Ways to Make Bookish Friends

Ever notice how hard it is to make friends after college? I have. I'm not much of a people person. I can be friendly and outgoing, but homegirl needs her alone time. BOOKRIOT seems to have a recurrent theme of publishing pieces about "making bookish friends." Their recent brilliant ideas include...

• Hangout in bookstores (work or visit) and strike up conversations [Um, no thanks, #introvert]
• Talk to others in line at book signings [which requires going to book signings, right?]
• Bookclubs [I hate being told what to read and when]
• The library [Aren't they quiet zones?]
• Book sales [the last time I went to a book sale two guys got into an actual fist fight over a pile of "reserved" $1 DVDs!]
• Wear conversation starting "merch" [Like Twilight t-shirts and Harry Potter pins? At my age, that seems a bit pervy as I am more likely to attract new-bookish friends' children.]
• Dating apps [Um, thinking my husband might not love this idea]

So, what does an adult gal (or guy) do to find bookish friends, you ask? Good question!

Here are just a few ideas that popped into my head...

• Commuting - If you commute, look around. There are almost always others reading either books, Kindles, on their phone. Sit next to one of them. Wait for a good moment and then pop the question! "What are you reading?" Guaranteed to get any reader, extroverted or not, to answer. If they clam up after the title, say, "Is it any good?" This almost always works! [Added benefit, if you repeatedly "run into" that person, you can eventually ensure yourself a reading partner on the train who understands, "It's been nice chatting, but it's time to shut up now and read!"]
• Co-workers, friends of friends - Bring up books in conversation with your non-book friends. Look into starting a bookclub at work, or put up a sign at the gym. [You would be seriously surprised how many people are closet readers just waiting for a chance to talk about their latest read.]
• Youtube and Instagram - Watch some bookish YouTube channels and keep an eye on the comments. Strike up a conversation with someone interesting, but seemingly non-crazy. Eventually progress to email or texting. [People are fairly open on these social media sites, it's easy to learn quickly if they are friend-material or not.]
• Skype and Facetime - Convince those YouTube buddies to start a bookclub and use one of these programs to link in, include long-distance friends, cousins, or more. [Friendly times, but at home. The best of the best!]
• Community read-a-thon - Rather than waiting for a group to come to you, initiate a read-a-thon at - or even better -  for your local library or school. Let the readers in your hometown come to you. [Added bonus: because they are local and maybe have children at the same school, you have more things in common.]
• Art-geeks stick together - Look for potential friends who have other similar interests as you. Do you knit or attend an art or pottery class? Do you have a local community chorus or theater? Arty folks are often bookish folks. Ask someone new if they've read any good books lately! [Worst case scenario, they look at you with disdain and say something like, "I'm too busy knitting a sweater for my pet gerbil, Bubba, to read..." One less person you have to waste time pursuing, move on.]
• Church - Again, same interests, same faith. Suggest reading an appropriate book together. Start up a Bible-Read-a-Thon. [Whatever works.]
• Book-luck Dinner Party - Plan a pot-luck dinner where everyone brings a book, rather than a dish. Non-readers won't bother accepting...or maybe they will and you can convince them they are truly bookish! [Maybe everyone also brings a dish related to their book, so you don't have to do all the cooking?]

• Yard-Sales - Go to yard sales with books, or have one yourself. Ask buyers/sellers what they read recently. [List Books on the Craigslist listing and watch them flock to you.]
• Free-Little-Library - Set up a little library in front of your house (check on your local laws first). Keep your eye on those folks who return time and again. Conveniently take the trash out when they approach and say hello. Strike up a conversation and invite them to your Book-Luck Dinner Party. [Then go plan your last-minute Book-Luck Dinner Party.]

Any other suggestions?

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Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts

Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and not so bookish bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise.

Reading slumps suck man! But my fall-back is to return to children's books, which are short, easy reads. Thankfully I have a bookcase full of children's books, most of which I have never read. Even though I am no longer teaching, I have been unable to get rid of them. I recently found my way over there and have been able to get through several in the past couple weeks. I am just beginning to feel like, perhaps I could move on to something more fulfilling.

Despite that, I have decided to challenge myself to read my way through the Nancy Drew series. I am about four books in. I don't own them all, but I don't really need to read them in order do I?

I finally got around to starting the backyard clean up. I was aggressive, but it looks much better. There is still more to do. So much cutting back and tons of clean up. I was hoping to finish this weekend, but there is a rainy weekend brewing. Saturday morning may be the only chance I get.

Our yard sale keeps getting pushed back and back... By the time we get to it, the summer will be over and the opportunity to reclaim the side-porch will be over. But I am determined to get it done and eat dinner on the porch at least once this summer!

'Nough said, am I right?!?!

So, the update seems to be...boring, old carpal tunnel. No surprises. I have been using a wrist support and trying to minimize the effects as much as possible to avoid cortisone shots or surgery (which both sound horrible). The long term results aren't promising, but I'm doing what I can.

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Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts

Bookish and Not-So-Bookish Thoughts is a weekly blogging event hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. It allows book bloggers (and not so bookish bloggers) to write about pretty much anything, bookish or otherwise.

1. Been busy the last few weeks and haven't had a chance to check in...

I spent Mother's Day with a stomach bug, texting my mothers (birth and step) from the ER. All was fine and I was sent home after a strong dose of potassium replenishment. No children myself, but my the kitties gave me a card and flowers!

2. I finished Reese Witherspoon's Whiskey in a Teacup in early May, but haven't had much energy or interest in anything since. I started about four different books in the past few weeks and nothing has stuck. Suggestions?

3. Hubby and I have spent multiple weekends recently "taking back the house". Last year was so busy for me between work and Purely Vocals prep for Ireland, I literally had maybe one weekend off between June and October. Over the holidays we moved a bunch of junk from the "man-cave" to the rarely-used dining room and, yes, it took him until June to clean it up. But he wanted to have friends over for dinner, so it had to be done. It took about two days, but we did it along with a major dust/vacuum/decluttering effort (I clean weekly, but with two cats and a husband it's never done).

Then, over Memorial Day weekend I motivated and started cutting back and cleaning up the yard (no cutting or leaf removal occurred last year at all, it was a disaster). I got through the front and most of the side yard, but I ran out of time and energy (and yard bags). The backyard still desperately needs attention. The neighbor is literally putting up a fence...

(I think/hope that has more to do with his very young child, haha).

I will get to it as soon as I possibly can, but I've got a few busy weekends to face first.

4. This weekend, I am headed to Connecticut for another girl's/Purely Vocals rehearsal weekend. We've got a gig on Sunday and a few others coming soon, so we want to be sure we are ready. Plus, we've got plans for a big yard sale very soon to complete the declutter process and open up the side-porch. Best laid plans...

5. I've got a neurological study scheduled in a couple of weeks to determine if my carpal tunnel is wrist related, or perhaps connected to neck issues, pinched nerve type of thing. My money is on boring, old carpal tunnel which will require shots or surgery, rather than some nice PT and massages.

6. So have you heard Amazon removed books for sale promoting bleach as a cure for Autism?

Seriously? SERIOUSLY?! I. Just. Can't.

7. After more than a year of using an iPad with a dead battery (read plugged in at all times) I finally bit the proverbial bullet and bought a new tablet. I've had two iPads and both batteries lasted only about two years. So I decided to branch out and bought a Surface Pro 6 (complete with keyboard and fancy pen). I am a diehard Android user, so why I was hanging on to a iPad is beyond me. But the process of the switchover is a long one. The apps are called different things in Windows and the set up is more work than an iPad. But once its done, it should function much the same (minus a few apps)...and has capabilities that an iPad makes much more difficult.

8. I finally found those darned colored pencil books after about three weeks of searching. They were put away safely in a bookcase... Now why didn't I think of that?!?!

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? - 06/3/19

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a place to meet up and share what you have been, and are about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment and er… add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn here at The Book Date.



Currently Reading:

Sadly, not a whole heck of a lot...

Since finishing my last read, Reese Witherspoon's Whiskey in a Teacup, I have been in a reading slump. I have started about four books and haven't gotten engaged enough to continue. This says a lot more about my focus on other things though, than on the books themselves. Traveling this weekend and hoping to find something to spark my interest.

We'll see!

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