Thoughts, mostly my own, and some suggestions (not about boiling your siblings)

I wanted to write about something important, something big and life changing..

Instead, I'm going to write about what you're doing now, reading. Whether it be blogs, newpapers, magazines or books (which usually keeps my focus) reading is, I believe, an essential part of life. It is required, hated, enjoyed, despised and loved by all those who are fortunate enough to have learned the way of the word. How to slap letters together to form words which string alongside other words to create coherent and intelligent sentences (mostly). Our eyes move, following the path that these words have carved, leading our minds to places undiscovered.

Reading is perhaps one of my favorite pastimes, for it allows one to explore worlds and situations we do not know, to meet people we have not met and make friends with those whom we otherwise never would have crossed paths. It's a way to live a life of excitement without endangering ourselves, and yet, the emotions that mere lines on a page elicit from us are real. The excitment, anxiety, joy, horror, love, amusement and mourning along with so many more are what keep us coming back. Or least it is for me. It's enjoyable, so I do it, I read.

It's also, however, important. We exercise as we read, we make that large lumpy mass of grey matter lodged inside our skulls do something, we make it work, and as we all know, when we work, when we exercise a muscle, it gets stronger. Sometimes we might actually learn something as well. Reading has mountainous benefits that you can discover for yourself, if you haven't already, and it's for that reason (and because I believe that if we as a society, a culture, ever stopped reading we'd all descend into madness, anarchy and sheer stupidity) that I share with you these two events that I've discovered.

There is a Banned Books Challenge from Salt Lake County Library through their goodreads.com account. I highly recommend checking it out http://www.slcolibrary.org/le/lesp/index.htm#banned (you must be a member of goodreads.com, it's free)

This is their goodreads account: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/33998.Salt_Lake_County_Library_Services
This is the current list of banned materials:
http://www.slcolibrary.org/le/lesp/pdf/2010banned.pdf

My favorite author, Neil Gaiman, is currently working to establish a new Halloween tradition, aptly named All Hallow's Read. It's about Halloween, it's about horror, it's about giving more than just candy.
Here's a website all about it:  http://www.allhallowsread.com/what-people-are-saying/

I think I just might join in and make this a tradition of my own.

Maybe, when all is said and done, reading is life changing. It's certainly big and it's certainly important.

Keep reading, or start reading. Whichever.

I hope you've enjoyed my rambles, if not and you made it this far then I commend you. This is the end, you can stop now.

Goodnight