gravity, avoirdupois

On Why I Like To Read.

fuckyeahreading:

We received this letter from Carmel, a reader of ours from the Philippines.

I’m a follower of your Tumblr, but I don’t have a Tumblr account. I have a Blogspot instead.

I’ve always been an introvert. I’ve always been by myself, and I only have a few friends—those I know I have known deeply, and have shared secrets and about my life with. The rest of society doesn’t matter. I’m not shy, but I just don’t like “socializing”, especially when it forces you, and everyone else to make small-talk. I hate small-talk. I’d rather have a lengthly conversation about religion, and politics, or the things that trouble you, or the relationship you have with your grandparents, anything but small-talk.

I’m 25, and I’ve never really been in a real relationship. I fall in love but all the time the guy I fall for falls for another. I’m in unrequited loves, it hurts so much. Growing up, I’ve also been made fun of for being a nerd, for wearing glasses, for reading too much, or for being “chubby.” I have this bestfriend who is cute and says I am not overweight at all, just chubby in the right places. He blocked me and I guess he was frustrated about how overwhelming I am, and my weird quirks. I miss him a lot. I wish he’d keep his word about being my friend forever.

I read because I like to know things. I pick the ones that matter. I don’t like to be stuck in one genre. I read lots of books, from dictionaries to history books to encyclopedias to biographies. I have classical books like Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, and Crime and Punishment. I also have Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Great Gatsby, The Iliad, The Odyssey, stories by Edgar Allan Poe, stories by Kafka, I have two of Ayn Rand’s best novels, I have Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, Sphere and The Andromeda Strain. I have The Game of Thrones, and Clash of Kings, The Ender’s Game series by Orson Scott Card, the Dune series, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, The Manchurian Candidate, I have a book by Nietzsche, by Aristotle, and my bestfriend sent me two books: Catholic Catechism, and one by Mortimer J. Adler on Aristotle. There’s still a lot to mention but there’s little space.

And oh, I have the complete stories and mysteries of Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle.

I also read because books are a lot more fun and interesting than people. People run away from you, books stay. And there’s nothing like the smell of books. Someday I hope to own my own house, and have a library.

- Carmel, fuckyeahreading reader from the Philippines

Carmel, thanks for writing in to us. Personally, we seem to have a lot in common— books were always my childhood friends too. Where do you read? A few years ago, I began taking my books out for walks and reading them outside instead of indoors. The noise of people might get overwhelming sometimes, but I find it bridged me coming to terms with the rest of society, what they sound like, and being surrounded by people. 

Books were more fun and interesting than people to me too at first. But, well, people wrote books. So the magic behind those lies in all of us. You said people run and books stay. But books stay because you own them. I could never own a person, and there’s a charm in that.

I’m currently dating someone who doesn’t read much— if you asked me years ago, I would have not seen that coming— but it has been more fun than I ever thought it would be. Books have wonderful surprises, but they are archived. I’m not suggesting you go bungee jumping tomorrow, but I do hope Carmel that you don’t give up on the surprises in life that have not yet been archived. They’re outside your room, away from your screen, and between you and your future house & library. And although you can’t pick and choose them as specifically as you can with books, there isn’t anything in your letter that convinces me life won’t know how to love you back. Adventures appear in all directions. Thank you for writing us.

Liy

Dear Customer who stuck up for his little brother,

sweetupndown:

you thought I didn’t really notice. But I did. I wanted to high-five you.

Yesterday I had a pair of brothers in my store. One was maybe between 15-17. He was a wrestler at the local high school. Kind of tall, stocky and handsome. He had a younger brother, who was maybe about 10-12 years old. The only way to describe him was scrawny, neat, and very clean for a boy his age. They were talking about finding a game for the younger one, and he was absolutely insisting it be one with a female character. I don’t know how many of y’all play games, but that isn’t exactly easy. Eventually, I helped the brothers pick a game called Mirror’s Edge. The youngest was pretty excited about the game, and then he specifically asked me.. “Do you have any girl color controllers?” I directed him to the only colored controllers we have which includes pink and purple ones. He grabbed the purple one, and informed me purple was his FAVORITE.

The boys had been taking awhile, so their father eventually comes in. He see’s the game, and the controller, and starts in on the youngest about how he needs to pick something different. Something more manly. Something with guns and fighting, and certainly not a purple controller. He tries to convince him to get the new Zombie game “Dead Island.” and the little boy just stands there repeating “Dad, this is what I want, ok?” Eventually it turns into a full blown argument complete with Dad threatening to whoop his son if he doesn’t choose different items.

That’s when big brother stepped in. He said to his Dad “It’s my money, it’s my gift to him, if it’s what he wants I’m getting it for him, and if your going to hit anyone for it, it’s going to be me.” Dad just gives his oldest son a strong stern stare down, and then leaves the store. Little brother is crying quietly, I walk over and ruffle his hair (yes this happened all in front of me.) I say “I’m a girl, and I like the color blue, and I like shooting games. There’s nothing wrong with what you like. Even if it’s different than what people think you should.” I smile, he smiles back (my heart melts!) Big brother then leans down, kisses little brother on the head, and says “Don’t worry dude.” They check out and leave, and all I can think is how awesome big brother is, how sweet little brother is, and how Dad ought to be ashamed for trying to make his son any other way.

I used to be a wanker,

but then others would wank for me
eitherways I still found out that nothing comes for free