What I Learned From … Mashing It Up
May 18, 2008 by Lillie
Robert Hruzek has given us a challenge in this month’s What I Learned From … group writing project. Instead of giving us one subject, he’s given us enough topics to cover a year and a half. So I’m mashing it up with 18 topics in this post.
I fell in love with both reading and writing when I was in high school. The teacher read my humorous story to the students and got real laughs from the children (okay, they were really teenagers, but they weren’t adults … so that should count as children). While other kids were watching television or going to the movies, my recreation was reading. The characters in books became my friends and my heroes. I didn’t need to travel in automobiles, trains, or planes. I could travel anywhere – to the beach, to the mountains, to the city or the country – even to outer space - just by opening a book. I could learn about technology, discover exotic food, and experience amazing adventures. When I was engrossed in a story, I lost track of time and ignored relatives and pets. The story became my world.
I learned that I loved the written word. I learned that words can entertain, inspire, and educate. I learned that I wanted my words to become a reader’s world.
[tags]What I Learned From[/tags]
Howdy, Lillie! Thanks for jumping in with an entry this month. Good job; it’s fun to think about the paths that led us to be where we are today, isn’t it?
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Robert,
This was an interesting challenge. Thanks for making me think.
Beautiful. My own childhood seems to have echoed yours, and that’s the reason I still write today. The written word is one of the most powerful tools in the universe.
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i echo that sentiment. I also became very interested in writing when I was in high school.
I suspect many writers have experienced a childhood of reading.
Ronny,
It seems like there a lot of us who got our writing start in high school. Maybe that’s one reason I really like to encourage young writers. I helped start the EPIC New Voices writing competition for junior high and high school students and have been amazed at the students’ writing.
Oh Lillie, your words transported me back to my own childhood, lost in one book or another, exploring the wonders of other worlds! Hard to imagine life without reading isn’t it? Thanks for this mashed up reminder
Joanna
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Joanna,
I can’t imagine not being able to read, but maybe knowing how to read and not doing it is even worse. The statistics on how many people never read another book after they get out of school appall me.
Loved it Lillie !
Sadly we only discovered that my son has dyslexia when he was 16. He had managed to do well in school to that point without consciously reading anything ( he must be a great absorber)and it drove us to distraction. Now he is a keen reader of design magazines which is wonderful.
I can’t imagine what it would be like not to be able to read – words are all around us!
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Jackie,
I’m glad your son was finally diagnosed and has found reading material that he enjoys and can read. Strong interest is a powerful motivator. I know several successful writers who are dyslexic but who have learned to read and write … very well.
Great mash up of words!
Thanks, Karen. This was fun.
Another great post, Lillie. My daughter is already following in my footsteps (and those who have come before me!) She is forever curled up with one great book or another, and that makes my heart soar!
When I was in third grade, I missed almost an entire spelling test because I was so absorbed in a book! When my teacher realized I was reading instead of taking the test, she didn’t penalize me. She simply let me go back and finish the test later.
Praise God for great teachers!
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Renae,
Nose-in-a-book seems to be a pretty common syndrome. I’m glad your daughter is carrying on the tradition.
I raised my daughter as a reader. We started out before school with words like “at” then adding a letter in front of it to make rhythming words such as “cat, sat, mat, hat etc.” She has been hooked ever since. Now is grade 10 academic English with an average of 95%. My point is you can never instill the love of language too early.
I am thankful to my aunt who taught me to love reading books. She was my godmother too, and every Christmas she would send me hardbound detective books as gifts. Initially, I somewhat loathed the gifts, until I eventually began developing the habit of reading. Since then, I looked forward to her book presents to me with so much delight and excitement.
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Ernesto,
You are fortunate to have this aunt/godmother who encouraged you to read with her gifts of books. You might not have developed the love of reading without being exposed to those books you initially didn’t want.
I admire your short post, crisp yet such a lovely reference to all that reading was, is and can be – nicely done
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Mother Earth,
Thanks! I usually write long so I especially appreciate the compliment on being short and crisp.
I read a lot. I get into the story and can picture what is happening in my mind. I think kids today are too busy with video games that they don’t enjoy books anymore. I tell my neighbors kids when they say i have nothing to do, I say read a book . They look at me like I am nuts. I just feel sorry for what they are missing out on.
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Hi Lillie
What fun! Books and words can take us anywhere and everywhere. Looks like you enjoyed wriggling all the words into the one post.
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John,
Kids who play video games and never read are missing out on a lot. I’m hoping that e-books will make a difference in kids’ reading.
Yes, I did have fun with this one, Yvonne.
Great job getting all those words into one post!
And yes, as a child, one of my favorite activities was reading — still is, as a grown-up!
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I love the written word also, I believe we each have great life stories just waiting for us to share.
I like your this play of word.You might not have developed the love of reading without being exposed to those books you initially didn’t want.
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When I was little, my favorite activity (apart from playing soccer
) was reading .Now , unfortunately ,I don’t have enough time to read as much as I want .
I don’t have time to read as much as I want, but I take every opportunity. When I eat alone, I read. When I have to wait for my computer to backup or something, I read. When I wait in the doctor’s office, I read. And when I have the luxury of a day off, I read more.
Thanks for sharing this story..Actually i m looking to write a story about myself and i will start soon…
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Good luck with your story.
I used to write quite regularly during school, whether it was for a project or not. I used to write alot of fanfiction but eventually mvoed on to creating my own characetrs aswell. I find it increasingly difficult to find time to write nowadays though.
We all have to make decisions on what’s most important to us. There’s a saying: We can do anything we want, but not everything we want. So we have to decide what we want most and go for it.
Oh Lillie – I love that saying….thanks for sharing it. It has really set the tone for my week!
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Jackie,
I’m glad you like it. Have a great week.
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Lillie,
Love the concise way you’ve managed to include all 18 of Robert’s topics into this post!
Wonderful job!
Jeanne
Thanks, Jeanne. This one was really fun.
Reading creates imagination that so many people lack nowadays. I’ve been reading since my childhood.
I can’t imagine not reading. I feel so sorry for people who don’t know how to read and for people who know how but don’t read.
The statistics on how many people never read another book after they get out of school appall me too. I read every month 3 books.
frika,
I’m glad you’re an avid reader. We need more readers in the world.
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You have learned so many thing.But I don’t think there are a lot of thing to learn from here.
Oh, I think there are many, many things to learn. That’s why the What I Learned From … group writing projects are so great—there’s always something to learn from everything.
That was a genius way to tie all of those things together. Did you chose those for the story or were you given the topics beforehand and you came up with the story in order to tie it all together?
Dave,
Robert has discontinued his What I Learned From… group writing projects, and the information is no longer on his site (I think because of a technical problem, not that he deliberately deleted it). If I remember correctly (and I won’t promise I do since it’s been a long time ago!), the challenge included a list of 18 words to include in the post. Those are the words that are bolded above.
Sally,
I’m glad to hear how you taught your daughter a love of language.
Thomma Lynn,
Another writer who grew up with her nose in a book!
Dean,
You’re right. One of the best things about working with authors on memoirs and family histories is hearing so many great stories..
Thanks for the compliment on my word play. I’ve always loved books and readings – there was never any books I didn’t want.