Compusive Reading

(Image from thecompulsivereader.com)

When I was in elementary and middle school, I both loved and dreaded the day the book orders would come in. Loved it because, of course, I was excited for new things to read. Dreaded it because it involved me juggling a huge box of books through the hallways and onto the bus. Yes, you read that right--a BOX of books. Every time.

Obviously, my parents are awesome. It's not cheap to keep up with a reading habit like mine, but they did it, figuring it would pay off in the end (I hope it did!). They probably would have killed to live someplace with a library bigger than a bedroom, but North Logan, Utah wasn't the kind of place to have a massive library. Or even a decent one.

I have read every book in my parents' house, with the exception of Beth's vampire stories, Marah's Mormon chick-lit, Kenna's 'true crime' books, and my dad's Clive Cussler-type books. Those just have no appeal to me. I have read every book in our house with the exception of Jon's ChemE textbooks and an autobiography of Khrushchev I gave him as a joke (he hasn't read it either). I read my old college literature anthologies for fun.

Being a compulsive reader definitely has its perks, especially when it comes to academics. I always scored ridiculously high on the language/reading sections of standardized tests. I also had knowledge on a wide array of subjects that I would have never gained in school (I went through a long historical fiction phase followed by a long Holocaust literature phase in middle school. Oh, and a Communism phase about 6 months ago).

But it also has its dark underside. I'm not joking when I say I am a compulsive reader. If there is something to read, I have to read it. I'm the sort of person who actually reads the quotes people hang on their walls. And I know what books are on their shelves.

The worst is when I'm bored and there is nothing decent to read around. I have spent more time that anyone should reading every piece of writing on cereal boxes while eating breakfast or toothpaste boxes while brushing my teeth. I am not the type of person who can just enjoy not doing anything--I need to read.

My mom used to hide my books so I would do my homework/go to bed at a godly hour. Jon will take my books away at night or just turn off the bedroom light on me. Otherwise I have absolutely no self control. I hate watching the news on TV because I get motion sickness from trying to read all the information that gets splashed across the screen. But I can't stop myself! I have to know what it says!

Bless you people who keep something to read in your bathrooms. And forgive me if I disappear in there for longer than is proper--I probably just got sucked in by your three-year-old Reader's Digest. I can't help myself.