Thank Goodness It's Friday #4

Wow, four weeks. Sometimes it seems longer... one of THOSE days. :-)

I'm so grateful for work I truly enjoy. There are days when I'm frustrated, and wonder what made me think I could do this, but that's more about my frame of mind at the time than the actual work.

Books! I love books! So I'm very grateful for that article I found, years ago, on dyslexia and tricks to make reading easier. I don't have a serious case, fortunately, but it's enough to make reading frustrating and no fun at all. Turning letters around (I not only switch b's and d's, but I also flip b's and p's. Isn't that special? Grrrr). Nothing like reading along and realizing that what was said was probably the opposite of what was meant and having to re-read, again, to straighten it out. Be that as it may, I also skip lines, inadvertently. This article explained that sometimes the problem is that a dyslexic's peripheral vision is better than straight on (again, this is not the case for all, but it seems to be the case with me). They suggested that the reason you skip lines is because your peripheral vision is seeing ahead. Then it gets confusing. So, now I let myself read more with my peripheral vision. I also discovered that some writing styles are easier for me to read, like short sentences and paragraphs. It actually helps me keep track of where I am more easily. Before I learned this, it took me over a year to read Alexander Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo. The first time I realized there was a difference was when I read Gerald Lund's The Work and the Glory, all seven books. I was so excited that I was able to read a 700+ page book, in a couple of days. The "classics" are a bear for me. I'm okay with that, as I've found many of the classics... not to my taste. I realize that those who look at what I read probably think me uneducated; however, I prefer to think of it as "They can have their stuffy; I'll keep my fluffy."

I'm grateful for the gorgeous flowers of spring, and especially wonderful friends to share them with, no matter where I am.

Always, I'm grateful for amazing friends. God bless them, one and all.

And I'm grateful for new opportunities, and the wisdom to recognize that I am capable of adapting things to meet my needs. Case in point, in my last TBR list, I mentioned that Barbara Sher suggested I acquire a Daybook. I looked at what was available and wasn't particularly impressed. I truly do have some lovely notebooks already. My sister suggested adding pages without lines to my binder. I can do that. I also wrote in one, updating some progress, and doodled despite the lines. Why do I allow myself to be limited? Habit. Breaking another habit: No more staying within the lines because that's what is expected. I'm the first to admit that some boundaries are desirable and necessary, but there are so many that aren't. So, time to do a little stretching and live adventurously.