"The Price of Reading Is Eternal Vigilance" Blog #2

The article "The Price of Reading Is Eternal Vigilance," discusses a friend of the author's experiences with reading. It is a story about how a man in his golden years is "just learning how to read." He talks about his feelings when he first learned how to read. Then,it shares with us how he started to make reading his own, and that through interpretation and subjective opinion the reader's role can be, at times, more difficult than the writer's.

The article makes me think back to a time when I considered reading to be boring. A time when I was immersed into watching television and movies, and I succumbed to the world of video games. Like a large portion of our society, I was very much into visual interactions. Sadly, this overtaking lasted into my late-twenties. To be more specific, visual interactions overtook my life until six months ago.

Even though, I had read about a dozen books in high school. Only because of the requirements of a reading class I had during freshman year. I will admit, I was not too enthusiastic about even having to take a "reading class." Books just did not "strike a cord" in me. But unfortunately, I had to take the class, because it was one of the last ones available.So,the first few weeks of class I only read short, quick, and easy books. We had to take a test based off each book we read, and the first handful I completed I scored well on. "Alright easy 'A"' I thought, "more time for games."

I was wrong. Shortly thereafter, I had realized the testing was not only based off the knowledge of the book you read, but the level of reading it was, and the length of it. The shorter books were not worth as many points for the class, so I would have had to read more of them to equal the same amount points of one larger book. If I wanted to pass the class. Taking that new information into mind, I had decided to read some larger texts for the rest of the class. Somehow, this resulted in me being the most accelerated reader in my high school. In spite of my achievement in ninth grade, I did not do much reading after that.

Here it is, a little more than a decade later. Finally, I am acquiring an interest in reading. Perhaps, if not for my curiosity about different life values, as well as my profound attraction to the teachings of the Dalai Lama, I would still consider reading to be boring. Thankfully though, it is quite the opposite and the majority of my visual interactions now come from within and not from a television screen

Changed for the Best

            A groundbreaking apparel store and sports lounge. It was not luck, fate, or a who he knew that lead him to be the owner of this ever expanding company. Rather, hard work, perseverance, and a vision of a better him lead this gentleman to open his company. A company that is as involved with the community as any business in its area. Charitable donations help the company with lower taxes at the end of the year. This company is more concerned with helping others than it is in turning large profits. The owner would have never been able to open this store had he not made some changes in his life.

            He began his changes by quitting smoking, and this time he stayed quit. A smoker of fifteen years; he was foolish to start to begin with. Next, he had to become more open with people, even strangers. This helped him in study groups throughout college. His grades, though they were not the worst, had improved enough for him to graduate with honors. The study groups played a significant roll in that success. Also, he had to break through from his stubborn headed nature, so he can utilize college resources and tutors. He was not one to ask for help too often. These are the changes he had to make to be successful. The he that I refer to is going to be myself.

Me, Myself and the Infamous I

My name is Robert Michael Schumacher. My mother chose this name for me; she named me after the Robby from My Three Sons. I don't really go by Robby anymore, but when I was younger that's what I preferred. I moved to Eugene last September and I am still adjusting to the environment. I moved from Reno, Nevada. Before that I lived in New York. My likes: life, music (all genres), photography, spending too much time in front of the mirror, being obsessively neat and clean, New York  (my home state), Yankees, outdoors, reflecting about life, journal writing (recently acquired hobby), anything oriental. My dislikes: mean people (they suck), untidiness, foul odors, Red Sox, that film on your teeth when you first wake up,