A while ago I ranted about how stereotypes about bookish people infuriate me. Another workplace incident happened that I’ve still been stewing over and decided what better way to get my rant on then a big ol’ gif rant.
So I was talking to somebody at work about reading and how I blog to which that person responded, “How do you have time to read so much? Yeah, I sure don’t have time in my life for reading.” The way they said it, and I can read this person like a book, basically meant: “Aww that’s so cute that your life isn’t full of important things that you have time to do something as insignificant as reading a book. That’s adoraaaable but I actually DO THINGS”
They might as well have pat my head or pinched my cheeks or have done something else really condescending to make me feel like reading isn’t a valid choice for my life.
Of course I’m at work so I have to play it cool so on the outside I’m like, “Ok Fiiine. I must get back to my desk.”
But on the inside I’m really like
Because the thing is…
YOU HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME THAT I DO! You just choose to use it differently.
So when you are
or
or
Just remember that you could be CHOOSING to use that time to read.
But in all serious, do you ever feel like people think you don’t have a life because you read? I mean, my life is so well rounded — I travel, I go dancing, I frolic in forests etc etc! I do so many things but during my free time, when I’m faced with a choice, rather than watching sixteen hours of Jerry Springer or spending 17.7 hours laughing my face off looking at gifs on Tumblr (no I totally didn’t do thaaaat)…I choose to use my time to read. Not all the time but it’s this little thing called “making time”…you know…when something is IMPORTANT to you you tend to make time for it.
I get this sort of thing all the time when people realize how much I read. I feel the need to dispel myths…especially when people try to act like reading is this quaint little hobby reserved for people with nothing better to do or for the socially inept.
NOT TRUE.
Ok, whew, I feel much better. I can go back to being my normal self tomorrow…
Jac @ For Love and Books says
I could not agree more. In fact, this is why I keep my blog to myself for the most part. Sure, my family knows about it – but most of my friends have ZERO clue! (That said? I don’t really have *much* of a social life, outside of play dates, since my husband travels for work and I don’t have a sitter.)
If I ever am in that situation? I like to remind people that reading is a hobby. No, I don’t spend HOURS a day crocheting yet another scarf/hat/blanket/whatever like my sister. Nor am I training for a triathlon like my sister-in-law. I don’t work on cars, or play pick-up-basketball at the gym. I don’t spend hours organizing my coupon binder/baseball cards/rock collection. And I certainly don’t paint. I read, it’s my hobby. And to expand on it, I started my blog.
-Jac @ For Love and Books
Mary-Sweet Bookshelf says
Amen! I just want to roll my eyes when people act like my life is so insignificant because I read. Now that I’m a Mom people actually ask me if I’m reading instead of spending time with my son. WHAT THE HECK?! No, I only read when my son is napping and I’m always reading when he goes down for bed. No, my husband doesn’t do any of the chores and I make every meal. I just fit it in. It’s important to me. It is MY form of entertainment. I enjoy it. When I can’t sleep I read. While they spend 15 hrs a day on Facebook creating drama, I’m reading.
It hurts the worst when people think I’m not taking care of my son because I read a lot. He’s getting everything he needs and we read together his books. I’m spending loads of time with him. But reading is what I do for me.
fishgirl says
I have gotten this before. The attitude that I must be some poor shut in. I usually just tell people that I read every day. Even if it’s just for 5 min, I can’t go to sleep if I don’t. Even a few minutes a day adds up. I tell them, too, that I don’t watch much tv, which gives me a lot of reading time. Like anything, if it’s important to you, you’ll make time. I don’t look down on people who don’t read so I don’t think it’s fair to judge me because I do. Just do what you love and ignore the haters.
Ashley @ Ashley Loves Books says
Yes, yes and MORE YES to this post! I was out to lunch with my office last month, and when they found out that I read 3-5 books in a week almost every single one of them made some comment like “wow, I wish I had the time to do that…” or “wow, i just have so many other things to do” and I felt SO ANGRY AT ALL OF THEM. How is it possible that they make it sound like I’m stupid for READING?! One co-worker even said she just “had too much work to do to read,” which I actually snorted at because I worked more hours than her. I just wanted to holler at them: 24 hours in a day – how we spend it is our own choice, but don’t belittle me for differences. Similar to you, I have a life and do other things (go out, dinner with friends, play tennis, etc) — but reading is an important priority to me. UGH. So infuriating and unfair.
Also? You have a post that seamlessly works in gifs from Will & Grace, Glee, Friends, Bones and a hilarious dog – can you be my new best friend? Because that is skill I’d like to have around haha.
Anyway: forget them. What fishgirl said (slightly amended): do what you love and eff the rest.
Daisy says
YES! Oh my gosh, I can’t even begin to try and count the moments when people have said something similar to me! I mean, I know I’m not the most social person out there but I’m not a hermit either! Also, if I have a whole week off, I wouldn’t know what to do with all that time on my disposal if I didn’t read for a part of it!
And it’s SO condescending to tell someone you don’t have time for reading, because obviously they HAVE time, they just choose to spend that time doing other things.
I think it’s really sad reading has this stigma and that because of this some people are probably less inclined to pick up a book.
Vicky says
This has happened to me SO many times!!! It’s so bloody annoying!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >:( Just because we choose to spend our lives differently doesn’t mean we don’t have one.
(Yay for Ross and turtle backpack turtle spin! :D)
Meg @ A Bookish Affair says
Ugh, I hate this too. Reading is a perfectly good hobby. I read very fast and I absolutely have to read before I go to bed even if I get in really late. Even when I’m at the gym, I usually listen to an audiobook (so I’m sort of reading while I work out). Also I live in a city so I feel like I spend a lot of my life waiting for and on public transportation during which time I read. I also don’t watch much tv besides the news during the week. All of that extra little bit of time adds up! It definitely does not mean that I don’t have a life!
Emily @ As the Crowe Flies and Reads says
Impressive giffage. Gifage? Anyway, I so agree. I’m actually pretty introverted and therefore choose not to have an active social life beyond the occasional dinner out with friends but the only people who say “I wish I had more time to read” that I give any slack to are mothers of small children. Now I say something snarky back to folks, like “Yes, I *used to* fill my days with mindless hours of meaningless television, too.”
Katie @ BlookGirl says
I understand where you’re coming from and I’ve been judged like that in the past. I like to remind myself -and others- that because I love to read, blog and review, I have had the opportunity to meet and communicate with other amazing bloggers AND amazing, well-known authors. I go to several conferences/conventions every year to improve my blog, myself, and my relationships. All of these things make ME happy, and that’s all that matters 🙂
Kaley @ Books Etc. says
I most definitely agree! And thanks for reposting your rant from October. I managed to miss that one and I totally agree with that one too! I’ve always loved reading but I realized early on that being a “reader” meant that you weren’t cool. I sort of gave up defending myself once I started working in the library in my hometown in high school. Since it was such a small town everyone knew but the fact that I played basketball seemed to make it less nerdy. High school’s such a bizarre place, isn’t it? haha. Anywho – I’m now proud to be a reader and make lots of time to read myself. Yes, I enjoy the odd marathon on HGTV or the mindless Monday night Bachelor(ette) viewing, I have friends to go out with, and a wonderful family to visit but I still make sure to create time for reading, even if it’s just on lunch at work or at the gym. I love to read and therefore make time for it. Just like my boyfriend loves to play baseball and makes time for that. That’s what you do for something you love. Makes sense to me! Carry on with your book loving ways and whenever someone acts especially idiotic about your love of reading just create a mental gif album to make fun of them 🙂
Kristen says
Absolutely love this post and couldn’t agree more. The thing that annoys me most about all this, is when people don’t think reading is a hobby, including my husband. However, I choose to ignore his opinion since he hates to read. Haha I’ve always loved to since I was a kid, and fully plan on encouraging my kids to do so when we have them. I think it’s a much better way to spend your free time when video games, computer or the tv are a choice.
Megan says
I love this post. This says exactly what needs to be said. Most people who don’t have time to read simply don’t make time. I set aside time to read and time to blog about reading, which is incredibly important to me. I hate when people belittle those with hobbies. I think it’s possible to have multiple hobbies if you are good at time management.
Magan @ Rather Be Reading says
Oh my gosh, yes. And the GIF of Ross? <3. Hahaha.
Shake them hatas off. 🙂
Elizabeth says
One Christmas, I asked my sister for a book. She told me she would rather get me “something fun.” It was like… books are actually fun to me!
Stephanie says
I totally agree with you!
I am a stay at home mom with two boys and my friends are always saying things like this and implying that I am not parenting enough or doing enough with the kids because I read. I choose to read after they go to bed as opposed to watch tv or categorize digital pics of kids. So what? The worst was when I mentioned some books I read, I got this eye roll and “oh I only read books that I learn something from, not novels”. Yeah…..can’t type what went through my mind.
Jen says
OH, JENNA MARBLES. Turtle backpack, turtle pushup.
This is my problem: working third shift makes me freaking tired on my days off. So while I sleep all day sometimes, by the time I wake up, my hubs is home and I want to spend time w/ him instead of reading (because my orientation is on weekends. BITCHES.) So it’s like a month goes by and I’ve read 3 books and FML.
But I’ve found the best way is to just truck through it. Prop up your Nook on something while you’re eating. I usually can’t read a book while eating, because well… food. And I need both hands to eat. There’s no room for one-handing it.
ALSO… see you next weekend <3
Hillary says
I agree!!! People do that to me too. Most of my IRL friends know about my blog and think it is a cute little hobby. Sigh I have given up attempting to explain that I would rather read than watch tv or play sports or go out bar hopping. My biggest pet peeve is when hearing people find out I am Deaf and they are all like, you can READ?!?! Yes it is my ears that are broke not my brain.
Donna @ Bites says
Epic post. I envy your gif abilities. Maybe Tumblr is useful after all! LOL! My boyfriend and I legit just had this conversation last night, about how people choose to fill their time. When people say ‘I don’t have time” to do something they’re lying through their teeth. If course they have the time. They just have better things (in their opinion) to do other than this one thing. I don’t have time for TV. Totally not true. I have plenty of time for TV. I just choose to fill my time with something more productive than boob toobage. Reading is no more a frivolous hobby than going on benders with your friends on the weekend. At least reading won’t put others at risk.
Jennie says
YES! People give me this crap all the time. I’m like…I have a kid and still read 100+ books a year. SHUT YOUR TRAP! I don’t want much TV, or party, and rather than use my lunch hour to fatten my booty I use it to read.
Lianne says
lol, those gifs! Awesome! I’m pretty sure there’s nothing wrong with spending your time looking at your boobies, though. Haha!
I don’t really get this impression from people. When I’m at work people are often amazed by how much reading I get done, but they always seem to mean it in a complimentary way. As in, they’ll say “Wow, you finished that book in a week?! That would take me like a year. I don’t have the attention span.” So they’re complimenting my attention span, not saying I don’t have a life. At least, I’m hoping they all mean it that way… 😀
Alley says
I LOVE THIS! So much Yes, this is fantastic.
Jenn says
I agree. You choose to make time for the things that are important to you. You can have a social life and do other things but it’s all about balance. On busy days, I usually find myself getting ready for bed an hour earlier just so I can have that time for reading.
It sucks that their condescending behavior makes you feel like you have to be apologetic about being intellectual, imaginative, etc. (How dare you!) How could you possible read when there’s a new episode of crappy reality junk on tv. Some nerve. 🙂
Karen says
Yes, HUGE pet peeve though people who are genuinely condescending about it have been pretty few and far between for me. I read a lot because I make it a priority. The same people who will one minute tell me that they don’t have time to read will spend the next 20 minutes talking about some god awful reality show or some game they’re playing on facebook, so whatever. We all have 24 hours in a day, it’s all about how we choose to spend those hours. I have a full time job and a perfectly decent social life so I don’t really see the problem or why it’s anybody’s business to comment.
Em @ Sash & Em says
I LOVE that you wrote this post!!! I actually get this A LOT from the people I bartend with. They think its so weird that I read so much. I’m like…you should see how much my other bookish friends read!! We still have lives! Ah, I love your choice of GIFs. Jenna Marbles makes me LOL and you hit all of your points spot-on with the other ones you chose.
You’re AMAZING! <3 xoxo
-Em
Rayna (Libereading) says
Excellent post, excellent gifs — excellent all around!
This is the main reason I don’t talk too much about my blog to people I know in real life. I’ve learned my lesson — it seems like once I mention it, people either give me the “I wish I had time for reading (exaggerated sigh)” line or start mentioning it in a slightly condescending way, as though it’s a quaint or outdated hobby. “Oh, how’s your blog going? Do people actually visit it?”
It was my love of reading that caused me to start my blog, which has made me SO much more tech-savvy. So I attribute understanding social media, website construction, and other techy things to being a reader.
Jenni Elyse says
Ugh! I would’ve reacted exactly the same way as you did. I have a couple of coworkers that are like that, one who I know spends all her free time after work watching TV and the other who spends all her time as an OCD-cleanaholic. (I mean she wipes down her baseboards every freaking day.) I also have a sister who always says, “How do you have time to blog, surf the Internet, read, etc.?” I just choose to spend my time differently than she does. That’s how I do it.
Awesome rant! I loved the gifs because they explained these feelings so perfectly!
Burgandy Ice says
Lol. What a great vent!!
I totally feel like that…. too often! I’ve managed to flip it around a few times to sound amazed that I could be as totally awesome as I obviously am AND read, TOO!! Although, maybe I only entertained myself. Ha!
The hardest part is having so many thoughts in my head about what I’m reading and no one to share ’em with… so blogging has become sooooo essential when I didn’t know it existed a year ago. What did I do way back then?!?! Besides try to discuss books with people who thought I was wasting my time?!?!
Anna says
HAHA you frolic in forests? SWEET.
I LOVE THIS POST. Yes. You know this happens to me all the time too and it’s so insanely frustrating. I feel your pain!!!
Kyle @ A Reader's Pensieve says
Ugh, AGREED. Like, sorry that I don’t spend my time after working watching Ghost Hunters shit on netflix or spend all my weekend nights getting wasted at bars. I’d rather read and I have learned that it only matters that I am happy. Thankfully, though, my bf is perfectly fine with my choices and that helps too 🙂
Linda says
Totally agree. I feel your pain. Ignore and move on. They aren’t going to get you.
Jennifer says
I would comment and add to this, but there’s nothing more to say. THIS. THIS IS SO TRUE! People watch their stupid reality shows and then treat me like that and no, just no. UGH! Jamie, I heart you so much.
Pussreboots says
I get asked that same silly question weekly even after patiently explaining how it is that I manage to read as much as I do while still having a life full of other meaningful things. I wrote a post about how I read back in December.
Jessica M says
I LOVE THIS.
I’m in law school, so people always think it’s crazy that I do so much reading for pleasure. Like apparently they think I’m not studying as much as them or something. But the truth is, while they go get drunk every Thursday night at Bar Review (it’s like a weekly Happy Hour, but late at night, at a different bar each week), I’m at home curled up on the couch with my boyfriend and reading a good book. And when they go out to parties every other night or watch trashy reality TV at home, I’m reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good party and some trashy TV sometimes, but I’m a lot more of a homebody. I prefer to spend that time reading because I know that while it takes more brain power to read than it does to get drunk, it also keeps me sane amid the craziness of law school life.
Kristan says
I can totally relate to where you are coming from with this. When I first started up my blog I had reservations telling some of my friends about it. I wasn’t necessarily worried about what they thought, because they are my friends and support me, but worried that they wouldn’t understand it. I’m really the only ‘reader’ out of my friends so they have a hard time seeing the enjoyment I get out of a book. Now, am I not only spending time reading, I’m also spending time writing about reading. Its just not a concept they don’t completely get.
Like you said though, its how I like to spend MY time. Everyone gets the same 24 hours in a day. What you choose to do with your time is your prerogative. Obviously you are very successful Jamie and have a job, along with your blog and reading, and can handle the time management. If someone ‘scoffs’ that or puts it down then shame on them for being so judgmental.
LOVED this post and the awesome gifs that came along with it =)
Laurie C says
I solve this problem by never letting on how many books I read in a week. It’s a deep, dark secret that even my closest blog followers don’t know, unless they’re stalking me on LibraryThing.
Andrea @ The Overstuffed Bookcase says
So agree with you! I also had someone once tell me that I needed to prioritize because I spend my free time reading or watching TV shows with my husband. I mean, yeah, we watch a lot of shows, but it’s what we enjoy doing, and it’s something that we do together once our toddler goes to bed. And when my son is napping, what do I do? I read.
I also have this kind of thing happen to me a lot because I’m a stay at home mom. They’re like, “What do you do all day?” Um, well, I take care of and play with and entertain my child. I feed him and change his diapers and give awesome boo-boo kisses and try to calm him down when he has a temper tantrum. I do a lot of things… But I guess people think that because I don’t have a “real job” I must not be doing anything.
Why can’t people just realize that we’re all different and we all have different tastes, values, hobbies, opinions, etc.? What’s great for you might not be great for someone else, but why put them down for what they do/believe in? Arrrgggghhh. I feel your pain, girl. 😉
Jasmine Rose says
This post is basically full of awesome. If anyone ever had that reaction to my reading I’d totally be like “uhmm…I do it because I like it. Your life is yours and mine is mine. They’re both LIVES mine’s just better…I mean…different.”
kit says
Love this post, and I agree entirely. I quite often set aside whole chunks of my weekend for reading, yet some people will persist in thinking it’s a “waste” of a weekend, or a waste of time full stop. I might have more time to read, but it means I don’t watch as much TV, for instance – it’s not that I have unlimited time, just that I’m using it in a different way!
Deanna says
Oh my, YES! Reading has always been a priority to me. I carry a book wherever I go, and instead of wasting ten minutes in line at lunch, I read a chapter. It’s much more satisfying! Even with three year old twins, I read every single day. Do I prioritize it over laundry? Absolutely, and I am not saying that’s a good thing…but it makes me a happy girl!
Samantha Leighanne says
I think that’s so stupid that people act that way! The same thing happens to me, my coworkers ask me “How do you find the time to read so much!?” Well, that would be because I don’t spend hours of my time dedicated to Grey’s Anatomy and various other things. I’m not a big tv watcher, I watch things on Netflix sometimes, but a lot of my free time I spend reading. I don’t see why people think that because their priorities are different, that you don’t ‘do things.’
I think I’ve seen this happen to you quite a bit, your coworkers putting their foots in their mouths. I would hate that. I’m lucky enough to have a few coworkers who ask me for book recs and we pass books around and stuff, which is pretty much fantastic. :]
TG says
I have so many people tell me they don’t have time to read and I find it so annoying. People never say they don’t have time to watch movies or listen to music. I think the average person reads only 1 book a year. It’s really frustrating; if they just took 1 hour away from Facebook a week and gave it to reading, they could alter that to 1 book a month.
Shannon says
I get this a lot as a college student. “How can you possibly have time to read?” or “How do you write anything beyond what we have to do for our classes?”. The answer is, of course, that I make time. I head to bed slightly early so I can read (and of course that means not dropping into bed at the point of exhaustion). I carry my book around and read while waiting for the bus, waiting for the Dr., waiting for class to start, etc. Reading fast helps, yes, but so does a desire to want to make time for it. I think you can make time for anything if you truly love and care enough about it.
Christine @Buckling Bookshelves says
I absolutely love this! Made my day 🙂 I’m lucky that my husband, best friend, and most of my family are readers, so it’s not too hard to remember that reading is a valid & awesome hobby. Non-readers just don’t understand sometimes…Don’t let it get you down and definitely keep reading!
Meredith says
I am constantly told that I “don’t have a life” because I like to read and even *gasp* try to do well in school. People always tell me “oh, I don’t have time to read,” and I say “You know what? Neither do I! I make time and it’s usually into the wee hours of the morning.” And also how can someone tell ME that I don’t have a life? I think that I get to be the judge of that. You know?
Totally agree with what you’re saying here. It drives me insane that there are people who will do that. Love the gifs! (oh and sorry for the late comment. I get so behind on my google reader)
-Meredith
Bonnie @ A Backwards Story says
I so get it!! That’s why I’m so glad that you live near me. We must hang out from time to time after the wedding craze is over! Book lovers get one another in a way no one else does!
Chrystal @ Snowdrop Dreams of Books says
I get those comments all the time, even from my family sometimes (though they tolerate me when I talk book blog stuff and reading). I could just sit here on the couch and watch hours and hours of crap TV (which I use to do), but I much prefer reading, reviewing and working on making my blog something that I can feel accomplished about.
Reading is for fun, reviewing is for fun (not a job) and the blogging part (also fun) is a challenge that I set for myself.
Don’t let the NON-READERS get you down. They are the ones who are truly missing out. 🙂
A. Knight says
“I feel the need to dispel myths…especially when people try to act like reading is this quaint little hobby reserved for people with nothing better to do or for the socially inept.”
I TOTALLY get that sometimes. And being in high school, if you’re not out drinking boos at a nearby house party or lighting it up in the back of the bleachers during the Homecoming game, then you’re just not cool. If you don’t go to the mall every weekend or teen clubs in really shady towns up UNTIL ALL HOURS OF THE NIGHT, then you’re even less cool. God forbid I tell people that I read a book a day. They’re all like, WHAT THE WHAT? But I don’t mind saying so. I just choose to read instead of get drunk and potentially arrested, and when people are partying at 2 in the morning I CHOOSE TO GET MY BEAUTY SLEEP ON. My family completely gets the reading and book blogging, but outside of that, I get those weird looks or condescending remarks, ‘Like, oh, that’s so nice that you read’ when what’s really being said is, ‘How pitiful it is that you have no life.’ But that’s okay. I don’t much care about what people think and I have a couple of friends who read as obsessively as I do, so it makes for exclusive conversations that those nasty little non-readers can’t be a part of. CHEER UP, JAMIE. Just think, YOU know what to do if a werewolf bites the shizz out of you, when you up and decide you want to backpack across South America, or how to figure WHO DUN IT in a mysterious setting, and YOU have the satisfaction of knowing that they DO NOT. And, also, that this person is an ignorant snob that is an epic failure at life and YOU ARE NOT. 😛 😀
As Ross said, *mimics gif* them!
— Asher
Jamie says
OMG. Hilarious. Newest follower.
Lucybird says
I just love it hen you are sitting in the staffroom reading and people decide to interrupt you to tell you that “you like reading, don’t you?”, no really, I had to be told that, such a great reason to stop me reading.
Hanna @ Booking In Heels says
Seconded. People ALWAYS ask me how I find time to read and somehow they imply that their lives are just SO full of activity, when I know they sit on their arses watching Jersey Shore all evening. That’s precisely why I have time – I don’t watch TV. Ever. So yes, you COULD have time to read, but you choose not to. Hell, I don’t even mind if you’d rather watch TV, each to their own. But don’t act like your choice is more valid than mine.
It used to annoy me in the Sixth Form common room when I’d be sat quite happily on my own reading and someone would come up and sit right next to me, because ‘you’re reading so you must be bored.’ 😐
Jacinda @ The Reading Housewives says
I feel like people don’t think I have a life either. But you said it well, these people just CHOOSE to use their time differently…that’s all. I have a family I take care of so maybe I shouldn’t have time…but I make time. I work my butt off in every other aspect of my life so I have time to blog and read because it’s something I love and something that makes be happy…I deserve it.
And the blog is looking good 🙂
Lindsey Sparks says
Amen! Like everyone else has said, everyone has the same amount of time – we just all choose to spend it differently. I would prefer to read rather than zone out in from of the TV most of the time. I also don’t do a lot of the around the home type projects most people seem to get so caught up in. I don’t have a lot of other hobbies, but still spend time with family and friends. Also, my husband and I do split the chores, which is something most women don’t do, and we don’t spend a lot of time on that type of stuff. We do enough to keep it clean, but not magazine cover type of clean. And we pay someone to do yardwork, which sucks up a lot of people’s time this time of year.
Terrea says
All of your rants speak to me. Seriously, get out of my head! lol
Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books says
I totally support this particular rant! People in my life (most of whom don’t read) do not understand (a) why I’m so “obsessed” with it and (b) how I manage to read so many books in one year. Seriously, guys, reading is just one of the top priorities in my life – and that’s never ever going to change.
Rebecca says
I couldn’t agree more!! It irks me when people say they don’t have time to read and it must be nice I have so much freetime to read. I manage my time well and I have no more freetime than others, I just enjoy reading and manage my time well so that I do have time to read. I’ve had individuals with children say they have no time to read because of their kids, yet one of my friends with two children (3 months and 3 years) reads a lot because she manages her time well and reads when they’re asleep.
Johannah says
I am very lucky and happy that a good % of the people I work with read. Maybe not AS much as me, but they do. It’s nice to talk with someone else about reading and books – I just gave my co-worker the other day a whole list of books I thought he’d enjoy because he liked Ray Bradbury. It made me feel good.
Great rant and I totally agree! Reading is a great healthy hobby!
Midnyte Reader says
I have never had that problem!!! I’m sorry that you have. But I also don’t tell a lot of people about myself either.
Stormy says
I don’t get this often, but it does happen occasionally. I’m a college student, so often my peers ask me how I have time to read for fun. I’m a writing major, which means I do TONS of both writing and reading for class, so people seem so shocked that I want to write or read in my free time. I enjoy doing it, that’s why I picked that major! I fit reading into my schedule by reading between classes or during lunch. Yes, there are weeks when I’m overwhelmed with work and literally do nothing but write papers, but that happens about once a semester(generally, the last week), but most of the time, I read because I make time for it. It’s my personal stress reliever.
Erin says
Oh, I so agree. So many times people reply to me they don’t reach because “they don’t have time.” Yeah, I’m sure they have time to watch TV and talk on the phone for hours though.
Becca @ Lost in Thought says
I feel that people think I’m “cute” for reading, if that makes any sense. Like its a airy-fairy thing to do, with my head in the clouds and not in reality. All my family are bookish so they know about my obsession and my blog, but I don’t really like talking to others and friends about it because I’m sure they think “awwww isn’t that nice” like I’m some child in a fantasy world or something. I don’t particularly care what people think really but I hate people thinking that reading is a waste of time. It is a hobby that I love spending my time doing. Plus I do literature in uni so reading is something I must do, and thank god I love it 😉 Great post!
Hadas says
THANK YOU. This is lovely. Unfortunately I don’t have too much time to read either but I do find little cracks in my schedule for it. If you want it enough, you’ll find time for it.