31 days.. day 19

Day 19: Curl up with a book

I have done so much reading during my time off, it's not even funny. Definitely thankful for my Kindle because it's allowed me to effortlessly download books and read through them at my pleasure. I got on a Malcolm Gladwell kick and plowed through his newer releases. I must say I enjoyed Blink and Outliers a lot more than Tipping Point. Next up is David and Goliath!

But I've read some other books too. Mainly working on my Oprah class reading and also managed to finish Wild: Lost and Found on the PCT. I loved that one and highly recommend it to anyone who's going through a transitional time. It was funny, insightful and inspirational. My SF book club read The Circle, and while the online synopsis didn't really intrigue me, after hearing their discussion on the book (which I attended and tried to partake in as much as I could) made me want to read it anyway.

So you can see why I really like this day's suggestion. It sites a study that says just 6 minutes of reading a day can relieve more stress than going for a walk or listening to music. This works wonderfully for me as it seems reading is the only thing that can take my mind off my sadness and really fully distract me. Music merely reminds me of my ex in a way only music can. Upbeat songs remind me of the good times, sad songs remind me of the not-so-good. Of course this happens to me (and I'm sure many others) every breakup. I will go months at a time without listening to music. I love NPR anyway but it usually is the only thing I can stand to hear on my radio. In fact, I haven't even turned on my car radio since I've been living in CO. I did however find CPR on my bedroom clock radio so I have something to wake me up in the AMs.

As for the walking, well I haven't done much of that lately. Just moving into my apartment and going back and forth between Denver and my friend's home in Broomfield to try to settle in. Plus, I haven't been able to climb a set of stairs without becoming winded, so I think it'll be a while before I adjust to the elevation and can actually go walking again!

I guess I'll keep on reading.