I love having my toes popped...weird I know but it is one of my favorite feelings in the world. I like even more having them popped by other people. Kind of like how a salad I make never tastes as good as a salad my mom makes (even if the same exact ingredients are used). Many loving people in my life have popped my toes. My mom, Stacey (only with something covering her hands though because feet freak her out) and now my adorable husband. Every evening when we are sitting on the couch watching TV, chatting, or playing games it is expected that he will pop my toes, it just goes with the territory. The other night he refused to pop them and I told them I was not going to bed until they were popped...so I sat on the couch for 30 mins while he was upstairs in bed just because I did not want to "quit" my protest. I would have stayed there for hours but Luke came downstairs and said he was going to surprise me and pop them in bed. So, I went up there. haha.
Another example: I love washing the dishes. Why? I can see something from start to finish. Unlike my job and previous job, nothing is ever fully finished...but washing the dishes is one thing that brings me joy because I see a dirty dish become clean right before my eyes.
All of this brings me to my current problem: There are two books that I just can't seem to finish. The first was the last Twilight book. It was god awful. I loved the first three...but the third was simply driving me crazy with its lack of plot line and dragging on. So a couple years ago I had my friend Linds summarize the last half of the book to me (she did a great job!) so I would feel like I had the full story. I still think back on that and think that I should have just finished it. It drives me crazy sometimes even thinking about it.
Oh, and don't worry, just because I hated the last book does not mean I won't continue my streak of going to the midnight showing of every Twilight movie...The biggest of my worries right now is finishing the book Wicked. When I was younger I was OBSESSED with Wizard of Oz, I watched it over and over again and even had collectible figurines all over my room. As I got older, my obsession decreased until I began hearing the songs of Wicked on Glee and then listened to my roommates playing them over and over again on their computers. I have had a lot of friends go and see the play and they just RAVE about it every time. So then I became fixated on the idea of seeing the play.
Since a Broadway in NYC is not exactly in our budget right now (crossing my fingers for this summer) I decided to start reading the book when I was in St. Kitts last spring break for my cousin's wedding. It was DREADFUL, WEIRD, and lame. Oh wait, it still is. I got through about a quarter of it and put it down, picked it back up for our family beach trip but The Hunger Games won out (duh) and more recently tried again. I just can't do it...and it kills me. I have heard other people say they hated the book who love the play...but that is not the problem. I just hate seeing a half read book on my bedside table every night. If I don't finish it I feel like I will always hate myself for it, especially if I am trying to go the play soon!
So a few questions:
1. Have you read Wicked? What are your thoughts?
2. Is the play anything like the book?
3. Anyone agree that leaving a book unfinished is difficult?
4. Any advice or motivation to finish it?
1. Have you read Wicked? What are your thoughts?
2. Is the play anything like the book?
3. Anyone agree that leaving a book unfinished is difficult?
4. Any advice or motivation to finish it?
i once was told that you shouldnt force yourself to finish a book for leisure that you arent getting naturally pulled into, isnt leisure reading supposed to be fun?
ReplyDeletethat being said, i never read the book wicked, but just saw it as my first real life/in person musical and it is FABULOUS! so maybe you should try to push through on that one...
!. I read 2/3 and HATED it.
ReplyDelete2. NO - not at all! The play is awesome!
3. Yes...cause I am an ENFJ too.
4. DON'T DO IT :)
Tay,
ReplyDeleteYou and I are two peas in a pod. I've worked through the same struggle myself with hating the unfinished things around me (and there are many). I have so many things that interest me that I start dozens of projects, books, even blog posts, without always taking care of them right away. Now, I am sure you are a better "completer" than I am, but the issue is the same. We hate unfinished business.
But when it comes to things that are meant to be fun, you have to consider the value of time. Is it worth your time, the precious minutes of your life, to spend it in a way that is unsatisfying or unhelpful? There are so many fantastic ways you can spend your leisure time in films, books, music, good conversation, etc. But that doesn't mean everything is worth the effort.
So I have had to get over my disgust at not finishing that old book on the shelf and say, "Amanda, you don't enjoy that. Read this instead. It actually is good and you learn something from it."
Give that mental mantra a try. If all else fails and you still can't seem to get over it, SKIM READ.
Love you!!!
Amanda
I had to comment. Because I have only ever not read 3 books through. And this is one of them. And it bugged me. So much so that I renewed it three times from the library. And got three fines. And then finally gave up for financial reasons.
ReplyDeleteThis summer I bought tickets for my sister and I to see the musical. I was skeptical. But then, I was pleasantly surprised. Musical is much better. Read something you will finish instead.
Penny