My Blog
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Reading Woes
OW: Tuesday, May 30, 2006
I have some pet peeves when it comes to reading. Inconsistency of the sentence structure; Improper dialogue like the setting is in 1800s but the characters are using the English slang that came about only in the 19th century - just to name a few.
While I was reading LOS, I came up with another reading woes: Dialogue in another language but with no English translation. It really, really irritates me when it happened because the author is inconsiderate of those who do not know that particular language. Does she just expects all her readers to know that language? That is plain irresponsible and inconsiderate on the author's part, in my opinion. I've also come across this when I was reading Roberta Gillis Masques of Gold and I haven't finished it in my irritation. There was also some Italian lines, words and dialogues in Lord of Scoundrels that were not translated into English and it made me frown so.
Another woe is vague opening scene/chapter. You know, the kind where, in the first chapter where the characters were talking about something or somebody that was not introduced to the reader yet. Sometimes, this can get on my nerves too coz it feels like listening to people talk about someone or something I do not know personally.
That's enough woes for now. :D
I have some pet peeves when it comes to reading. Inconsistency of the sentence structure; Improper dialogue like the setting is in 1800s but the characters are using the English slang that came about only in the 19th century - just to name a few.
While I was reading LOS, I came up with another reading woes: Dialogue in another language but with no English translation. It really, really irritates me when it happened because the author is inconsiderate of those who do not know that particular language. Does she just expects all her readers to know that language? That is plain irresponsible and inconsiderate on the author's part, in my opinion. I've also come across this when I was reading Roberta Gillis Masques of Gold and I haven't finished it in my irritation. There was also some Italian lines, words and dialogues in Lord of Scoundrels that were not translated into English and it made me frown so.
Another woe is vague opening scene/chapter. You know, the kind where, in the first chapter where the characters were talking about something or somebody that was not introduced to the reader yet. Sometimes, this can get on my nerves too coz it feels like listening to people talk about someone or something I do not know personally.
That's enough woes for now. :D
Labels: inconsistent dialogue, issues, reading
All for the love of Reading!
Originally written: Wednesday, March 29, 2006
All for the Love of Reading
As far as I can remember, I have always been fascinated with reading eversince I learned how to do it. When we were small, I remembered we have those story books/fairy tales that our parents bought for us and we read them.
Then when I was in school, I always read our reading textbook - even during summer, just for the sake of reading something. If I finished all the stories in our reading textbook, I would read our brothers textbook then. Other times, I also read comics and magazine - though I just skim the latter since it was heavy reading for a child.
The first ever book that got me hooked on reading pocketbooks was a Nancy Drew on sixth grade. I can still remember the title was "The Sign of the Twisted Candle" borrowed from our classmate. Since then, I was forever borrowing books from our classmate.
High School came and it got worse because there were more people to borrow books from and there are a lot of books to borrow from the library.
So in high school, I spent more time reading than studying. LOL! And our mother doesnt want us to read. Instead she just wants us to study and study. Naturally, I find ways to keep her from knowing that I was reading instead of studying. But the irony of all is that she is always urging our brother to read - while we, who are reading are forbidden to do so.
In our room, I would prop a textbook on the heavy dictionary and put the pocketbook in front of the textbook. I would shift the table to face the door so when our mother would come to check on us, I could secretly hide the book I was reading in the ever-present pillow on my lap for that purpose. But sometimes, I got so engrossed in the book that I would react too late. I would jerk in a guilty way and our mother would know that I was only reading pocketbook - not studying so she would search my table and my bag to search for the book and hide it away.
But of course, I won't give up easily. Once she will go out, I would go to their room and search every inch of their room for the hidden book. And I was always successful. LOL! Most of the time, the venue of the hidden book changes - sometimes she even hid it in one of her purses - but I found them all. Maybe that is why, I got patient with searching for information I want because of this experience.
Whenever we go to the malls, Sharie and I would always go to the bookstores and look for books. We have known so early that our mother would never buy us pocketbooks. One time we asked so what we did before was go to our father and ask if he has money. And he would always reply, "Why, you wanted to buy pocketbooks again?" We would reply in affirmative and he will give us money. When our mother would know later on, she would be upset but she cannot do anything anymore. We had our father's permission. LOL!
Upon reflection, could the passion for reading might be hereditary? LOL! Our maternal grandfather also loves to read. He reads newpapers, comics (some of the comics that we used to read), magazines and sometimes even the magazines about showbiz gossips. Our maternal aunt and uncles are fond of reading too and have pocketbooks at the house then. On our fathers side, we have these two aunts who are crazy over reading too. So maybe we have inherited our desire for reading from them.
All for the Love of Reading
As far as I can remember, I have always been fascinated with reading eversince I learned how to do it. When we were small, I remembered we have those story books/fairy tales that our parents bought for us and we read them.
Then when I was in school, I always read our reading textbook - even during summer, just for the sake of reading something. If I finished all the stories in our reading textbook, I would read our brothers textbook then. Other times, I also read comics and magazine - though I just skim the latter since it was heavy reading for a child.
The first ever book that got me hooked on reading pocketbooks was a Nancy Drew on sixth grade. I can still remember the title was "The Sign of the Twisted Candle" borrowed from our classmate. Since then, I was forever borrowing books from our classmate.
High School came and it got worse because there were more people to borrow books from and there are a lot of books to borrow from the library.
So in high school, I spent more time reading than studying. LOL! And our mother doesnt want us to read. Instead she just wants us to study and study. Naturally, I find ways to keep her from knowing that I was reading instead of studying. But the irony of all is that she is always urging our brother to read - while we, who are reading are forbidden to do so.
In our room, I would prop a textbook on the heavy dictionary and put the pocketbook in front of the textbook. I would shift the table to face the door so when our mother would come to check on us, I could secretly hide the book I was reading in the ever-present pillow on my lap for that purpose. But sometimes, I got so engrossed in the book that I would react too late. I would jerk in a guilty way and our mother would know that I was only reading pocketbook - not studying so she would search my table and my bag to search for the book and hide it away.
But of course, I won't give up easily. Once she will go out, I would go to their room and search every inch of their room for the hidden book. And I was always successful. LOL! Most of the time, the venue of the hidden book changes - sometimes she even hid it in one of her purses - but I found them all. Maybe that is why, I got patient with searching for information I want because of this experience.
Whenever we go to the malls, Sharie and I would always go to the bookstores and look for books. We have known so early that our mother would never buy us pocketbooks. One time we asked so what we did before was go to our father and ask if he has money. And he would always reply, "Why, you wanted to buy pocketbooks again?" We would reply in affirmative and he will give us money. When our mother would know later on, she would be upset but she cannot do anything anymore. We had our father's permission. LOL!
Upon reflection, could the passion for reading might be hereditary? LOL! Our maternal grandfather also loves to read. He reads newpapers, comics (some of the comics that we used to read), magazines and sometimes even the magazines about showbiz gossips. Our maternal aunt and uncles are fond of reading too and have pocketbooks at the house then. On our fathers side, we have these two aunts who are crazy over reading too. So maybe we have inherited our desire for reading from them.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Why I love to Read (and maybe why others don't)
Originally written on September 11, 2005
Why I love to read?I can say that I love reading ever since when I was small. I started with nursery rhymes and fairy tales which our parents bought us. Then towards sixth grade, I started reading Nancy Drew and Sweet Valley then shifted to Sweet Dreams and Mills and Boon until I eventually settled on those long novels because suddenly the Tempatations and Silhoutte books were too short and shallow for me.I often wonder why some people don’t like to read when I cannot live without it.
I read everyday and I read almost everything. I search the internet to read about things that interest me. I am a member of an online book club and I love going to the site everyday because I also get to read the post and some creative writings by some of the members. If I see a magazine lying around, you should not be surprised if I will pick it up and read.
One day, as I was reading a book, a thought just popped into my mind that might explain the reason why I love reading while others don’t.As avid reader, I do not see each letter and word as I read them. Rather, I see them jump out pages of the book and flash the scenes before me, making me see everything, and bringing me into the world of the persons I am reading, a world created by the author. It enables me to get a glimpse of what each person was thinking and feeling. At the same time, it gives free reign to my imagination and make the experience all the more worthwhile. It makes me feel like I'm in an adventure each time I read a book.
Meanwhile, I have a little and maybe absurd theory of why some people don’t like to read. Maybe it's because the words are just merely words and letters for them. They do not transform into scenes that will keep them occupied and interested. Reading for them then, is uninteresting and unexciting. It might seem like looking at the numbers in numeric forms – which is indeed boring and unexciting.I then tried reading "word by word" and not get into the story but I often catch up myself swept away by them. Just like when JM has made us search for one error in WML. It took me a long time to find the error because the words just carry me away.
Posted by Sharon in Thinker mode at 2/19/2006 05:54:00 PM
Why I love to read?I can say that I love reading ever since when I was small. I started with nursery rhymes and fairy tales which our parents bought us. Then towards sixth grade, I started reading Nancy Drew and Sweet Valley then shifted to Sweet Dreams and Mills and Boon until I eventually settled on those long novels because suddenly the Tempatations and Silhoutte books were too short and shallow for me.I often wonder why some people don’t like to read when I cannot live without it.
I read everyday and I read almost everything. I search the internet to read about things that interest me. I am a member of an online book club and I love going to the site everyday because I also get to read the post and some creative writings by some of the members. If I see a magazine lying around, you should not be surprised if I will pick it up and read.
One day, as I was reading a book, a thought just popped into my mind that might explain the reason why I love reading while others don’t.As avid reader, I do not see each letter and word as I read them. Rather, I see them jump out pages of the book and flash the scenes before me, making me see everything, and bringing me into the world of the persons I am reading, a world created by the author. It enables me to get a glimpse of what each person was thinking and feeling. At the same time, it gives free reign to my imagination and make the experience all the more worthwhile. It makes me feel like I'm in an adventure each time I read a book.
Meanwhile, I have a little and maybe absurd theory of why some people don’t like to read. Maybe it's because the words are just merely words and letters for them. They do not transform into scenes that will keep them occupied and interested. Reading for them then, is uninteresting and unexciting. It might seem like looking at the numbers in numeric forms – which is indeed boring and unexciting.I then tried reading "word by word" and not get into the story but I often catch up myself swept away by them. Just like when JM has made us search for one error in WML. It took me a long time to find the error because the words just carry me away.
Posted by Sharon in Thinker mode at 2/19/2006 05:54:00 PM