Stasha Boyd

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  Stasha commented on the article | almost 3 years ago

  Teen Paul Krugman "Found Himself" in Science Fiction

  Through a serendipitous series of searches this morning I stumbled on to your blog and have now whiled away several hours reading your posts and enjoying the comments - including all 185 of the Creationism/Evolution series. (Wow. Talk about the patience of Job.) 
  
  I think responding to a post about reading for pleasure is perfect.
  
  I too, was raised in a bible-rich but literature poor southern home where reading was considered quite a "waste of time" second only to watching TV or listening to music, both of which were completely banned. For me, school assignments were both a pleasure and a curse. I kinda liked to read and having the homework excuse was great, unforetunately, I ended up with the next step on the creativity killer scale, horrible grades on my reports becuase, quite frankly, they sucked. I was one of those sad kids mentioned in some other post who lacked the ability to critique beyond the obvious. Back then I thought it was because I just didn't get it or was obviously stupid. 
  
  The light turned on one day in Ms. Unold's Eng. Lit. class in 1981 when we were assigned to read "To the Virgins to Make Much of Time" and write a one page report on the poems relevence to our lives. After listening to a considerable amount of nonsensical drivel from her backwards 15 and 16 year old students, the dear woman turned to the class, spread her arms to heaven and exclaimed "It's about sex! It's about getting it on! It's about 'what are you saving it for?' Are you seriously telling me that you don't see the relevence to your lives?!"
  
  I re-read that poem, reead another, moved on to more varied types of literature, discovered Willie Shakespeare and the theatre, and eventually became an actress and a now, a writer. All because, I think, that sweet lady made a connection between sex and reading for pleasure. By the way, if I recall correctly, the same can be said - in spades - for the "Chronicles of Gor." 
  
  As a forty-something year old adult I now engage in pleasure reading where ever, and whenever, I find it and it has been a pleasure reading your blog today. Thanks and I'm sure I'll visit again!