I love to read! I read just about everything! Things that are definitely erudite and things that are just a cut above trash! Whatever. . . I will read most of it!
Am partial to history, politics, and romance – fiction and nonfiction. Love a good newspaper and news magazine! The teacher in me has also always enjoyed teaching reading and literature to struggling readers and to beginners, especially kindergartners.
There are basically two kinds of reading (that is an over simplification, but regardless) (1) reading for pleasure and/or knowledge (love it!) and then (2) reading directions. I don’t care for how to put things together like, say, a lawn mower. Give me a diagram and I usually do okay but pages of monotonous instructions bore me to tears. I can do it but I hate it! Even so, I never was one for reading cereal boxes though (some people are), simply because I never cared much for cereal for breakfast. Give me a piece of toast instead!
When I was at the grocery this past week, I picked up a recent David Baldacci whodunit, Daylight, c. 2020. Reading it was enough to make me believe in conspiracies. Drugs, corrupted congress people, billions of dollars, blackmail, illicit sex, child trafficking, murder, more corruption by evil governments (hint, Aeroflot airplane, nudge, nudge). It is no wonder QAnon exists, but it is still scary, as well as nuts!
I think it is appropriate and about time for us to review some great old literature. I read 1984, c. 1949, by George Orwell in the 1960’s. Sadly, “Big Brother is watching us” is now very real with current technology and social media.
Can’t get away yet from the social media email trail! Whoops! Since modern day technology opened Pandora’s Box, I guess Orwell’s predictions have come true for all of us, the great and the not so great!
And still, I believe in the Duchess Goldblatt of last week’s musings and her belief that all of us have a soul and have some innate goodness. I try to believe that with all my heart, as well as in the true greatness of our American Democracy!
Still am conflicted though. Just haven’t been able to rationalize all that and January 6th insurrection yet. Remember that occurrence…that we all saw, watched on TV, listened to on the radio? And now, good ole lawmakers in Congress are saying the insurrection was simply Capitol visitors and totally non-violent! Believe that, and the Hawleys and Johnsons have a bridge or two to sell you, . . . cheap!