The Universities at Shady Grove (USG)

Sounds like a dream for us readers! especially during the semester, when I am bombarded with loads of assignments, projects and text book reading. I love my Major, so I would not complain much about text book reading. Those readings help me catch up with a lot of class work. I am a full time mom, with being a full time student and I must admit! some days, my brain is all over the place. I am listening to my class professors and not really listening (I hope Prof. Bae and Bob are not reading this!). I miss the early 2000s, when phones were flippin’, my kids were small and I was not looking at some form of screen. I would just switch off t.v for few days. After taking care of my  babies and dealing with house work, I would curl up with something to read. I read a lot in those days, and it would keep my mind occupied. English is not my native language and I had only read it in text books in my home country. Now, I have to speak it, and understand it, and communicate in it. A new parent, a new country; so, my refuge were books. I chose to read more English books. They inspired me, kept me occupied, and they helped me to keep my dream of graduating one day with a degree. So, here I am! working hard on getting my degree, which was also making me not read books for pleasure at all. This, was driving me insane. Last year, my 9 year old daughter finished Harry Potter series, I could not feel more proud of myself. I finally was able to create a mini me in every sense. We would go to Germantown Library every Saturday, she gets a stack of books and spends a week or two reading those. I was seeing her curled up on the part of our L-shaped sofa set, which me and my husband had bought in our living room, and I had insisted to get that particular design so I would curl up and read, which by the way, had never happened! I would see her reading before going to bed, out side in the patio on a beautiful, perfect summer day, while I am looking at her also cleaning up the kitchen area. Last year, I couldn’t help but feel a little envious of my daughter and her habitual reading. I mean, The sole reason I helped her get to this point, where she is reading all these series of books was so I could read books with her and share the experience with her! When she would pick a book at the library I would be a little disappointed that I had not read that book! How would we discuss the main character, how would we have inside jokes related to the books? Instead I was  trying to finish house work, or school work and always running for something, just wishing I had some story of some book going in my head instead of endless lists of things to do. One evening, I  counted the years and realized, I had not read any book since last 5 years. Where did the time go? I promised my self that this has to end.

Last spring semester, I took business writing class from Prof. Holly Smith. She also is an editor and a book reviewer. During the semester she would bring several books to class, probably unedited copies and would lay out on the front desk and would say, “take ’em! take ’em all!” to all the students in class . So, I picked up 2 books one day, since I was trying to think about starting reading again, promising my self to take out at least few hours during the weekend and instead of Netflix-ing, I would hopefully read. Weeks passed, turned into months and the semester was about to finish. I was also gifted one more book, a memoir, which I received after I completed a leadership badge at USG and added it to my bedside collection of books. The stack that I would see everyday and dust every few days.

If you are one of my regular readers, you would know that during the last winter break I visited my home country. Going home always reminds you of who you are or once use to be. I came back and decided, that I need to change my current habits. The first thing, that had been at the back of my head, I had to start it. I picked up ‘Educated, the memoir’, the book I had received last year.

Much happier that this was the book I picked up, as a fresh start (or reading comeback) because it wasn’t on New York times best seller list for no reason! I finished it in a week, and than the semester started. So, here was the real challenge! How do I continue with this? I was driving most of the time, going to gym, running errands, going to school and where is the time to read again? I love listening to music while driving, but sometimes, the playlist would get stale and I would not be able to decided what to listen to. So, I decided that I should give a try to audio books.  I downloaded the app,and  download the first book as a free trial. I was watching former first lady Michelle Obama, touring and making appearances on various talk shows on t.v, since she had just released her book ‘Becoming’, which was turning into a best seller slowly. I had found my perfect book. I would happily admit, that this blog, I am writing is an attempt to pay homage to the  writing style, and these writers. Can you tell by my writing style?

Running and reading. Yes it is possible people! (Screen shot from author’s phone)

As for sharing books with my daughter, I think she can wait a little. She would have to grow a little older and I can tell her all about the books of the great writers, I am reading, which is inspiring me to write somethings of my own. I continue to hope someday, we share books, and fight  for the L-shaped sofa’s perfect book reading side, that is in our living room.