Drop Everything And Read: Week 1

https://www.reddit.com/r/PHBookClub/comments/868j8h/drop_everything_and_read_week_1/

created by mrsrobin on 22/03/2018 at 03:23 UTC*

9 upvotes, 6 top-level comments (showing 6)

Welcome to the first week of our PHBC Drop Everything and Read. Read the Introduction[1] for the background on what this is about.

1: https://www.reddit.com/r/PHBookClub/comments/85hg7z/dear_introduction_thread/

*Basic Instructions:**

1. Read for 20-30 minutes daily.

2. Record it here.

*Tips and Reminders:**

Do not use your phone, tablet or computer during this time to browse the Internet, and especially not Reddit. You can use your device to post any notes, quotes, or updates to sites such as Goodreads, but immediately get back to reading.

What book you pick is up to you. What time of the day you read is up to you. You know your own schedule and habits. The recommended length of time is 20 to 30 minutes, but if you really need to ease into it, try 10 minutes at first, then 15 the next time, then 20. If you want to read over 30 minutes that’s fine, too, but excess time doesn’t mean you can skip the next session. If you have read multiple times already for the day, you still have to do it the next day. The goal is to make it a regular habit. If you can do it daily, that’s best. At the minimum try to read once a week. If you don’t have the time or concentration for a longer text, try short story collections, or a novella.

It is recommended that this activity be about reading for pleasure. If you are not enjoying the book you’re reading and it’s making you dread DEAR time, consider picking another book.

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*Ideas for your journal space:**

(based on this Log Sheet[2])

2: http://www.spxelementary.com/userfiles/1002/Classes/18255/DEARlogSheets.pdf

A. Response to the book

**Summary:** Summarize what you just read. What just happened?
**Prediction:** What do you think will happen next? Why? Were you right the last time?
**Connection:** How does this connect to your life?
**Question:** Do you have a question over the reading?

Feel free to include any other notes that you might normally make while reading. Share any highlighted passages if you want.

B. Response to the exercise

How are you finding the DEAR activity?
What time slot or length of time are you discovering is most comfortable for you? Any areas where you are struggling? What’s your biggest block?
Knowing this, how will you prepare for DEAR next time?
Any questions or advice for others? Quotes or thoughts for motivation?

This is just a guide if anyone is stumped about what to write. You don’t have to answer all the questions, just pick only what you feel like answering, or add more if you think of any. If you don't want to write anything besides the stats, and you just want to make a quick check-in (with Date, Time, Book and Pages), that's fine too. Write in your own voice.

*Goals of this activity:**

Finding the time to read. Less screen time (phone, computer, Facebook, Reddit), and reading instead. Increase concentration and "reading endurance" by building up to reading as a daily/weekly habit. Improve comprehension and memory by writing and thinking about what you just read. Maybe even finish a book by the end of this month, although that is not the main goal. But it's a nice side effect. :)

This is not a school assignment. Do it because you *want* to read, and just need a bit of help to find the time. Think of this thread as a weekly reminder in your Reddit feed, that instead of scrolling through memes and gifs, you could be reading a little bit instead.

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*tldr:** Put your phone away, read a book for a few minutes. Share it here. Don't forget to read for fun.

See you in the comments! Is anyone actually interested in this? Is this a bad idea? Do you have any comments or suggestions? Your opinions welcome and appreciated. Thanks!

Comments

Comment by mrsrobin at 22/03/2018 at 03:35 UTC*

2 upvotes, 6 direct replies

Day 1

Date: 22 March 2018, Thursday

Time: 8:00am to 8:25am

Book/s: Real Happiness by Sharon Salzberg and The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron

I'm finding it best to read these books about meditation first thing in the morning, before my work day starts, while my environment is still quiet and my mind is still calm. I tried reading them at the end of the day but I just couldn't focus. I don't know if it's the best idea to have two books at the same time on very similar topics, because they're starting to bleed together in my head, but maybe that's a good thing? Anyway right now in Real Happiness it's about different ways to approach your meditation, like there's Tea Meditation and Walking Meditation and one where you Note your emotions. In the other book, I stopped at the section that talks about lovingkindness (*metta*). I'm going to try to apply that to MIL when she comes back this evening.

On the exercise: I'm worried nobody else will show up to this party, after I've put so much energy into it, and that will be kind of embarrassing. On the other hand, if nothing else, I can just use this as a space to log my own progress, and that won't be a complete waste, too, because god knows I could use the help. Hosting this activity is already making me read more than I usually would, because I know I'll have to make a sample entry like this one, to hopefully encourage others to join.

edit to add:

Date: same day

Time: 10:50pm to 11:25pm

Book: Brain Rules for Baby by John Medina

So many highlighted parts, and mostly me just nodding along, feeling validated. Things I learned today: stress while pregnant can have long-term effects on the child, seen by age 5 and lasting until adulthood. Then the next chapter was about the 4 main reasons couples fight post-baby (sleep loss, social isolation, unequal distribution of household workload, and depression), and some suggested methods to maintain the peace. Basically: happy wife, happy life. For real. But specifically: “if [in John Gottman’s studies] the wife felt she was being heard by her husband—to the point that he accepted her good influence on his behavior—the marriage was essentially divorce-proof.” Empathy is “the independent variable that predicts a successful marriage”.

I like the format of the book because at the end of each chapter is a section called Key Points, which is like a tldr.

Good reading day today, so far. Best times for me to read, I’m finding, is before the baby wakes up in the morning, and after he goes to sleep at night.

Comment by [deleted] at 22/03/2018 at 15:48 UTC

2 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I like this idea ! One of the main reasons why I bought a Kindle is because you can only do one thing on it, to read.

Comment by diebrarian at 23/03/2018 at 01:10 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Day 1

Date: 22 March 2018, Thursday Time: 1:30pm to 2:00pm Book: "Summary Execution: The Seattle Assassinations of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes" by Michael Withey

I'm reading while eating lunch (instead of browsing social media/reddit while eating lunch). Good setup for the book so far. The events in this book happened when I was still a baby, so it feels like a trip to hear about pre-tech Seattle. I'm looking forward to seeing how it unfolds, as I've only heard a bit about the assassinations.

Comment by NeedsCash at 23/03/2018 at 05:46 UTC*

2 upvotes, 2 direct replies

imagine scandalous plants bag continue tender grey squash dazzling tie

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact[1]*

1: https://redact.dev/home

Comment by myhscharm at 24/03/2018 at 10:52 UTC

2 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Date: March 22, 2018

Time: 40 minutes

Book: Phantom Tollbooth by Norman Juster

Thanks to /u/mrsrobin launching the DEAR Project, I finally finished the Phantom Tollbooth!

I mentioned in another thread that I was interested in reading Children's Literature, but unsure if I should push through with it (since so many book so little time), well, I did, and I decided to start with this book because of SO MANY recommendations and adulations from various threads on reddit. Well, as a children's book it's great. As an adult reading a children's book, not so much. The story was enchanting, but I struggled to keep picking it up because honestly I was kinda bored, and kinda not attracted to it after reading several chapters, solely because I'm not the target audience for it. I still want to finish reading it, but I was just procrastinating.

Perfect timing was made by DEAR because when I saw this post, I finally said to myself, "I'm sure if you set aside 30 mins, you will finish this book. It's a children's book! It's not that long! You're more than halfway through and you want to finish it anyway! So stop procrastinating!" And that's exactly what I did.

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My Thoughts on the DEAR Project

OVerall, it's a good activity, and I like its objective. I think its application will be selective for me though. There are times when I DON'T struggle with reading a book, or finding time to read. So if I write about all the times I spend reading, it will be too redundant, too much of a chore to do.

But if I am stuck in a book, or kinda procrastinating reading, then I will try to participate more in DEAR.

Plus, reddit is sooooooooooooooooooooooo addicting. I have never been on social media and never wanted to be on one. (I do have accounts, pero I'm not active in them). Reddit is on a whole 'nother level. I feel like it fulfills a different need from the typical facebook social media kasi so I don't associate it so much with the negative aspects of that. I feel like reddit is more about information and entertainment... and that's why it's so addicting!

Comment by kindoftemporary at 23/03/2018 at 22:38 UTC

1 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I feel like an outsider here hahaha. Almost everyone is reading non fiction and here I think all I'm reading are trashy romances and used up cliche plots for dystopian young adult series