Saturday, April 5, 2008

2.108333

I don't usually like to brag. When given a compliment, I generally say "thank you" and go on, not thinking I am queen of the world now that somebody thinks my cha cha can bring the room down.

It should be noted I utilized the words "usually" and "generally". By definition that means there is some skill or quirk that I am ludicrously proud of, bring up often, and win some bets with.

I'll give you a hint. It is connected to the number above.

Give up?

That is my average page per minute rate. (Ya, thats right, I did the math)

I read at 126.5 pages per hour, or 2.1083 pages per minute. Which is a pretty darn impressive average, if you were to ask my humble self.

There are very few things I take absurd pleasure in more than talking about how fast I read. I can finish almost any book in a day, easy. Most series (Harry Potter, Twilight, Series of Unfortunate Events) can be blown out in a week, more often less.


I say almost because I haven't read War and Peace, and hear it's a whopper.


Mind you, sometimes mediocre "real life" things enter the equation, things like eating, sleeping, school, work, ad nauseum. But I still spank-along pretty fast, and sometimes don't sleep so I can read.

Sometimes this greatness (thats darn right it's greatness) is a burden. It has it's ups and downs. As wonderful as it is to finish a book sometimes days before others, that means: a. You can't talk about it to them, because they are barely half way through. b. Sometimes it's nice just to savor the books, slowly and deliberately.

But mainly I love it (which is the reason for the bragging and strutting), because when it comes to knowing the end of a book, I get pretty impatient. Lest there is any confusion, I would never, ever ever ever skip to the end of a book to see the ending. I might ask a friend if its good or bad, but if I hear of any specifics, there is a one way ticket to Siberia for whoever told me.

The second read (or first re-read), I go more slowly. Just to soak it all up, get more little things that are embedded in the beautiful pages.

With that being said, the bet I won was regarding Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the final book). A friend, who is a whole time zone ahead of me, bet he could finish before me. I laughed derisively and took the bet. I started reading at 1:30am (yes, I went to midnight release. I left dance and went to the bookstore for 3 hours with a bunch of other HP dorks. One of the best nights of my life, as of yet. But I digress), and finished at 7:30am. I called him to tell him I had completed it, and had to wait for him to awaken from his slumber to answer the phone. He was three chapters from conclusion of the book.

He had called me when I was still waiting to get the book to gloat he already had his copy, and there was no way I could possibly beat him!

I still rub it in his face, occasionally. Just to keep him humble.

Me, on the other hand? I am all the proud I want to be, until somebody usurps me from my position.

I'm not holding my breath.


*The data above is based on reading a 759 page book, Harry Potter 7, in 6 hours.*

2 comments:

MissFrenchie said...

you are amazing... I must say I like to brag about you to my friends. Proud to be cousin of Miss2.108333!!

did I mention... YOU ARE AMAZING!

Shackleton said...

If only I had not slepted... I just might have beaten you... Slightly...Blogs great! General J. says "nice writing".

And we both agree...YOU ARE COOL! AND AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!