It was inevitable. I had the same algebra teacher for three versions of the subject in as many years of high school. An uninformed student asked the question every year. The rest of us just shook our heads and waited for the answer.
Naive student: “Mrs. Poplin, I don’t know why we have to learn this anyway. We’re never going to use it.”
Mrs. Poplin: “Because if you don’t pass, you won’t graduate. If you don’t graduate, you’ll spend the rest of your life slinging tacos at Taco Tico.”
I had never eaten at Taco Tico, but I knew for damn sure I didn’t want to work there. The knowledge got this word nerd through algebras one, two and three. It also taught me a lesson—sometimes you’ve just got to get through it.
A bad book is an exception to this lesson.
You should quit reading bad books. It doesn’t matter if your friends think the book is great or the general public accepts that it’s a classic. If you hate it, drop it. If it’s required reading, say for a college course, power skim and move on.
Life is too short to read bad books.
A friend and fellow book club member, Kelly, can’t leave a book unfinished. It breaks my heart to see her waste her time. So much so that when our book club decided to read The Casual Vacancy, a poorly written epic waste of time, I texted her and told her not to pick it up.
Yes, I understand The Casual Vacancy is in the Top 10 on most best seller lists, but I couldn’t even get through the free sample.
If reading doesn’t enlighten you and/or entertain you, it’s not worth the time.
Bad books waste your time, bore and frustrate you, make reading a chore instead of a pleasure, and suck up the time you could spend reading things you enjoy.
There are simply too many options to devote your time to something that doesn’t fulfill you.
Just say no to bad books!
Real Nerds Read!
You may have read that I’ve challenged myself to read 100 books in 2013. I would love for you to join me in my #100Books reading challenge, if you think you’re up to the task. Commit below if you’re interested. I’ll check in on you throughout the year and see how you’re progressing. We can be reading accountability partners!
I also would love your reading recommendations below. Have you read something that I just can’t miss? Leave the title in the comments.
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