You may think I'm the bookish type

Every once in a while I challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone and do things I have never done before. Most of the time, this challenge can be as simple as reading a book.

Two summers ago I gathered ten novels (four of which were mine—presents given to me on my eighteenth birthday by friends who may not know that although I love writing, reading was just not my thing—and six of which were from my book hero and very good friend Lean) and attempted to read all of them in a span of two months. Now, for some this task may seem quite easy, but definitely not for me. What with other sources of entertainment available (see: TV and Internet especially), I have forgotten how it's like to read for leisure. In the end, I surprised myself by being able to finish the ten novels at a considerably fast pace and just in time for my flight back to Manila. I guess the reader in me that I have buried in high school was happy to be back again and even happier to have widened her vocabulary and opened herself to ten different worlds.

Ever since then I always remind myself that reading is good for me and attempt to grab the nearest book I could find. Unfortunately, because of academics and co-curricular activities, I never found made time to sit down and read while I was at university (although sometimes I get too preoccupied with doing nothing instead of forcing myself to read). It is only during summer, semester, and Christmas breaks when I get the chance to open a book and move from one page to another. However during my last semester in college and as I approached graduation, I was grateful to have with me an abundance of free time that I finally got to read at least two books a week. That rate, I believe, was a great improvement. Better than nothing, right?

And well, now that I may have all the time in my hands, I don't think I can find a good enough excuse to not be able to read. That, and I feel truly sorry for the electricity bill. Two months into freedom and I am halfway through with my seventh book. So far, I have finished the following:


They're still not the deep books you may have expected but they're good enough for me. Baby steps, I always say. Besides, they actually move me in ways I never thought light books like these are capable of doing. Or maybe that says a lot about me? I don't know. At least books—and movies and TV series—will ease my boredom for what's left of summer.

P.S. John Green is currently my favorite author!
P.P.S. I'm still holding on to my childhood ambition of publishing my own novel someday. You'll see.