Whoo! The first Sunday Salon of the year! Late last night (the reason this Sunday Salon is being written on a Monday) I finished "Delirium" and... wow... wait until my review.
With the New Year and all of its resolutions (or should I say Reading Challenges) I'm feeling particularly motivated. I always love this time of year — the promise of a clean slate and new beginning. It's fun reading everybody's challenge posts and feeling that excitement of anticipation of the first book to read, first review, first author interview, first of everything.
2010 was an exciting year for me: found a full time teaching position (that I love), graduated from college, watched three of my best friends get married, attended BEA, went all over the US for weddings (see last summers post), moved into my first apartment, attended book festivals in Minnesota and South Dakota, began dating D, began teaching 9th grade, got engaged, etc. It was amazing.
Even more fun awaits me in 2011: BEA 2011, my wedding, my honeymoon, etc. I am so thankful to have everyone on these travels with me through life. Thank you!
After doing all the calculations, I wanted to share with the world my accomplishment of reading 65 books this... er, last year. While a small number so some, this is something I'm extremely proud of; after all my obligations, all my trips, and being employed full-time, I'm proud to say that I read 65 books last year. So I did what any of us would do, I posted on the blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook.
Now the thing about Facebook, is that I only have one account and I don't really have a lot of "book blogging" friends on that account — Facebook isn't something I utilize to advertise for my blog. I think I have four "book blogging" friends on FB. That status update received over 10 comments of "Wow, that's great" etc. And then there was this one:
Now, I should have left well enough alone and walked away. But, I didn't. Something that REALLY bugs me about my students is put downs, especially ones about being an "overachiever" and basically intelligent. Who told people that it is okay to treat someone like that. Even as an adult I was a little upset over this comment — who was he to judge me? I tried rolling it off (as you can see), but I was still upset. So I can't imagine how my students feel when it happens to them. A few comments more and I couldn't take it; I had to stand up, not only for me but for my students as well! If I can't stand up to that kind of "bullying," how can I expect them too.
World, here's the deal: Reading is cool. Successful people read. It's a fact of life. If you don't like to read that's fine, but don't put down those who do. It's unacceptable and I will call you out on it. Who gives you, an "underachiever," the right to belittle someone who succeeds?
Gah! Happy Monday!:) But really, what about you? As readers and, dare I say, "overachievers" you must have encountered this type of "bullying" at one point? Am I alone in admitting that it bugged me? That it made me feel like I was back in High School again?
What say you?