dlizard’s blog

My First love was Sharis. I still think about her. Even if it has been years. I wonder if she is successful as a message therapist. Has she found love wether it is a man or woman. Ithink about the good times I had with her. I don't think their is aybody as special as Sharis. The woman I have dated are not perfect like her. i don't think their is anyone woman out their for me that isn't Sharis.

I love to read. There is nothing like a good book to take you away. I think the difference with me, I sometimes read with commercials. Reading with commercials means that my mind might wander somewhere else or I get lost in my thoughts when I read the book.  My mind gets so drawn into the story that my imagination gets a little carried away sometimes. When I get really into the book and my imagination gets a little carried away, it is better than TV. It sucks when you read that book and then see the movie though, it is nothing what you pictured. You spend half the movie pointing out what it is missing or is not even close to what I see in my head. I might read slow, but I still really enjoy it. I think you got to realize that just because you have a reading disability, attention disorder or both; it does not mean that you can't enjoy reading. I have both disorders, but I have always enjoyed reading. Don't assume somebody can't love somthing or can't do something because they learn differently. That is silly. Always give somebody a chance, no matter how different they are. They  might surprise you.

I wish people would not assume that I can't do something. And be surprised when I say what I can or like to do. I got a brain. I am smart. I might not always be that mature, but I can't always help that. I do preaty well though. I do find ways. Don't think I am stupid. Just give me a chance, and I will show you what I can do and how hard I work. I might surprise ya.

I think about the things I love to do for me and for God. Their are many things I can do. A lot of times I can do things beyond people's expectations. I do it though. I have usually proven myself more to others what I can  do. Sometimes I need to convince myself. Their are times I need people to encourage me by telling me "I can do it". Whether myself esteem is low or not. I still go for my dreams. I just have to work a little harder then others. But between God; the encouragement of my friends; and my own self will, I will do whatever I dream to do. Even if it takes a bit of work for me to get there.

I think some of my closest friends like my church family and Jackay. I love them all so much. They watch me grow, and become the person I am supposed to be. I always think about these people even when I don't see them. I think in a way; when I think about them or they enter my dreams. It is like saying a prayer for them but without words. I think when people become a big influence in your life, they are in  all parts of your life. Even when they are not their. I think friends like this, are the people that are helping you with our walk with God. I know because I can feel and see it in my brothers and sisters. I can feel when they are thinking about me in prayer because that is how God's love is. I love them and I know they love me, even with my short comings. I think my friends would miss the strength and weaknesses if any of them change because those are the things  that put me together to make me.

I might seem strange and weird to some people. I might sometimes act a little different is some people mind. I have a brain. Sometimes it might not seem like I have one until you get to know me, but I do. I can do anything I put my mind to. I just need to work a little harder. Being LD/ADHD does not sttop me from being a Librarian, a teacher or anything else I want to be. I will show the world what I can do, maybe just a little differently.

If you see me with an IPOD constantly. I am not trying to be rude or shut you out. The IPOD helps me focus, by putting me in my own world. If I did not have that on when I study, I would be everywhere. It is not always easy being an adult with ADHD. Music is a way to help me control things. I don't listen to rap or heavy metal or hip hop. I don't like anything too loud. It hurts my ears. I keep the volume low. I think keeping the music low also lets me hear other things too. The headset might set me apart from others, but I am not trying to do that. But  the way my mind works does seem to make me pretty unique.

In today’s world; technology is the center of our world.  Just look at the teenagers of today. Reading has become a chore. Reading for pleasure is not something society is going to hear that often.  This is unfortunate, since reading does so much for your mind. Reading broadens your mind and develops your vocabulary.  Schools and libraries are working with children to develop more avid readers.  Today, we need to encourage more reading for leisure because technology is becoming a threat to our education. Technology has its use, but it has also created a crutch.  To counteract the negative effects of technology, we need to continue to work with students beyond Elementary school to read. Schools and libraries need to find a way to reach the older students. I read to articles on this topic. One article is what Academic and Public Libraries are doing to encourage more pleasure reading for college age students.  The other article is how one can become a creative reader.

            “Race for Readers” by Glenda Thorton and Holly Carroll is about Public and Academic libraries joining forces. They are joining forces with each other to encourage college students to take time to read for fun. This article points out the problems with the decline in reading and society itself. If pleasure reading goes away, so does the type of society where people think for themselves. The libraries in Ohio were concerned about this decline in reading. Especially in the 18 to 24 age bracket, so the libraries in Cleveland joined forces. The two libraries that joined forces were: Cleveland Public Library and Cleveland State University. By creating a Public library within a college library, the students became more avid readers. These libraries did some advertising and atmosphere changes to bring in the students. This particular library created posters of famous people reading. They also created a café within the library.

            The article “Read This! It will Change Your Life” by Peggy Christian, is about creating creative readers to encourage reading. She points out in the beginning that part of our American Society is only functionally illiterate. This means that they are not capable of understanding what they read or imagining what they have read. In today’s society; imagination is scarce when we have the technology to create the images for us. This hurts us when we try to enjoy reading writing or art. The author worked with somebody that could not comprehend reading because of a disability. Working with this person over time, she was able to instill the ability to imagine the meaning in phrases. When this young woman learned to do this, she did not just understand what she was reading. She had improved her memory. Janied had learned to enjoy reading because she could understand and become part of the story. The author learned to just not to read quickly but to slowly digest the story more. When she learned this, the story had become more vivid and enjoyable. This article points out that people do not enjoy reading because they had forgotten the true art to reading a book. TV and movies has taken the place of the book you curl up to.

Reading both articles, I felt like they gave the full picture to our leisure reading problems in America. The first article I read talked about what a library did to encourage reading with success. The other article talked about her experiences working with this young woman to enjoy reading. She learned and taught about when you learn to read critically by putting yourself in the story; the person can learn to enjoy reading. She was able to greatly improve the mind of this person by not just teaching her to understand the words, but to enjoy them.

What I had learned is there is hope for our libraries and book stores. What libraries and book stores need to do is to find a way to draw people into the library. A library or bookstore needs to create an atmosphere that would draw in this techno-savvy world. When we draw the customers in, then we can show potential readers to rediscover the pleasures of reading. It is critical that we encourage a society that reads before we become a lazy society that can’t think for themselves. When this happens, our educated world will cease to exist. Imagination is important to the development of our world. We are unable to create without imagination. Reading helps develop the images in our mind. We need to create a society that does not use technology as a crutch, but as a tool. We also need to teach society not to depend on technology to entertain our minds. We need to go back to basics and turn off our computers and TV’s for awhile. When we do this, we can create a moment enjoy the book and the nature around you.

Bibliography:

1.                  Christian, P. (2004 January/February). Read This! It Will Change Your Life: The Making of A Creative Reader. Public Libraries, 43, 33-40. Retrieved April 26, 2007, from Library Literature and Information Science Full-Text

2.                  Thornton, G. A. & Carroll, H. (2006, October). The Race for Readers: A Public library and an academic library team up to entice college students to read books. American Libraries, 37(9), 24-26. Retrieved April 25, 2007, from Library Literature and Information Science Full-Text

I sometimes wonder why my mind  has a problem organizing thoughts. It is kind of embaracing to have people stand their while they wait for me to organize my thoughts and  to come up with that word I was thinking about. I feel so stupid. It is ok if the people that already know you, but the problem is when people don't know you. If they don't know you, they might not wait, they also might not understand that you have a brain. The people that don't know you see what they see in front of them and form an opinion. People that know me know I am smart, I just can't always organize my thoughts. At the same time, when this happens, I feel so stupid. Why can't I just spit out what I am thinking. I have to spend time searching my brain. I guess I don't have file cabnets to organize my thoughts. It is more like stacks of information. Somtimes I am not sure what stack holds that particular piece of information. I know it is there. I just not always sure what pile. I think there is a filing cabinet, but the key is lost amoung one of the piles. I wonder what will happen when I find that key, and put the files back into the filing cabnet. I tell people not to get in my head because they will get lost.

Funny. I can organize things, but it is hard. I also have a problem staying organized if I don't have someonee on my back, it starts looking like my brain. Never take a look at my binder for school after a week or two after the semester starts.

I just got a new Book called: The Lost Civilization of Lumaria: The Rise and Fall of the World's Oldest Culture. It is by Frank Joseph. I can't wait to start reading this book. I am finishing up another one first. If you are interested in this type of reading. I recommend this book. I think this stuff comes with so much interesting knowledge. I think it also  has a hidden message.