This month has not been a good reading month for me. I have picked up and started more books than I care to talk about...none have engaged me, really kept my interest. I have decided that there are far too many books out there for me to power through something that is not engaging to me. My to-be-read pile is huge and seriously none of the books I picked out were right. Most went back into the pile to be tried again. Just to be clear I read between 20 and 150 pages of each of the ones I ultimately set down - I think that is a valiant effort.

So, what did I do? Earlier this week I said, "ENOUGH! Jerrie just take a little reading break!" My self-dialogue was very intense. It is hard for me to not be reading a book. What if someone asks me what I'm reading? What do I say? "UH nothing?" That just feels...wrong. However, I did it. I was on a reading break. It was going to be good. I could tell. My hope was that no one would ask me what I'm reading...

Enter Wednesday. I love Wednesdays. Wednesday evenings in particular. On Wednesdays I take Archer (and usually a few other boys...) to Bellingham for Youth Group (it's called Mayhem - YIKES). I drop them off and take the next 2 hours to do whatever I want. Sometimes it is dinner with my siblings or a friend, sometimes I hang at the scrapbook store. Most of the time though I hit Barnes and Noble. Two hours in a store filled with books is practically Heaven. LOVE it. Lately I've been grabbing a stack of magazines (I've been trying to cut down on this particular purchase) and finding a chair - and possibly a coffee - and spending the next few hours engrossed in the many subjects of magazines available. It is amazing how many magazines are out there. Such fun.

This week I grabbed a few magazines and walked toward my chair (it is usually open for me - it is where I read one chapter of a biography a week...I've got a system here). As I was walking I glanced down at one of the tables filled with books and picked up a few in case I finished the magazines (one never wants to abandon their chair). One of the books that looked interesting to me is this one:

I flipped through the book. Read the first few pages and was completely hooked. I needed this book. I had to read this book. And so, I bought this book. I've been trying not to buy books (another money saving technique), but they are my downfall. Books are good. Books make me read. So money for books? It is acceptable.

So far I am enjoying the heck out of The Know-It-All; One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World, by A.J. Jacobs. This book is just what I needed to get me out of my (non)reading rut. I will be back with a follow up. I am currently about 50 pages in and loving every page, laughing at every page. Love it.

***Question: What do you do if you are having a difficult patch with reading? When nothing peaks your interest? When you just can't become engaged? Please share....

Happy Reading!