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Reading With Sea

“A book club on your own time”

Category Archives: Learning

March 30, 2010 My Confession

Hi. Hello.

I need to tell you all something; I need to come clean.

Questions posing conversations based on thoughts around owning vs. borrowing, keeping vs. giving away, what snacks you prefer to accompany your reading, etc., are of minor interest to me.  The above are surface conversational topics and throughout this current month I planted them on our site as a test.  I wanted to understand what would draw more traffic and discussion.  The express purpose that prompted this reading group was to facilitate discussion over mutual reading.  At the plea of several people, over the span of a couple of years, I finally decided to put together this group in order to collect fellow readers.  Not being a big blog reader, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, so now, after a few months, I need to readjust.  My intention and hope is that this group will flourish into a space where individuals can enter as their schedule permits and thoroughly discuss their reads, for good or bad.

In realizing that people need to connect in order to be inspired to return and participate, I am trying to write quick pieces, here and there, that draw interest, while relaying what I am, personally (outside of the group selections) reading. I am wondering, will this be enough for you, or do you need those light-hearted postings to connect with.  And yes, I am going to continue using the word connect, because it is essential to my purpose.

I want to give space for you to connect, but I need to admit that I do not think I have the stamina for daily posts on things like, whether anyone keeps the dust jackets on the books they are reading or if you can watch television and read at the same time or do you take breaks when you read?  Such topics are featured on just about every other book related site I have come across and while these may be easy to respond to, I prefer more depth.  I want to clarify – I am not, in any way, saying that these are bad questions or that they are not worth your attention, but rather that this is meant to be a reading group and not necessarily just a book related blog.

I am not a blogger.  I am much more accustomed to small groups, lingering moments and good conversation.  This is just me, personally.  I do not want to discount any other method, I merely wish to focus a little more specifically to actual reading discussion.

I would like to hear your voice on what I have expressed.  Here is what I am thinking in broken-down form:

My personal passion lives in discussion that is rich, full of various points of view and goes in-depth over what I am reading. This is what I would like to focus on with our site.  What I am wondering is how would you like this?  Would taking away the lighter questions of what you enjoy eating and drinking when you read take away from your experience?  The moment I publicly published this site, it became not only mine, but more yours.

Please feel free to express any and all thoughts along these lines.  I do not want to chase anyone away or infer that these lighter questions are not good enough, but I have never been one that has any talent or as I said before, stamina, for small talk.  This does not mean that small talk doesn’t have its place, just that I am not good at it.

Let me know your thoughts.

-Sea

March 27, 2010 The Brewing of this Saturday

It is Saturday morning.  The sky, grey when I awoke, is making its collective effort to reflect blue.  Either way, no clouds in sight and that is a welcome situation.  I am meeting a fellow reading group member, Kelsey, for brunch in a few hours.  Later tonight I will be heading to the Elliot Bay Book Company for a reading, possibly their last, to hear Melissa Febos read from her recent publication, Whip Smart.  More on this later.

Here are my prospective focuses:

1. After brunch I will return home, straight to my desk, to write.  This will take hours as I have a lot to get done and my goal is to make my mind work like a machine.  Or, at the very least, be productive like an assembly line.

2. After hours of writing, I will return to my car, the highway, the streets of downtown Seattle, the blocks of Pioneer Square to hear Febos dazzle my mind and most likely make me blush, though involuntarily.

This isn’t making any sense to you yet.  Let me explain.  Melissa Febos is a woman who paid her way through a MFA program at Sarah Lawrence University by working as a professional dominatrix in New York City.  Now living in Brooklyn, she’s made the necessary sacrifice to travel across country, through the adventures of the Pacific Northwest, landed in Seattle and I will land in a seat in the crowd this evening and hear what she has to say.

Febos’ book, Whip Smart, is her first memoir.  And I say first because I am attempting to be realistic.  Everyone and their mother and third cousin, thrice removed are writing memoirs and if my tone sounds mildly sarcastic, it’s not.  I am up for the challenge of wading through the crap load of crapy memoirs to find the few gems, which is the balance that I believe exists in the collective existence of memoirs.  I have decided to collect memoirs by writers who will talk about their writing careers.  Namely, writing memoirs of writers.  Mouth full.  This idea being the only reason I recently bought Amy Tan’s The Opposite of Fate, when I have never read any of her work.

So, on this Saturday, I have adventures to run, writing to write and all the while I still have not finished American Rust.  I am taking it with me everywhere today so that I have the option of sneaking in a page here, a page there, a sentence, a word, anything that claims progress.

If I can run like a machine today, making use of every moment, today should be enjoyable.   I am announcing, just in case, that I am forcing myself to finish American Rust this weekend.  By the end of Sunday, sleep deprived or shame-filled, I will make the announcement of my next read.

-Sea

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March 26, 2010 Member Spotlight

I have to say that I am really proud of the membership we have here at, Reading With Sea. We have a diverse group and that is always a wonderful and unique dynamic.  At times, in certain circumstances (or most) diversity is a difficult goal to reach, but I can think of nothing better than diversity to lay a solid foundation that great discussion and camaraderie to flourish out of.   I am so pleased with our members.  The reason I am choosing this moment to make this sweeping sentimental announcement is that I have come across some writings by a couple of our fellow members.  One may not agree with the beliefs held in the ideas written about, but I could not imagine anyone being able to say it’s not amazingly well written.  On that note, I want to invite you to check out the blogs of a couple of our members:

Frank – http://www.frankdion.wordpress.com

Dee – http://www.createdformore.wordpress.com

With minds like these, no wonder these two just so happen to be married.

If you (fellow members) write and have your blog and want a “spotlight” get in touch with me and let me know.  I’d love to read your writing and be a support.

-Sea

March 25, 2010 Checking In, Building Up

We are nearing the end of March.  This is the second full month that our group has been alive.  I cannot tell you all enough that the more input we share with one another, the better this group will be.  How do you want this group to look as we head further on down the road?

On that note, I want to open discussion now.  If you have ideas, reflections, complaints, comments, musings, wishes, desires, expectations, etc., etc., share them with us here, by responding to this post.  Let us know how we can improve our group and continue to make this experience beneficial and enjoyable.

Adrienne Rich wrote a collection of poems entitled, The Dream of a Common Language, which I have always thought to be a nice sentiment.  I hope you will chose to respond to this post and express your thoughts so we can move into our third month with excitement and continue to improve our reading group.

-Sea

Are there any new directions we want to take?  Focuses we want to enter?  Trends we want to comment on?  Literature we want to explore?

March 23, 2010 Just Curious

Hi all.

I am following a curiosity and wanted to ask who all thinks they may be reading one or more of the selections in April?  What can I do to help set you up or prepare for a good discussion?  I welcome any and all suggestions and please always let me know if there is something I can do on my end to make this group easier for you to access, etc.

I appreciate you all.

-Sea

March 23, 2010 What do you like to read

If you could describe what type of books you prefer to read or read the most, what would it be?

-Sea

March 22, 2010 April Selections Poll

Hi.

It’s that time: again.

I have added a poll on the Book Raffle page for your voting pleasure.  So, make your way over and put in your vote. If you haven’t had a chance to read the descriptions of the books listed on the Book Raffle page, no worries, they are still posted.

Take your time and look through them.  If the books do not seem interesting to you, please send me some ideas for things you would like to read so I can make sure to include them on the next month’s poll.  Again, the more input I hear from you, the better this group can be.  You, as the members, are the owners.

-Sea

March 22, 2010 Letters From Authors: Samuel Johnson

From the Norton Book of Friendship


[To George Straham]

Thursday, 14 July 1763

“Dear George

To give pain ought always to be painful, and I am sorry that I have been the occassion of any uneasiness to you, to whom I hope never to [do] any thing but for your benefit or your pleasure.  Your uneasiness was without any reason on your part… You are not to imagine that my friendship is light enough to be blown away by the first cross blast, or that my regard or kindness hangs by so slender a hair, as to be broken off by the unfelt weight of a petty offense.  I love you, and hope to love you long.  You have hitherto done nothing to diminish my goodwill, and though you had done much more than you have supposed imputed to you my goodwill would not have been diminished.
I write thus largely on this suspicion which you have suffered to enter your mind, because in youth we are apt to be too rigorous in our exceptions, and to suppose that the duties of life are to be performed with unfailing exactness and regularity, but in our progress through life we are forced to abate much of our demands, and to take friends such as we can find them, not as we would make them.
These concessions every wise man is more ready to make to others as he knows that he shall often want them for himself; and when he remembers how often he fails in the observance or cultivation of his best friends, is willing to suppose that his friends may in their turn neglect him without any intention to offend him.
When therefore it shall happen, as happen it will, that you or I have disappointed the expectation of the other, you are not to suppose that you h[ave lost me] or that I intended to lose you; nothing will [remain but] to repair the fault, and to go on as if it ne[ver had] been committed,

I am Sir Your affectionate s[ervant]
Sam: Johnson”


March 22, 2010 letters from authors: Anne Sexton

I have always loved everything about writing, sending and receiving actual letters.  From good paper, to hand made envelopes, to fountain pens to wax seals.  All of it.  I am also interested in the letter’s of other people, namely, authors and poets.  I have only a small collection of these types of books currently, but hope to continue to build them.  One of the books I have in my collection, which lives on my desk, is A Self-Portrait in Letters by Anne Sexton.  I have never been a fan of Anne Sexton’s poetry simply due to the way she writes, but her letters, are another story.

I love the frantic and rawness of her letters.  She has no direction, but the ones that her open seed bag of emotions allow her.  Her letters are loose and flowing and spontaneous and they leave drops of honey from every turn.  I wanted to share one with you.

[To Alfred Sexton]

“My Darling,

I miss you!  I adore you all over the page and all over the lonely house…. Your dear sweet face haunts the kitchen and in the bedroom I see the still made bed, and I know the quick void and loss of you […]
Kayo, I think I am beginning, and I do mean just beginning, to find myself – you realize that I MUST find my own self and be something or someone, not necessarily in any concrete manner, but in a personal manner – However, I am growing and I am doing it alone – perhaps you feel excluded in this but it can only happen alone… I feel the growth in one sharp way – I feel myself beginning to love you instead of just  need you.  I don’t think I have ever loved anyone in my life, not really – just needed them, wanted them to love me to possess me – to become such a part of someone that I could lose my frightened self… Now, I am learning – very slowly, with lots of backing and filling, but still learning… I find myself occasionally loving you not because I need you, or want your love, and feel in love – but rather an objective welling within my heart that comes from the sometimes whole person… whatever it is, I give it to you with no strings attached – You, my dear Kayo, I love.
In a way, it is like starting all over again – what we have had was good, but do you remember how I was always dissatisfied – I hope to reach the stage where I can stop begging for more and find myself giving regardless of what I get…
Do not resent my growth, darling, because it is bringing me closer to you in a more delicate way – closer because I want to be yours and not because you are my only refuge… In a way you will always be my only refuge – I am so half an orange without you –
Linda is a pixie – she had five friends romping in the playroom yesterday… “I had a fun time.  We played ghost and witch and we fighted and everything” – thus goes the child’s report on a three year old existence. – How fleeting it is – and how nievly (sp ha) special. […]
I am not depressed, except for the reality factor of no Kayo with a wispy wisp to love and tickle – […]
The doves are cooing in the pine tree and spring will come – will come – will come.
You will come home, too – and I can’t wait…
Kayo! your wife is proud of you – thank God for such as you in this world –
Last time you were in Chicago for the weekend I received a letter all about the undulating figures of the women and they slunk by your table – all the twos and twos while you were one … Put on blinders, Boots, I cannot bear to think of MY PETE waving stiff in the air for any other than me – I love Kayo and Boots and Peter –

-Anne “

Do any of you still write letters?

-Sea

March 18, 2010 reasons to read

There is this blog I found today entitled, Across the Page, and I admit, I didn’t spend much time skimming around, but I did discover listed 25 reasons to read.   It got me thinking, what would be my reasons to read if I were to write them all out.  And what are your reasons to read?

Reasons I Read.

(credit)

1.  I read to widen my world, my mind, my knowledge, my experiences.  I do not believe that a person has to physically be involved in something to have an experience and so some of my experiences come from reading.  Most of these experiences, I will admit, are emotional experiences.  No one can truly understand… say, being in a plane crash by simply reading about it,but there are some emotional aspects about the situation that can become apart of the reader.

2. I read to expand my vocabulary.  I like to know words.  And reading helps me learn new ones.  It’s that simple.

3. The way we write is not always alined with the way we think.  I like to think of writing as a person’s “inner dialogue.”  This inner dialogue allows my understandings to be expanded in new ways.  I gleam new knowledge from reading that I couldn’t possibly get from any other medium.

4. I learn new things about myself when I read as there are bits and pieces of characters that I can connect to.  Even if that may not be by personality, I can often find the way they word something to pull something up inside myself as if to alert my senses.

5.  To be better prepared and to expand my trajectory.  I like to be well-versed and I like when my head is swimming the muck of numerous and even, at times, countless ideas and landscapes.  I like to have my senses dulled and then again sharpened.  I like to have my views well constructed and littered with good dialogue that hits at every angle.   I enjoy being able to enter into any conversation and reading only grants me this access.

6.  Reading for pleasure makes me a better reader and when I want to study, this skill comes in handy.

7.  I am an information-seeker.  Hands down, my curiosity does not still itself.  Even most of my dreams when I sleep are based on me finding and seeking out new information and ideas.

8. For connection.  If I read a lot, than I expand my bases and am able to have more ways in which I can connect with others.  I don’t want to forget to mention that being able to enter in more expansive conversation only gives me more space to connect with others.  Also, I love talking about the things I love with others who also love them.  These connections allow me to strengthen relationships as well as make new ones.

9.  Reading helps me calm down and quiet myself.  When I read it allows me to hear the authors voice and mind through the characters.  This skill helps me to replay this approach when in conversation with people and allows me to try to listen better and hear those inner workings and motivations perched inside the words of my family and friends.

10.  Reading is my escape.  When I am stressed or need inspiration, I find it deeply satisfying to enter another world for a while.  I enjoy reading.  I get pleasure from the act.  It refreshes me and it makes me intensely happy.

-Sea