The Magic of Reading

"It is important," the man in the grey suit interrupts. "someone needs to tell those tales. When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find the treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative. There's magic in that. It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it..."(381)

The above quote was taken from a wonderful book I just finished that is truly a gem. The Night Circus is a book that not only is unique and creative, but magical and mysterious. I am an avid reader. I can always be found with a book on my nightstand and with any free time available most likely I will be curled up with a book. I gravitate more towards the fantasy genre, but I do also have a love for historical fiction, dystopian, romance, and some science fiction.

In our world today I have noticed many of my friends and colleagues who do not read, or if they do it is very little. They spend any extra time at night watching various reality shows or dramas on TV. While I do applaud the writing of some TV shows, a large majority of them are silly, stupid, and quite frankly not worth people's time.  TV does not allow an environment for the imagination to grow and develop.

Reading is like a mini-vacation. For an hour or two you can be in a different land fighting a dragon, or a century in the past attending a fancy ball, or perhaps a land in the future fighting for control over an oppressive government. You can be someone else doing things you would never do in your everyday life. Reading gives you endless possibilities.

In books magic is real and tangible. In this latest book I read the author gives you the hint that perhaps magic is real and it is only because we choose not to see it that we believe it is not. This is what I love about reading. To me a story is magical. I am transformed into the character I am reading about and I can witness things that my everyday life would never allow me to see.

For those that know me one of my favorite things is to walk into a book store. The second I enter I am greeted with the smell of new books and in some stores fresh brewed coffee. I love to walk down the isles touching glossy covers and opening books to fresh unread pages. I love turning those pages and scanning the words wondering what exciting new story is contained between the front and back covers. What new world has yet to be explored and new foes to be vanquished. Then after looking at all the new books I want to read I locate the books I have read before. Old friends that I have gone back to year after year. The books where I have memorized entire paragraphs and have favorite chapters that I re-read when I don't have the time to read the entire story. It's a magical experience for me and one that I never tire of.

Thanks to this modern world of technology books are even more available. We have many electronic devices that can hold an entire library. I myself own a Kindle. I love it and take it with me when ever I am traveling. However there is something to be said about the actual physical turning of a page. Many of my favorite books I own in the print form. These books I treasure. They remind me of that first magical time I read that story.

More then anything I want people to know about this world of reading! I want them to feel the wonder and magic that a book can bring! So for one night don't turn on the TV and watch whatever silly show that is on. Instead pick up a book and see what story is contained within the pages. You may be surprised by what you discover! If you need a suggestion of what to read, try The Night Circus. I promise you won't be disappointed!

9/11 Tenth Anniversary

It's amazing to think that it has been ten years since that fateful day when the world changed for all of us Americans. We awoke to a beautiful September morning only to discover that our world had been turned upside down. Thousands of Americans lost their lives, and even more lost their loved ones. Panic and terror were in everyone's minds. We were full of fear and questions. Worried about what would happen next.

I was twelve at the time. I remember I first heard about the attacks at the bus stop while I was waiting for the school bus to take me to school. I remember sitting in my first class of the day working on a paper only to look up at the TV that was tuned into the news to see the fist tower collapse. All through out the day confusion and fear hung in the air. Very little school work got done and most teachers abandoned their lessons. What a fearful time. I didn't know what was going to happen, I didn't even know if I was safe.

But amidst all the tragedy and fear of that day, there was some good. Remember those months following the attacks? Remember every flag across he country raised to half mast in honor of those victims? Remember all the people who donated time, money, and blood to people they never knew and had never met? Remember the signs placed in front yards with the word "Remember" on them? Do you remember all of us Americans putting aside our differences and standing united? I remember. So as we look back at that tragic day that happened a decade ago, let us remember those men and women who died, but let us also remember our country uniting together. Because this moment in history should not be forgotten, not only for it's tragedy, but also for our country's strength. It's that strength that truly shows what America is. What we are as it's citizens, and that we care for one another. God bless our beautiful country, and God bless America's people.

My New Fave Lee MacDougall!

Below I have posted the newest song by my favorite new artist! Lee MacDougall is from England and is in the beginning of his career as a singer/songwriter. I stumbled on to his songs one day and have since been blown away by his voice and music style. Three of his songs are available on itunes. If you like the song below check out the other three on itunes!

Lee MacDougall - Hindsight (Moonlight Session)

Lady Antebellum - "Hello World" Music Video

I Missed My Calling in Life

Okay so when I was eleven years old my fifth grade teacher read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to my class. At the time I was really not into the story, and all though I liked it I never bothered to read any of the other books. When the movies started coming out I went and watched them mainly so I had an idea of what the huge phenomenon was all about.

But then for some strange reason ten years later I decided to finish the series. So the last week in August I started where I left off on book two. Then proceeded to read all of the remaining books finishing the first week of October. Mastering six books in six weeks.

I now realize I truly missed my calling in life. I should have been born a witch. As I sat dully in my college classes learning accounting principles and the correct procedures in the hotel industry I longed to be sitting in Hogwarts transfiguring teacups into mice, or levitating cushions, re-potting mandrakes, cooking up odd potions, fighting off dementors, or simply eating elvish cooking! So why then was I born a muggle?

Ten ways you know you have been reading to much Harry Potter:

1. When you need something and it's to far away to reach you shout, "Accio (insert item)!"
2. You start carrying a pencil with you everywhere you go pretending it's your wand.
3. You are suspicious of people acting strange around you and wonder if they are strangers masked in Polyjuice Potion.
4. You long to go to King's Cross Station in London to see if you can actually locate Platform 9 3/4.
5. When asked if you would like a drink your first thought is, "I want a butterbeer."
6. You find yourself holding a regular kitchen broom wishing it was a Firebolt.
7. You peruse ESPN hoping there might be a Quidditch game on.
8. You find yourself analyzing what Hogwarts house you would most likely be sorted into.
9. You are annoyed when pictures are stationary and don't move or talk to you.
10. You start referring to people as muggles.

It's true, ten years of resisting the phenomenon dissolved and now I am a Harry Potter nerd too. What can I say J.K. Rowling is a genius!