Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

I got the winter blues.  It is not unbearably cold and we only had two minor snow storms.  Nevertheless, I don’t want to be here but I am and don’t know what to do with myself.  I will go out (???) do a little shopping just to go out and go to the library.  Maybe, my depression will lift a bit.  Winter has just started.  And spring is still too far away to begin a countdown.  I will just bear it.

Tags: countdown to Spring, depression, library, seasons, shopping, snow storms, spring, winter, winter blues
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There is always another book around the corner.  Sometimes I don’t know where they come from although I always remember who I “borrowed” a book from.  There is no lack of interesting books although you can become a dilettante and only sample a book here or there and only get a narrow picture of what the author wanted to convey.  There are some books, though, that are meant to be read that way.  Open up the book anywhere and start reading.  Novels obviously have to be read from cover to cover although I have no compunction to stop reading it if it does not keep my attention.  I enjoy a good story and am partial to animal’s stories:  authors who describe their special relationships to animals.  My office has my favorite books and special books that are marked up that I would never lend to anyone.  They are like “old friends” to me and I want them at my disposal if I need to refer to them.  I can not see how much an I Pad can possibly replace my library and there is nothing like leafing through a book and then another.  I like touching a book and turning pages and opening it anywhere.  There is always an interesting book around the corner.

Tags: a good story, animal stories, author, books, books are like old friends, favorite books, I Pad, library, novels, reading, turning pages
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It is a day to stay in.  No doctors appointments.  Nothing I need to buy.  There is plenty of food in the house.  There is no reason to go out.  I am enjoying the flurries and the swarms of birds I can see out my large dining room window.  The first thing I did after dressing was put out more sunflower seed.

I am almost finished with my morning coffee.  The hour, though, is late morning.  I am about to start the coal stove.  Everything is set:  there is wood I collected and coal in buckets.  I just have to play with it.

Last night I was up in the wee hours (1:20AM) reading a book I could not put down (“The Soloist”).  It was made into a movie I wanted to see and could not find.  I happened to be in the library and was looking for the movie to rent but they did not have it.

It never occurred to me until then to read the book.  The prose was scintillating.  I was riveted by the writing and could not put it down last night until I finished it.  Now my wife is also reading “The Soloist”.

Tags: "The Soloist", bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, book, coal stove, firewood, large window, library, morning coffee, movie, plenty of food, reading, snow flurries, stay indoors, sunflower seed
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I don’t care how good an iPad is it won’t replace a book or library.  I know the new device can rapidly turn pages in a book but still it is not the same.

There is nothing like having a library and quickly glancing at your shelves, pulling out just the book you want and opening it up to any page.

I like physically handling my books, touching them.  I am not dependent on any batteries.  I am not so quick to run out and get this latest technological gadget from Apple.

The brain can not be replaced by this latest development.  The brain has the ability to review thousands of paragraphs you have read and know what book a passage came from and then find it.

There is nothing like an old book store to browse in.  None of these things can be replaced by the iPad.  By now, you get the idea I am skeptical of the value of this item.

I don’t want to pore over an instruction manual just to figure out how pick up a book and scan it.  Or even turn it on.  It is just too hard.  Call me old fashioned.

Tags: Apple, batteries, book passage, book shelves, books, brain, gadget, instruction manual, iPad, library, old book store, old fashioned, paragraph, reading, technology
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For a long time there were two forms of education I was undergoing:  one, my formal education and the other, the education I was receiving on my own.

All during my schooling I continued to read what I wanted to, whatever came across my path, whatever interested me.  As far back as I can remember I had a library card to the local library and made many trips there.  At home we always had plenty of reading material–magazines and books everywhere.

I did do my school work and received good grades but I had no illusion:  my independent reading was far more important and really my true education.

Yes, it is true some people get educated despite themselves but I always found the time to read whatever came across me and whatever interested me.  I felt most of the time I just went through the motions in most subjects in school.

There were some subjects that interested me particularly in school like Latin and mathematics and biology.  And maybe, I put forth extra effort there.

If the truth be known I was far more interested in participating in gym and in high school playing for the tennis team.  In fact, I was excited that in high school we had gym every day.

I felt these sports instilled an attitude to never give up until the game is over, which was no small lesson to learn which stood me well later in life.

I no longer go to school but I still read widely and for pleasure.  The literal translation of the word “education” comes from the Latin “educare” which means to lead.  Education means “to lead toward”.  It is a process, not an end point, not a degree.  It is an unending journey.  And I am still on it.

Tags: biology, books, college degree, education, education is a process, formal education, game is over, go to school, good grades, gym class, high school, Latin, Latin word educare, lessons, library, library card, magazines, mathematics, never give up, read for pleasure, reading, reading material, school subjects, school work, schooling, sports, tennis team, to lead toward, true education, unending journey
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