Reading Reflection

 I have never kept a blog before and I must say this was quite an experience.  This blog helped me to reflect more deeply about what I read.  It also motivated me to keep reading.  I tend to go through reading-for-pleasure spurts (during my undergrad, I stopped reading completely due to how much I was required to read for each class).  I'll read consistently for about and then stop for about a month.  It is so easy to just get too busy and make excuses; however, I do love to read.  My reading choices are eclectic.  I like almost anything.  During this time, I read a mystery, a classic, a horror, and now I believe a science fiction.  I don't like to keep myself in a well-defined bubble.  I hope that this experience keeps me motivated to keep reading.  I find the best time to read is right before I fall asleep (unless it's a really good book then I stay up way later than I should).  I have not always been fond of reading as an assignment, but I have to say I found this assignment very pleasurable.  Things teachers usually pick for students to read are very dull, very long, and very hard to read.  I hate when I sub and they want me to read aloud with the students from the textbook.  By the end of the day, I have read the passage at least six times and I find it very hard to follow along.  I believe this class has taught me the value of reading as an assignment and it has taught me how to get the most out of this type of assignment.  I was very skeptical when I first took this class.  Now that I understand the true meaning of literacy, I can say that I am a believer.  I hope to continue grower as a teacher, as a learner, and as a reader.

Reading log:  Monday: 9 pm - 10 pm
Wednesday:  1 pm - 2 pm
Saturday 9:30 pm - 10:30 pm

False Memory Part II

I didn't have much time to read this past week due to the death of my grandma.  It's amazing how busy you get preparing for a funeral.  There have been some interesting developments in the story.  I made a prediction that the characters were hypnotized.  Well I was partially correct.  There are trigger words that make the characters do whatever they are told to do; however, it's deeper than hypnotism.  When a person is hypnotized, they will not do anything they do not want to do.  These people will do anything.  Turns out the therapist is behind it.  I had a vague suspicion of this being the case.  I am looking forward to where the book is leading.  Dean Koontz knows how to weave an interesting tale.

Wednesday:  1 pm - 1:30 pm
Tuesday:  9 pm - 10 pm

False Memory Part I

I am continuing to read the Dean Koontz novel False Memory.  This is a strange book and is keeping what is really going on close to the chest.  There are some vague hints, but I'm sure that I'm going to be way off in my assessment (which I love!)  There are four people who seem intertwined in something devious (and one golden retriever). Only one seems unaffected by unusually behavior.  Susan has unexplained agoraphobia.  Martie is literally becoming scared of her own shadow and having strange fantasy about sharp objects.  Skeet goes into a strange trance.  Only Dave seems unaffected.  There is talk of a strange presence, and the golden retriever seems to react to something unseen.  My first guess is that these people have been hypnotized; however, Dean Koontz novels tend to travel into things a little more complex and imagnitive.  I look forward to finding out what is really going on.

Monday:  9 pm - 10 pm
Wednesday:  1 pm - 2 pm
Friday:  3 pm - 4 pm

Sad Cypress Part II

I finished the Agatha Christie novel early this week.  I must say that I could not figure out the ending.  It took me by surprise.  She left subtle clues all throughout the book; however, I have to say that none of my predictions were correct.  Not only was the story itself an interesting read but also the way she told the story was interesting.  I look forward to reading my next Agatha Christie novel.  I also began  a new Dean Koontz book this week.  It's called False Memory.  Its about two women who suddenly develop serious disorders.  One develops agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) suddenly, and the other develops a rare form of autophobia (fear of oneself).  She starts showing symptoms by being deathly afraid of her shadow, and then being deathly afraid of looking in the mirror.  These symptoms come suddenly and randomly.  These two women know they are being completely irrational, but it does not ease their absolute terror.  I cannot imagine being trapped in a situation like that.  I cannot imagine knowing that you are being completely irrational but being completely helpless about it.  I am terrified of heights; however, I am not so irrationally terrified that I cannot talk myself into overcoming that fear.  I do this as often as I can, but it does not become any easier. 

Monday:  10 am - 11 am
Tuesday:  9 pm - 10 pm
Wednesday:  9 pm -  10 pm

Sad Cypress Part I

I am currently reading an Agatha Christie book called Sad Cypress.  It is the first book that I have read written by Agatha Christie.  It is a tale about murder and a clever detective Hurcule Poirot.  A young girl has been poisoned out of jealously, and there is only one person who could have done it.  All the evidence points to a woman named Elinor Carlisle.  She broke off her engagement with her fiance because he was in love with Mary, the girl who was poisoned.  As this is my first Agatha Christie book, I don't know where this is headed.  I have a few ideas, but I hope they are all wrong.  I love when books take me by surprise.  Agatha Christie is supposed to be such a brilliant author because she understands the way people tick.  This book is told from various points of view with one chapter being completely written by letters (as in the ones that a person mails at the post office).  To tell the truth the only reason I decided to try an Agatha Christie book is because of a Dr. Who episode that was done about her.  I have not read very much British literature.  I am not very attached to the main characters; however, I am interested in how the story will end.  I'm over half way through and should have it finished by next week. 

Desperation Part III

I finished up Desperation this week.  I had mentioned in last week's entry that King's theology is that God is cruel; however, the end takes an interesting twist. The boy who has made the deal with God believes that he will have to die to accomplish this mission.  This does not bother him because his entire family has been killed.  At this point, it would be harder for him to live than to die.  It turns out this is not the fate that God has for the boy.  The person who must defeat the evil spirit is a famous writer who has been dead inside for a long time.  Near the end of the story, he has what John Weasley called a "warming of the heart."  For the first time in a long time, he felt alive.  He also knew he had to die.  The boy is beyond upset.  The writer tells him, "God is cruel.  Sometimes he makes us live."  The remaining survivors leave the town, and the writer destroys the evil spirit. The final body count is equal to eight.  While the survivors are leaving, the boy finds a note in his pocket from the writer.  It states, "Stay ahead of the mummy. 1 John 4/8  Remember!"  1 John 4:8 is "God is love."  An interesting message from a man who makes his living writing dark tales.  Next, I will be reading an Agatha Christie novel  Sad Cypress.  It's my first Christie novel.  I'm looking forward to reading it.

Reading log:
Monday:  1 pm - 2pm
Wednesday 9 pm - 10 pm
Thursday 10:30 pm - 11 pm

Desperation Part II

I am about halfway through my Stephen King book, and it has taken an interesting turn.  It is not simply about an insane cop killing people.  In the town of Desperation, there is some primeval force at work, and God has made a deal with a young boy to stop it.  The boy, David, had a friend who was hit by a car, and the doctors claimed that the friend was brain dead.  There was absolutely no way the friend would ever wake up.  David goes to say good bye to his friend in the hospital.  After the hospital visit, David prays for his friend to get better.  God tells David that he will answer his prayer, but David owes him.  The next day the friend wakes up. David’s family ends up in Desperation and it’s quid pro quo.   It’s an interesting twist.  Stephen King is by no means a theologian but his views on God are very interesting.  While God is a loving God, he is also a cruel God.  While David seems to have the hand of God protecting him, his family is not immune.  David watches helplessly as his younger sister is murdered right in front of him.  The fact that be believes that God is cruel is actually a comfort to him in the times which he must do difficult tasks.  So far the body count if up to four.  I’m sure more people are going to die, but I’m really attached to the survivors.  I can’t wait to see what else Mr. King has in store for me!

Reading log Friday:  1 pm – 2 pm

Saturday:  9 pm – 10 pm