Made Up Rituals and Quests for Happiness: Why Reading is Fun.

I mentioned yesterday that I am reading the book "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin.

http://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Project-Morning-Aristotle-Generally/dp/0061583251

I've noticed that I am always reading these days. It's partially because I commute on a train and that leaves me with lots of time for reading. But it's also because I love to read. I like to read all kinds of books, although I have a special fondness for young adult fantasy. And whatever I'm currently reading really affects the way I think and sometimes the way I live.

For example, last week I was reading an Irish romance fantasy novel, filled with epic prophesies and druids. (I didn't actually mean to buy a romantic fantasy novel actually. I bought it on amazon.com thinking it was a young adult fantasy, but, when it arrived, it quickly became apparent that it was not for children. Still, I loved it.) As a result of this immersive fantasy world, I spent a lot of time trying to get in touch with nature. I had fraught dramatic dreams in which I tried to fulfill prophesies. And I organized an impromptu summer solstice celebration with Brady, which consisted of me and Brady carrying candles out onto his lawn. I tried to come up with a great stirring druid-type speech, but I came up with something like "Thank you for the daylight, thank you for the summer" (which appears to be a variation on my mother's non-traditional and non-religious Hanukkah speech "thank you for the miracles, thank you for the light"). Brady won points for actually going outside with me and not laughing at me (well not too hard anyway).

I haven't finished "The Happiness Project" yet, so I won't write a review (yet...) but I have noticed that reading it has been affecting me. My last few posts have all been about happiness (although, some might argue that all of us are constantly searching for happiness and therefore that's not much of a coincidence). I feel like at the bottom of my posts I should add something like "today's post is in the color of 'Insert the name of the book I'm reading here.'" I've been thinking really hard about the things she says in the book, although none of them are particularly earthshattering, or even very novel (ooh my review of the book is sneaking into this post a little bit) but they make me think. Mostly the book makes me think about how I treat other people and how that affects their happiness and my own.

But probably worst of all, the book makes me say things like "Brady, I read that despite popular belief, people are happier when they do not air their grievances. Holding it inside and not fighting with your significant other is actually a key to a successful relationship!" While that fact may be true, I would like to add my own true fact: one of the keys to a successful relationship is not telling your boyfriend about other people's ideas on how to improve your relationship, especially when at the moment things are going well between you. (Another true fact: rolling your eyes when your girlfriend talks about how to make the relationship better, makes her feel silly and sad. Free advice from Alex.)

So this introspective turn of events on the blog will likely fade as I read new novels. But I was thinking that perhaps I would talk about the books I read now and again. Perhaps to give you more funny example of how reading really touches me on a deep personal level (and makes me stage druid rituals in the backyard. Or this one time I read Jemima J,which is about an obese woman, and I lost 5 pounds through sheer willpower because I was convinced I was huge. I was actually 16 and scrawny). And if no one objects too much, I might review a book or two. Because I have so many opinions bottled up inside me waiting to get out and no one to tell.

Blogging every day is much harder than I ever anticipated. It wipes me out and I never think my post turns out the way I wanted it to. I always feel like I have yet to hit my stride or discover my gimmick. And I often feel like maybe my life just isn't interesting enough to blog about. But I am determined nonetheless.

That's all for me today. End scene.