Reading the Comics Section

I have always loved to read - nearly everything except the sports section of the news papers.  When I was young I read signs, comic books, short stories, magazines,  cereal boxes, even labels on food and clothing and even the fine print on documents that my parents left hanging around or needed my excellent near-vision to decipher (both parents wore glasses as do I now, with bifocals).  I am a person who waits patiently for appointments, service, airplane arrivals and departures and other events and activities  occ .  I always arrive early to wherever I'm going and read until the appropriate time.  Most people don't notice me sitting there with my books or papers and so on occasion I am overlooked when it's my turn requiring me to then wait a little longer.  I don't get angry, just pull out something to read again.  I  try to always have reading material with me especially small books and magazines like Reader's Digest that fit in my purse.


One thing I have always enjoyed since childhood is the comic's section in the newspapers and magazines.   My father would get so annoyed with me for grabbing the comics section from him.  When he started to give me and my sisters a weekly allowance (it was a weak allowance as well) I would sometimes buy Archie comic books (if I still had them they might be worth significant money today).  I credit them with igniting my interest and pleasure in reading. But then I got old enough to go to the library by myself. It was near my school to and from which I walked so I would stop in after school and get 2 books.  In those days they had a 2 book and 2 week limit with one renewal allowed.  Sometimes I'd bring them back in a few days, if they were thick books a bit longer.  I have to admit that my mother didn't supervise me much in that area and assumed all the book reading was an assignment for a book report or something.  Usually it wasn't, but on those occasions when we were assigned a book report , I was ready before everyone else.  

Is there a downside to all this reading?  Yes, but not everyone who reads a lot will run into the downside part as I did.  Of course the first thing is that it interfered with was homework assignments, as sometimes I didn't get homework assignments completed because I read too long into the evening or they were done in a shoddy, hurry-up manner.  Another downside was that I became a rather introverted person with few friends other than my books.  I  did venture away from the comic books as I became more engrossed in the library books, but discovered daydreaming as a pastime.  I became lost in some of the scenarios to the exclusion of outdoor activities.  I don't know how detrimental that might have been because I wasn't overweight then.  I was  a skinny kid and never learned to play any sports and only had a few friends.  The friend issue may have been affected 
by frequent moves.  We never stayed in the same school more than 2 years until we moved to CT and then grades 6,7& 8 were in the same school and my 4 years in HS   were in the same school.


In my last year of high school I learned the joy of writing.  My teachers were good, but didn't encourage creative writing only reports, and research etc.  I first started a journal that same year though I didn't write regularly - just when I had a problem or was unhappy about something.

I have continued to read the Sunday, and daily comics (my guilty pleasure), and I am
sometimes teased about it.  I am not impressed by the criticism or cleaver , negative comments.  I see it as an entertainment with benefits.  What are the benefits of reading comics?  Well for one thing laughter which is a healthy activity that helps alleviate stress (temporarily - I know), encourages a sense of humor, presents different viewpoints and allows us to laugh at ourselves.  For children it may entertain  them, encourage a love of reading and help introduce them to reading as a  method of research.  When they have questions they can search for the answers on line to satisfy their curiosity about almost anything and that of course does require reading. The important factor here is the parent needs  to supervise the selections and the amount of time spent reading  books, comics or online articles and stories and even research .  Even into high school the parents should supervise the online activities of their children for safety reasons as well.  Once in college they'll be on their own and hopefully will be able to make intelligent, safe choices.


But I will never disparage comic books or newspaper funnies.  I think they serve a purpose and  can be an adjunct to learning and understanding life.  I do not however advocate any comic book with a violent theme for anyone.  I'm more  of a "Sally Forth" or "For Better or Worse" and "Doonesbury" type of comic strip or book. If your point of reading is to escape to pleasure island why read about murder etc?

Thoughts on a Tragedy

Sad tonight.  I haven't had much time to write - recovering from minor surgery, still in the process of moving houses and taxes aren't done yet (filed for an extension). But felt the need to write.

 Once again our nation was visited by evil - some might say insanity, or a personality disorder, and that may have an element of truth, but I think evil was the overriding condition.  People who respect life: human and animal don't go around shooting people who have nothing to do with their troubles.  Assault weapons are far too easy to obtain, and apparently to use,  Though I don't imagine the relatives and friends of these victims will be reading my blog I do send healing wishes and prayers their way.  Once again our nation is in mourning over a senseless tragedy.  May God hold them and their families  close and help them heal, and may those who lost their lives find peace and rest in the hereafter.  No one deserves to die at the hands of a maniac.  Nothing they could do to that person would be enough and it wouldn't bring the dead back either.  So in the next few weeks remember the people who are close to you, show them your love, and be grateful for the ones who are still with you, and maybe it will become a habit.  I wish everyone a safe night.


04/27/2013  

As I was reading the previous entry I realized that I hadn't mentioned a name or location associated with the above entry, but I think it was in response to the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in  Connecticut. More recently we had bombs (2 at least) explode at the Boston Marathon.  Right now I can't remember the numbers, but  several people were killed, some lost legs or an arm or were badly burned.  I don't remember the numbers, but again innocent people who were challenging themselves to complete the race (I think it's about 26 miles) were killed or seriously injured.  It did seem to bring out the best in the people who were there, even though people were running and screaming, many others stopped to help those who were injured.  The fatalities were less, than Sandy Hook, but it was simply awful, senseless really.  The 2 young men later identified as the perpetrators  were brothers who seemed to like the US at some earlier time, but somewhere along the way became twisted, and I think evil and radicalized during a trip back home to Chechnya. I wonder why, if they hated us that much they didn't just stay in Chechnya.  We wouldn't have objected (we meaning the citizens of the US).  It scares mebecause this type of radical extremism is growing and spreading.   They are angry with Americans and hate us because we don't follow or believe in their religion, though they are free to believe what they wish they don't want anyone else to have that freedom.  It reminds me of the Crusades and the religious persecution during that era.  One can follow the dictates of an oppressive religion and still not believe so what is gained by coercion? I think it's insanity, organized, oppressive insanity.    As I am reading this again I had a different thought about the hatred that is being used to justify that which is unjustifiable. I think they hate us because we have a better life here in America then they have, and so they find ways to disrupt our lives and our peace. They use violence against children, women and even their own relatives at times. Their method is to produce the most deaths and destruction from one assault or simultaneous explosions in different areas (as Sept. 11,2000 showed us. I hope there is a God and that these mass murderers have to answer for what they did and are punished appropriately. I also hope the victims are there to see that.


 

Computer Virus

I'm dealing with another wiped hard drive.  My passwords are gone,  my favorite web sites are missing.  It is especially difficult with bill paying and online banking.  I love computers, but I sometimes wonder if it's worth it. The last time this happened some of my bills were late because I couldn't get online to pay them. Discover card was nice and removed the fine, others not so much in the understanding dept. All of my problems were caused by a virus or worm, maybe a worm who had a virus.  I don't know for sure.  I do know that I hate these people who do this with their brilliant minds.   They are smart enough to make money with their expertise, but instead they use it to wreak havoc on people they don't even know.  I have never done anything evil with my computer.  I shop, read, pay bills, keep a calendar, and store books on my Kindle, and keep a medical history for myself and I kept one for my mother before she died.  So why am I running into these evil people who create these viruses? I don't know.  It could be just bad luck, but it still goes back to the evil person who devised the malware that ruined my computer.  Well I guess I just have to get over this, because I don't know what else I can do.  But it has cost me a good deal of money so far.  And I'm not wealthy.   I wish everyone a safe internet.

Addendum:  Since writing this nothing more has happened to my computer. I'm getting my bills paid, but some of my programs are working a little funny.  Maybe it's operator malfunction.  Who knows?