Future Literate Me

That title makes it sound like I'm not literate today and I will be in the future. I think maybe it should be "Future Literary Me." But I wont go against the directions. I hope to be more than just literate in the future. I want to be able to understand the English language better so I can use it more effectively. Language is a really powerful tool, and if you use it well you can articulate your feelings more powerfully and efficiently. I want to be able to speak and write with more eloquence and confidence. I want to be much smarter than I am now.
I hope to read a lot more. I want to read books of all variety. I already have a list of books I want to read this summer. They include The Fault In Our Stars (which I heard was really good), Khaled Hosseini's (my favorite author), and Dan Brown's new book. I'm sure there are more I should read, and I'm welcome to suggestions. Unfortunately I realize that i wont have time to read every good book ever written, but I'll try my best.
In the future I'd like to explore more with writing. I really do enjoy writing, with a personal touch. Sometimes I fell like I have a very useful vocabulary, for expressing my thoughts. But sometimes it goes to waste when I;m writing dry and boring essays. I can't summon any passion when I'm writing school essays. I'd like to write with more passion in my future. I want to explore the English language more artistically. Honestly, I'd like to explore life more artistically; it's a better way to look at life. I want to be more creative and expressive in my writing. I feel like I couldn't express that at all this year (except, maybe, right now).
I wish I could learn how to write poetry. I feel like I've never been taught. Every time I've been given a poetry assignment It have some sort of restrictive guideline. And the opportunity to write poetry, in school, rarely arises. I have trouble sometimes with poetry, because I'm not terribly abstract. I'm not too good at writing it, and very bad at interpreting it. I think that if we had more experience with writing poetry, we could all understand it better.
In the future I want to read every book in the world, and I want to learn every word in the English language. But these things will never happen. I'll have to just settle.  
 

Growing Up

Growing up is hard to due. That sounds like a Neil Sedaka song. But, seriously, it's the hardest thing you will ever do. This has been the oddest year for me, as a teenager. I feel like since high school is nearly over, we're all really growing up. We'll be adults soon. And that's a terrifying thought.
What does it even mean to be an adult? How can you really determine the moment a person has "grown up?" I guess that moment is different for everyone. But most people face their first experience with adulthood during their teenage years. I actually remember the day I realized I was going to be an adult. I don't what to give too much information, but that day I realized I was going to be not only an adult, but a woman. I saw womanhood as a mysterious cult, that I was now a part of. It was an interesting experience for me. I was always a tom boy: dressing in my brother's clothes, playing with matchbox cars, buying everything Spiderman, and never, never wearing the color pink! I don't know why, but I think a lot of girls go through a tom boy stage. But I did grow out of it. Now I see womanhood as part of my identity. It's like I've grown a new identity since that day.

For my retrospective blog. What a boss word that is.

Part of growing up isn't just thinking about the future, but it involves a lot of reminiscing. Sometimes I long for being a kid again. It's true what they say, the smarter you are the less fun you have. As people grow older, they have more problems, more worries, and more fears. When I was young I never worried about my future. In fact I had it all planned out at the age of four: "I'm going to be a writer!" Now I honestly couldn't tell you what I'm going to be. As a kid I had no cares. I never worried about homework, or boys, or college. I never cared about what I was going to wear the next day, how balanced my diet was, how well I was doing in school. My childhood is a blur because nothing traumatic, upsetting, or interesting ever happened to me. I was too busy enjoying the moment. How did I go from that ratty little tomboy to this confused, lazy, teenage girl?
Yes, confused and lazy, that sums it up. These blogs are due by midnight and I started them at 11. talk about procrastination. As a teenager I do nothing but procrastinate. I was going to start this blog at 9 o'clock but I decided to listen to the entire "Retrospective" album (by Buffalo Springfield) and draw in my sketchbook. I did that for an hour. I am a master at time wasting. I absolutely hate being a teenager. I have mood swings, acne, stress, work, and school. But it comforts me to know that everyone else is dealing with this too. We all have to grow up and get through this awkward time in life.
Teenage years are all about reflecting on the past, and worrying about the future. I don't mean to bum anyone out with this rant, but that's life.       

Does Reading Even Matter?

Every time I hear someone say they hate reading, my heart contracts. It's almost like saying, "I hate breathing," or "I hate drinking water." Recreational reading is something I do whenever I get the chance. I always need a book on my nightstand, just for comfort. saying "I hate reading" is like saying "I hate imagination."

Graham Nash is judging you for not reading

Reading (especially fiction) is an important aspect of life. It allows a person to dive into an imaginary world where they can explore new ideas, new adventures, new scenarios. Reading both fiction and nonfiction is an educational experience, but if you're really enjoying it, it doesn't feel like education. It's important for someone who wishes to be well versed, cultured, and intelligent. It allows you to experience different view points. Information is waiting to be unlocked inside of every book.
Without reading, my summers would be very dull. Summer, for me, is all about picking up a book and reading it, with no deadline, or assignment. I'm not a good swimmer, so I go to the beach to read. I can't remember a summer of my life where I didn't read on the beach at Montauk. Even when I went to Europe last summer I brought the smallest copy of Gone With The Wind I could find (the size always shocks people, but it's not a challenging book). A summer would not be the same without a book out in front of me. It helps calm me and occupy me.
I've tried many times to understand the whole "I hate reading" thing. I can understand hating to read things assigned to you in school because there's always work that goes with them. But that's no reason to hate reading in general. Reading, to me is almost like watching a film. It's just a story line to follow, to entertain you and occupy your time. How can that be so painful?
Does reading even matter? Yes! It matters a great deal. You can live thousands of lives if you read books. You can learn, and laugh, and cry, and love. Why? Why do some people hate reading? It makes me sad.
   
  

What Makes A Good Book Good?

A truly excellent book leaves an impression on your memory. Maybe you don't remember the character's names or the entire plot line, but you remember that it was a good book. There are several aspects that make a book "good," I think. I know I have my personal preferences, and not all people may agree with me.

The first detail of a good book is the quality of the writing. The author has to successfully pull you in and keep you there. I find that if the style of writing is somewhat unique, reasonably descriptive, and concise it’s easier to read. A good book should not be too challenging. It shouldn't boast about itself, if you know what I mean. It can be written well without being pretentious.

Something I always try to find in a book is emotion, as well. If a book makes me cry, I will usually pin it as a good book. But that may be a personal preference, because I enjoy drama and tragedy, perhaps more than some people. But I believe if the writing is powerful enough to move a person to tears, then the book is a good one.

Of course there are some books one person may love and another person may hate. Calling a book “good” is purely opinionated, and not a universal thought. It’s all based on personal preferences. While I may happily spend my entire day reading Crosby, Stills &Nash: The Biography, other people may say, “wow, that looks really boring!” I beg to differ. If you’re not interested in the subject you’re reading about, you won’t think it’s a good book.

Of course, probably the most important aspect of a good book is a well developed plot line. If the plot is not interesting, and doesn't relate to the reader (yes, I said it, “the reader”) then it can’t be considered good. For me to consider a book good, it has to reach out to me in some way, on a personal level. I think we’re all a bit selfish in that sense.

But, really, a good book is based on your opinion; therefore no one can truly judge what’s good or bad. 

My First Literary Experience

The first book I remember reading was Fox in Socks. I probably read a few books before that but that's the one I remember best because I was truly proud of myself for reading it. It was an elaborate set of tongue twisters, and very difficult for me to read at a young age. So I would read it to my parents over and over just to practice. I remember having a lot of fun with that book, but never really understanding it.

 This was the first time I really had fun with a book, but probably not the most influential. The one thing that will always stick in my mind is reading the Magic Tree House series with my dad. He would always read to me before bed time. Those books were so enjoyable for me because they didn't have to be read consecutively. Each book was a story in itself, and not directly connected with the other (sort of like Dan Brown's books). Each story was a good length for a child's attention span, and they were centered around children. The simple adventures of those two young kids, Jack and Annie grabbed my imagination from the start and made me fall in love with books.
My earliest reading memories always involve my dad. I remember him always wanting to read to me and getting involved with the stories as well. He also read A Series of Unfortunate Events to me and he was so eager to read the books and know what happened next. It's almost like he was the child in the scenario. But whenever there was a word or something I didn't understand he could explain it to me perfectly. He's a very good teacher and he's always been there to teach me new things. I think the unique connection I formed with my dad began with those early reading experiences.
The irony of this whole situation is that, today, my dad claims he hates reading novels! I have to force him to read and I pester him all the time about it. When he picks up a book it's usually about Geometry or the solar system (all of that boring stuff). I think the last fiction book he read was The Lost Symbol and that was two years ago. "The horror!"