Books have been my friends since I was very young. I enjoy reading, only I do not have much time to read. There are some old friends I would like to visit with again, such as Black Beauty and Man O’ War. There are some new ones I would like to read as well.
Books are wonderful for taking me to faraway places, places that do not have my current day’s stress or problems. I can sit, read and drift to the land of the author, living through another’s words and imagination. Or perhaps I am interested in the history of an area, such as New Zealand, and the author shares the past with the present of the women and men as they settled a new land, such as the Fire Blossom series.
Currently, I would like to read the two books I have on meat cutting. Unfortunately I am tired after work to study and retain any knowledge. The days I am not working are busy with farm work and household duties.
Hopefully, when I get fully adjusted to the new routine of working forty hours a week, I will once again have time to visit with old friends and new friends, with a cozy blanket and cup of tea.
Bloganuary daily prompt #29 : What is something you learned recently?
Everyday is a new day. A new day that I get to explore, have fun and learn something. There are various places to learn something. I love to read. I enjoy talking and sharing information with others. In addition, I have started working outside the home, which has entailed some learning of new skills and refreshers on old skills.
This week while reading the blogs of others I learned South Africa has 11 official languages. WOW. I also learned the name of a cake I enjoy, Frasier, and it originates in France. By reading blogs, I have learned that I am not alone in some of life’s struggles. There are others who have traveled through similar trials and face similar challenges. I am not alone.
Applying and accepting employment has been a very big step of self-growth for me. I am a high functioning Asperger’s syndrome person, in short a form of Autism. I struggle with understanding facial expressions of people. I am awkward with social interactions. I am friendly and I do interact well, but all of my social behavior is cognitively taught. My other struggle is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with anxiety and a panic response to conflict or possible conflict. These two conditions have made working with co-workers a struggle and I have not in the past had employment very long. As I will panic and leave work. I want to overcome this panic and leave response. If and when I leave the place I am working, I want it to be a decision not a response.
Today, I did something very difficult, I spoke to my manager about an incident a week past. Four co-workers and myself were stocking the shelves in one aisle of the store. Another, male co-worker approached unknown, and placed a hand on my shoulder. I almost hit him. He scared me by touching me when I did not know he was there. I do not trust people and I especially do not trust men. I was raped at age 20, grabbed from behind and raped. I did have a small panic attack, but was able to go to a room alone and calm myself. I have been debating on how to deal with this incident.
Many thoughts go through my mind. Was he innocent in touching my shoulder to get by? or is there something underneath that could be danger? I do not know the intentions of this person. He is always around when I am working, visiting the meat room when I am the only one working in that area. I speak to every person, as a sign of acknowledgement that they are there and I see them. Does this person interpret my greeting as something else?
During conversations with another employee whom I have become friends with, I learned I am not the only female working at this business who has been raped. Her response would be the same as what I felt like doing. Once again I am not alone.
How all of this will evolve I am not sure. I have let the supervisors know what happened. I am not giving up on having this place of employment. I want to make the decision to leave, not my panic decide for me.
August 9 is National Book Lovers Day, a day for those who love reading books. I enjoy reading. The tablet is fine to read from, but I gain more joy holding the book, turning the pages, and the smell of a book.
I think my love of books started before I was five years old and started school. The first book I remember is “Eskimo Boy”, author forgotten. My dad read this book to me, the only book he read to me. Last Christmas, I gave this book to my oldest granddaughter as a gift, telling how my dad read it to me. The story is of a young Inuit boy on becoming a man. The boy goes on his first hunt with his father, only things go bad when a walrus attacks their boat and kills his father. Now, the young boy must become a man, and provide for his mother and siblings. The problem, he is afraid of the water. But the hunting is in the water and without the blubber from the sea mammals his family will freeze and starve. A very moving story.
I have a library of books I have collected over time. Mostly about horses, but some antique farm books on the types of livestock and how to treat different ailments. One of my treasures is a very antique copy of “Pilgrim’s Progress”. It used to be the book everyone learned to read from. Another old treasure is a pocket dictionary that belonged to my fourth grade teacher who I kept in contact with as an adult.
Books are more than education or history. Books can take us to faraway countries with different people and customs. Or they can take us to imaginary countries, peoples and adventures. And for the sentimental or romantics there is poetry.
Growing up, books took me away from the troubles of home. I could disappear in a book and forget the troubles of the day. I would read late at night until my eyes closed in a land faraway. Awaking in the morning, with the hope things would go well. In high school, books opened the door to knowledge, learning about science, animals and different ways of doing things. Most of my adult life I was reading books to gain knowledge in what I was doing. Today, I have relearned the pleasure of going to a different place, different people and customs.
I taught my children to love books and reading. Books teach vocabulary. Better vocabulary can lead to a better position in the workforce. So, myself and my children have all read the dictionary. Yes, the dictionary a fascinating book of words and definitions for things, animals, actions and descriptions. Old dictionaries are fun to explore vocabulary of a different time and the definitions and usages of the words.
My children are passing the love of books to their children. It is nice to discuss old classics such as “Pride and Prejudice” or “The Hobbit” as well as new releases. Things to enjoy and things to learn, within the pages of a book.
In the evenings, after dinner and chores are completed, my husband and I watch a television series. We find a series we enjoy watching, we watch all the seasons and episodes, and have to find another series. It is frustrating as we are not into the reality shows, our lives have enough reality. We do not care for drama, horror or blood and guts, as this is a time to relax and share relaxing conversation. There is always the dread at the end of a series to find another series to watch.
Our series ended yesterday, the series we started watching tonight was not so great. I think he likes the noise of the television to relax. Where I like to take my mind off my daily job, yet keep the mind active in a different direction.
My husband goes to be much earlier than I do. He gets up earlier. Also I can only lay down for a limited number of hours due to back pain. So there are hours of time when he is in bed, and I am awake. House work is not an option as I make too much noise cleaning, or so I have been told. I find some way to quietly relax.
During the first year of Covid-19, a group of women I rode horses with, decided since we could not meet in person for dinner and other activities, we would read a book and then discuss the book through texting. It was an interesting concept, I had not read for pleasure for several years. The activity was a way to do something together, yet not be together.
I rediscovered my love for reading. The first book I read was “Fire Blossom” by Sarah Lark. “Fire Blossom” is a the first book of a trilogy, so the next two books were the continuation of the trilogy. The trilogy is historical novels of New Zealand, the historical events are true, but the names of the people are different, and some family histories have been combined into one family. I found the trilogy to be interesting and relaxing. I even did further research on a few of the historical events that had occured, especially the events concerning the Pink and White Terraces, the eighth wonder of the world.
As a child, I read books constantly. I enjoyed reading. The book took me on adventures and away from the happenings at home. In high school reading books brought knowledge of subjects I enjoyed. As a young adult and mother, books helped me traverse the pathway of single motherhood and being a parent. Then I stopped reading. I became too busy working and raising children, I did not have time for the adventure of someone’s words.
Two years ago, I rediscovered the enjoyment and relaxation of reading. Today, I have a reading list, something I have not had before. A reading list is exciting, something to look forward to when one book is finished, another adventure can start. Currently, I am reading a self help book. Next is a book of poetry. Then on to another novel.
Along with rediscovering reading, I have learned I can have conversation with my family members. My children and their spouses read or listen to audio books. What started out as an activity to do during Covid-19 has turned into an enjoyable family adventure.
The word prompt from word press for the month of March is bridge. There are various types of bridges, small, large, wooden and cement. Some bridges are only for foot traffic while others hold up multiple lanes of cars and vehicles. Each bridge is designed and built to serve a purpose, even as simple as taking you to the other side in order to see the view from a different perspective.
Our path through life has bridges. Bridges we build to establish relationships with friends, families and lovers. Bridges to get promotions and better way of life. Some bridges we later burn, but in order to burn a bridge, the bridge first has to be built.
One bridge I feel is important in our lives is the bridge of education. Education as a bridge conjures up higher education as colleges and universities. Colleges and university cost money, and for those who do not have money, are out of reach. There are other pathways to education.
One way to build a bridge of education in your path to a better life, is by learning through reading. I read all the time on subjects I am interested in such as sheep and gardening. There are still libraries. When I first moved to Texas, there is a lot of snakes. I really DO NOT like snakes. I went to the little library in our little town and checked out books with pictures of snakes in Texas. I wanted to learn to identify the different snakes around my house, but also what they eat and where they like to live. By removing what the eat and where they like to live, I can get rid of the snakes.
Through reading I have learned how to care for my sheep. I have hands on experience in taking care of horses, and I used that experience with the knowledge I gained through reading to care for my sheep.
With today’s technology, youtube is an awesome source of learning, especially for those who learn best visually. I have repaired my riding lawn mower and household appliances by watching youtube videos. Yes, some videos are not very good, but there are some that show each step in how to repair something.
I know a young man, who struggled learning in school. He was glad to just graduate from High School. This young man started buying and selling goats while in Junior High School. He would ask questions of those at the sale barn, and learn. He learned some through what is called the school of hard knocks, but he stayed with selling and buying goats. As a junior in High School he purchased his first truck and stock trailer from the money he saved. He learned by watching others at the auction and started buying sheep. Two years out of high school, he purchased an sheep and goat auction from the man who started it. Two years after the purchase, he has paid off the initial cost of the auction and made major building improvements with out loans from the bank. For a man under thirty years of age, he is doing very well. This young man watched, asked questions and learned outside of college and a class room. He put what he learned, and some hard work and now has a prosperous business. He does not feel he has learned everything. Recently, he wanted to ask questions about raising registered sheep, and how I managed my registered sheep business. He is still asking questions and still learning.
When I was in High School, my English teacher told us, ” Vocabulary and the proper use of vocabulary will determine the altitude of success in your life.” This statement just seemed to burn in my mind when she said it. I was determined to succeed in life, so I worked on improving my vocabulary and professionalism.
Some simple tools to learn, vocabulary and professionalism, to observe and ask questions, to build bridges.
In order to build a bridge, you have to know where you are going. Dreams and goals guide us on what pathway or road to take, and provide the determination to build bridges for success in our lives.
Me, Myself and I 