How Does Malinda Read
So Much? Saturday Edition.
How do you find the time to read so much? I get asked this
question a lot. Much like the frequently asked question, “What was it like to
grow up in Africa?” – I don’t know. I don’t know what it was like to grow up in
Africa because I was doing it, not studying it and because I didn’t grow up
anywhere else – so what would I compare it to?
Reading is similar – I just do it and I can’t really tell why I read
more/less than others because I don’t know exactly what their day-to-day lives
are like.
So, when a friend asked me to write a blog about how I find
time to read, I decided I would track myself on three types of days – a normal
Saturday, a normal Sunday, and two normal work days. Then I will just share my
day with you and you can decide what I do that may or may not work for you. (Or you can decide that I read because I just
don’t have much going on in my life – which has been suggested to me, to my
face, by some of the people who want to know how I read so much. If that’s your
conclusion, please just don’t tell me. It hurts my feelings.)
Saturday Breakdown:
Book time: 88 minutes
Types of reading: Listening to audio book, reading to child,
reading to self
Book time indicated by highlights
Helpful reading tip: I listen to audiobooks as well as
reading paper books. I get all of my audiobooks from the Nashville Public
Library. Since their selection is so much better than the local Linebaugh
system, I pay $50 a year for an out of county library card.
My Saturday:
6 AM – wake up when DH’s alarm goes off
for UMC men’s breakfast. Have stupid migraine aura,
take meds, go back to bed.
8 AM – after third time sleep is interrupted by Dorfling, get up,
eat, discipline child. Find cake
recipe for celebration lunch. Clean
off counter, gather ingredients. Dorflings help make cake – I prevent fratricide
(am humanitarian hero). Clean up cake mess. Put oil treatment on hair as takes
same time to soak in as pound cake helps to make (useful, life skills
information).
9:40 AM – Spend 30 minutes writing in “daily” journal (daily is
intent – not reality – must back track to Thursday). Dorfling: “Take off your
apron, Mom. What’s in your hair, Mom. What are you writing, Mom. Seriously,
take off your apron now, Mom.” Dorflings have actual, physical fight on my back
while I am writing. Husband home, quick kiss, husband gone again to phone
store. Find snacks for “starving” children.
10:13 AM Make coffee,
refill pill holder (am old lady). Prevent fratricide over broken toy. Go online
and order super glue for broken toy along with vitamins/allergy meds. Change
sheets while helpful child rolls around on bed. Work on putting away laundry
from one of three baskets of clean-but-not-dealt-with clothing.
10:48 AM Remove cake
from oven, shower, husband home. Have 5 minute adult conversation with husband
while children bang on bathroom door yelling, “Dad! Dad!” Ask child to shower approximately
6 times, ask husband to make biscuits, flip cake, help child with headphone
issue (am brilliant tech guru).
11:12-11:27 Listen to audiobook of Half
Broke Horses while getting dressed (with breaks to discipline children).
11:27 Find cake glaze recipe, make cake glaze. Husband is making
biscuits so, adult conversation!! Hurray! Strip sheets from Dorfling’s bed.
Cannot find clean sheets to put on bed – while looking for them, forget what I
am doing. Stand in the middle of the kitchen saying, “Why am I here?” Refill
laundry soap dispenser and bathroom soap. Look at DH and realize we have
accidentally put on each other’s shirts.
12:02 Leave for own child’s birthday celebration 2 minutes after it
is scheduled to begin. Blargh. (Am world’s
worst time manager).
1:57 Leave in-laws house with my parents. Install thrilled,
adorable Dorfling’s new curtains and bedding – take pictures for social media
to brag about amazing Super Grandmother. Put away left overs sent home by Mom
and MIL (praised be their names). Go through mail – foist off giant Arbor Day
envelope on DH as is overwhelming. Work on laundry. Magnanimous children offer to
allow 30 minute nap before taking them on promised errand running excursion.
3:15 Up from nap. Kids ask to finish watching cartoon before
leaving for errands. Clean large fish tank. Work on laundry. Get in car. Give
mini seminar on toy etiquette.
3:44 Shoes store. Blargh – boy shoes so expensive! Dorfling cheerfully
agrees to buy shoes on sale for $50. See
girl mom buying two pairs of shoes for her daughter for $20 total. Suppress urge
to slap her. Successful suppression! Nominate self for Nobel Peace Prize. Book
store. Dorfling spends birthday money. (On books! Heart is melted in big puddle
of motherly love.)
5:00 Leave bookstore at exact time am supposed to be arriving at
in-laws. Full of shame as text mil of lateness for second time in same day.
5:15 Leave in-laws with 15 minutes to make it across town for
dinner with church friends– still wearing t-shirt and Crocs. Not outfit had
planned to wear.
5:27 Argh! Cannot make it
across town in time. Text friends to say am ridiculous, late running, nonsense
type person.
7:58 Leave dinner with amazing-type friends for in-laws’ house.
8:28 Home. Bedtime prep. Check social media to see comments on
Super Grandmother.
8:45 -9:15 Read Horrid Henry to Dorfling
until he falls asleep (sweet little angel baby)
9:15-9:58 Read The Power of Habit
Total Reading Time: 88 minutes
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