It’s tough for me to come up with things I do well, because it sounds like bragging. That’s something women often have trouble with. But since it’s this month’s topic for RTG, I have permission, right? 😉
One thing I do well is yoga. I’ve practiced yoga for over ten years, the last four totally online. It’s kind of nice to “go” to class without having to leave the house, and the virtual class gives me the feel of practicing with others. While I’m not the type to do pretzel-ly moves, yoga helps me de-stress and I’m pretty good at stretching and balance poses.
Another thing I do well is read. Yeah, most of us can read, but I can read faster than most people. It started with tons of reading in college, then in my career as an English teacher. Now, I can easily buzz through a novel in a couple evenings—but if it’s a really good one, I’ll slow down to savor it. Just because I can, it doesn’t mean I have to speed read.
The last thing I do well is probably what I’m most proud of: I’m a good listener. I have a calm demeanor and the kind of face that people trust. That leads to all kinds of folks sharing things with me on airplanes, at bus stops, and in brief encounters here and there. I like connecting with people and hearing their stories. To me, it’s an honor for them to confide in me. (And before you ask, yes, sometimes small bits lead to writing ideas, but I’d never steal a whole story from someone. It’s not mine to tell.)
What do you do well? Want to share with us?
Lynn Lovegreen has lived in Alaska for most of her life. After twenty years in the classroom, she retired to make more time for writing. She enjoys her friends and family, reading, and volunteering for her local library. Her young adult historical romance is set in Alaska, a great place for drama, romance, and independent characters. See her website at www.lynnlovegreen.com.
4 comments:
Lynn, I'm also a fast reader who slows down to savor a good book. I've also been known to put a book into my "recycle book bag" if I don't like it. I've little patience to wade through 100 pages to get to the 'good stuff'.
Yes, life is too short for books that don’t appeal to me either!
Interesting on your speed reading. I have a friend is a speed reader too. And she has learned to slow down so 1) she enjoys the story and 2) She doesn't miss anything.
She and I found that when discusing a big we both read, she was missing parts of the story or dialogue.
Anyway, nice blog post.
Thanks, Diana, Yes, speed reading is great for getting the gist of things, but slow reading is better for details.
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