I’ll keep this week’s list simple. The topic: things I like about blogging and things I like about reading. Both have benefits and drawbacks, but I’ll focus on the positive.
What I love about blogging:
10. Online Journal: I often include a bit of what is going on in my life in my posts because it influences how I read and feel about a book. I can tell from the way I write and the words I use whether I’d had a good day or a supremely shitty day*. I’m not one to keep a diary so this is a good reminder of where I’ve been (both mentally and physically).
09. The Community: Some of the people I’ve met continue to entertain/impress/amaze me. I would sincerely miss you guys if you disappeared. I think it can be easy to feel alone if you’re particularly bookish and quiet, this community goes a long way towards minimizing that feeling.
08. Books. I’ll be honest; one of the major benefits of book blogging is the free books.
07. Tolerance for Oddity. Nothing on the internet is weird anymore, but that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the fact that people continually visit me whether I’m talking about my fear of spiders, the appropriateness of Sublime for Thomas Hardy, dating Benedick, my love of Daredevil and Bob Dylan, kickboxing, or home design**. I do. Because when they’re considered as a whole, they are a peculiar combination…
06. Advice. Occasionally people actually take me seriously and read books I recommend. In turn, I often do the same. This still surprises me (mostly because it’s an unusual feeling for someone with a typically flippant temperament).
What I love about reading:
05. Learning. I’m an incredibly curious person, I like the know things.
04. Escape. I had a difficult upbringing. Reading is one of the things that let me escape wherever I was and whatever I was feeling.
03. Commiseration. Because misery loves company… (and happiness needs to be shared)
02. Inspiration and Entertainment. I chose my career based on a book character. But if I don’t feel like being a librarian for a day, I can immerse myself in the world of a mercenary, a governess, a con artist, etc – basically a million things more interesting than what I do on a daily basis.***
01. Books. Yep, books made the list twice in different capacities. Books have the ability to elicit a range of reactions from me – love, hate, happiness, sadness, annoyance – you get the idea. Plus I think they are pretty to look at. I get a ridiculous amount of joy from my personal library collection.
This post was unusually serious… So what do you like about reading and blogging?
*For what it’s worth, the formula looks like this: the more annoyed/angry/irritated I get, the bigger/more obscure the words become.
**No one seemed to think it was weird (or politely ignores that it was) that I admitted to agonizing over shades of grey paint. Anyway, I finally found the perfect shade of grey for my bedroom last year. A few weeks ago, I gave my neighbor a tour so she could she the work I’d done (neighbors in the US can be really nosy, myself included if I saw a contractor in your house). She walks into my room and goes “I really love this navy paint”. And then I died.
***This week’s professional reading: Botanical Latin by William T. Stearn. Don’t be jealous…
Image is from Steal Like an Artist found via Brainpickings.
flannel and folklore 
One of the things I really like about blogging is find bloggers with similar interests. What I have learned from your blog that we have in common is 1. Our love for Stephen King 2. We both live in Colorado. I mean who would ever think that???? I agree about feeling alone that I read so much. Especially YA books. A lot of times people really look down at an adult for that. I like to read a variety of genres so then I feel like I have to tell them that yes I read other books too.
I always love how you do your TTT lists! So clever!
LikeLike
Thanks!
It’s funny how small blogging makes the world seem. I found someone who is just like me, but lives in Australia (some of the similarities are actually a little creepy). I try to be well-rounded when I read, but I fall short on a few topics. Blogging makes it so I cant keep up with the best of each genre easily.
LikeLike
Yeeeessssss on the tolerance for oddity!! 🙂 Love this post.
LikeLike
If you can’t be odd on the internet, you can’t be odd anywhere.
LikeLike
Love, love, love your fancy new blog (and your list today!). Please tell me you didn’t re-paint over your perfect gray. Because gray is so hard – trust me, I found my gem and I think I’ve used it in three rooms now.
LikeLike
No, and I still think it looks grey. I barely resisted crying though. I’ve used various shades of warm and cool grey throughout my house – including, but not limited too Zinc by Martha Stewart, Iron Mountain by Ben Moore, Galveston Gray by Ben Moore, Shoreline by Ben Moore, Woodsmoke by Glidden, Pale Silver (and Silver Sage) by Restoration Hardware, Magnetite by Martha Stewart, and Wheat Bread by Behr. I’m now sort of impressed that I remembered all of the proper names, but also worried about what I’m losing by retaining all of that paint information.
LikeLike
Great list! I love the fact that no matter what is going on in my life, I can always escape and get lost in a book. My TTT.
LikeLike
That is definitely one of the best parts of reading.
LikeLike
I love this ttt and seeing everyone’s reasons for being a reader and blogger.
Awesome list ❤
Here's our TTT
Doris @ OABR
LikeLike
I know, it’s making me all sentimental!
LikeLike
Reading these lists just makes me want to hug everyone in my blogging circle. I love and agree with all of your points!
LikeLike
We can all have a mini-blogging hug in May. Blogging has been far more fun than I expected, I never knew if was such an inclusive community.
LikeLike
The community and connecting with others is definitely one of my favorite things about blogging. All the good things about socializing, without the pesky anxiety of interacting with real life humans. (Well, not as much anyway…)
LikeLike
I do occasionally have bits of anxiety about interacting with people online. I try to tread that fine line between interacting and being bothersome – which just goes to show you that my self-esteem/confidence is not doing so well right now.
LikeLike
Yes, exactly! I worry sometimes that I’m overdoing it and being obnoxious about it. It’s like I’m so excited I can interact with people without being awkward… that it makes me awkward.
LikeLike
I like those things, too. And I like your new blog look. Super amazing!
LikeLike
Thanks 🙂
LikeLike
I love the new look of your blog!! I love books too, but am finding myself using my iPad a little too much to read e-books. Can I kick one of my kids out so I can turn their room into a library?
LikeLike
Ha! I’m going to have to second tolerance for oddities. BTW, your blog looks fantastic!
LikeLike
lol @ the paint comment. I would have been hard pressed not to immediately banish that person from my house.
Escaping is definitely the top reason why I love reading so much. Life can be so boring but BOOKS… books lead such amazing lives.
LikeLike