My Reading Rituals from Childhood to Now

I don’t have many books, but I read regularly

Why do I read?

I read articles with content that I can relate to.

I look through titles and choose an article with a topic that I am interested in.

I want to know what other writers write about and their thoughts, opinions, and tips to solve their problems.

If not on this platform, I read based on recommendations, the best sellers, and peek at the content to see if that’s what I want to read about, if it's not too difficult to understand, etc.

What kind of reader am I?

I am a slow reader.

Once I’m into the story, I can switch gears a little bit and become a faster reader.

I do go back to reread good expressions, lines, descriptions. And I wonder if I can write something about them or write in that way.

I highlight texts while reading digitally.

I don’t have a ton of books. Once in a while, I enjoy being in bookstores, browsing books, and reading some of them.

I like to read a new physical book. I never really liked to use second-hand textbooks even though they were affordable. They contained some clues left by previous owners saying where the important parts were (highlighted with vivid colors, underlined, or even folded). I sometimes felt those were distracting and confusing — finding myself trying to find the clues out of the clues, feeling it was wasting my mental effort and time. So, I had to search for new copies.

What is my reading ritual?

I read regularly on this platform now, in the morning, afternoon, and evening. I probably read more in the morning.

I usually read at my desk, using my PC, and on my smartphone sometimes.

I used to read on the train when I commuted. It was a long way to the office and back home, so I read news, shopping lists (browsing online), and digital books.

Once in a while, I like to read outside when the weather is nice. I sit on a chair or bench and try to read. But I get easily distracted, like reading and enjoying dog-bird-and-people watching interchangeably. As the sun gets stronger and the device gets hotter or too bright to read, I turn it off and enjoy being outside with a cup of coffee or tea.

My reading journey (from childhood to now)

I was never a bookworm.

Since I was a child, I enjoyed those stories that the main characters traveled somewhere, go through life adventures, with some humor. From Fair, Then Partly Piggy (thick lines of pictures were adorable, and scenes were interesting), Goonies (and alike stories), The Alchemist, and to Harry Potter (the first one).

Books that I liked in recent years other than I mentioned in my earlier article are:

• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Unlike those adventurous stories, these are factual. And I gain insights from authors about why we do things.

Summing up my reading journey

I am not a bookworm, but I read almost every day on this platform and enjoy reading or listening to books. I don’t read scary stories, but I enjoy those with adventurous storylines.

When a book turns out great, I always think of having both a physical one and an audio one, but have never tried it.

And having a dog beside me while reading is always comforting. :)

Thanks for reading!

And, thank you Ellie Jacobson for this writing prompt.