17 Hours

I wrote this back in April (but I edited it a little bit.)

Y’know what drives the thousands of hair pegs off my arms? People who say they dislike reading. It’s like listening to a bunch of cats scream at night — it’s annoying, harmonious and monotonous. It’s the same thing all the time with no revelations to add to the same excuse. “Oh, I don’t like reading because it doesn’t interest me.” What about it does not interest you? You read every single day. Whether it’s from an advertisement, stupid horse excrement-esque things you read on the bottom of television screens, or obviously from what you read on the computer. If you still believe that reading isn’t for you, then you must be incredibly illiterate or incredibly stupid.

But don’t worry, bucko, it’s not indelible!

Y’know what may surprise you about me? I’m not an advocate of video games. Sure, I play every now and then (once every three to four months maybe). I have an Xbox 360. I have an Xbox Live account. I only play when one of my friends asks me too — and that’s not often, though it’s the time that I play that hinges my decision over what game and what mood I’m in. Video games bore me to death; they’re predictable. The same thing in almost every genre in that said genre’s category that you’d predict from it. I never got anything out of video games. Maybe quick fingers to use on keyboards to type (but still yet I don’t even type correctly — I only use three fingers on both hands each; my thumb, index and middle finger — and I’m an avid user of that middle finger, buddy), but who cares, y’know? I never got anything instilled in my mind from it. Maybe the intermittent excitement, but what else? Senile enjoyment, probably.

Man, I probably sound like Hitler and video games are Jews (OK, that was a comment that could turn me into a polarizing figure around here, so take it with a grain of salt and not of anything insulting).

Call me a nerd, but I’m a 6′3, 198 lb. muscular dude. Even then, I’m not a huge athlete even though I’m a big time sports fanatic. My Mom is 5′6 and my Dad was 5′7 but somehow I managed to pull off a height of 6′3. Magic, y’know? What kind of 6′3, 198 lb. muscular dude enjoys reading books vicariously over video gaming? ME, BABY! It’s me, it’s me, it’s the un-nerdy 6′3, 198 lb. muscular dude in your face, ya see. (Idiotic rhyme, re-read it again and you’ll understand it. . . hopefully).

So, y’know, there’s something for everyone to read. It just takes a little effort — you’re not too allergic to effort are you, self-proclaimed ‘reading haters’? Let’s hope not. Step aside from the norm and be a little more productive in your own life why don’t ya?

Be more like Bekki and I, read a lot and augment your lexicon with every opportunity. It’s not hard. It’s actually very entertaining.