-of-age novel, which I love and is coincidentally the theme of my anthology project, it is being made into a movie! I love to read books that are being produced into films because it gives me great satisfaction to watch a visual representation of the characters and events. Additionally, The Hunger Games trilogy is being made into a movie. Many of my friends have strongly recommended the series, so I will add The Hunger Games to my list after The Perks of Being a Wallflower.


Once I finish The Happiness Project, however, I don't have to be done with Gretchen Rubin! Her blog, http://www.happiness-project.com/, is extensive and up-to-date. I really want to try to implement some of her resolutions into my everyday life.

I leave you with a picture that makes me very happy: a picture of a beach. Beaches are glorious, wonderful places. Nature is truly beautiful.

Maybe I Should Be A Philosophy Major?

To be honest, I haven't read much of The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Instead, I have been reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. My AP Lit teacher assigns insane reading deadlines every night of about fifty pages. And, on weekends, I am expected to read at least one hundred fifty pages. My only complaint about this assignment is that my reading of David Copperfield takes the place of my reading for etymology class. This exchange is absolutely necessary, or else I would be staying up until the wee hours of the morning reading like a maniac. Thus, I pray that Mr. Hill allows me to count my pages of David Copperfield for his class. Although there is a rule that reading material must not have been assigned in school, I think my case should be an exception because I actually enjoy reading David Copperfield. Plus,  by consensus, I am one of two students honestly reading the novel. Thus, I consider it semi-independent reading. If that argument won't convince Mr. Hill, I am not above groveling at his feet. (Can you tell that I'm a bit stressed?)

I've been thinking a lot about happiness lately. Looking through my twitter feed, I came across a tweet from one of my peers that made me think about the meaning of my existence. The post read: "Monday through Friday.. get up for school, come home do homework, go to sleep and repeat it 5 days in a row. #soboring." That's my life too. What is the meaning of such a meager existence? Well, the point is happiness. It's the feeling that I get when I'm surrounded by family, receive a good grade on a hard-earned assignment, or look in the mirror and feel good about what I see. The point of life is to be happy. You just have to find the happy moments yourself everyday, because they won't find you.

It's Good To Have A Friend

Right now I'm in the car, typing on my dad's iPad, en route to Bloomington to tour Indiana University. I'm with my friend Laura. We just finished a high-class dinner at Arby's (try the sweet potato fries, they're little pieces of fried heaven) and now we're off on the crossroads of America! Woo-hoo! The problem with blogging in the car, however, is that it's pitch black and I can't see my book. So, I'm going to go off my own memory.

In The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin searches for the secrets to happiness. One of her goals is to make more friends. She gives some interesting statistics about the benefit of friendship on one's happiness. I agree that friendship is an important component of happiness. In my opinion, having a few close friends is much more important than having many fair-weather friends, but Rubin attempts to create numerous casual friends. Having a few people that truly care about me makes me much happier than having a multitude of people that I only see occiasionally.

Additionally, I recently discovered that Gretchen Rubin created a blog about her happiness project. I believe she creates a new post everyday. I need to check that out. I'm interested to see how the blog is different fromn the book.

Have a great 3-day weekend, reader!