Books - My Motivator, My Lifelong Friend and My Addiction

How long do you do something before it becomes a habit that you don't even think about any more? For example, I'm on the treadmill 6 days a week and have been since my broken ankle allowed me to resume activity. Today was the 197th day I fought my way through my routine. I've extended my routine to 1.75 miles now, requiring it to be complete within 30 minutes (currently I'm tracking between 28-29 minutes for my mileage). It's not a run, I'm not allowed to have anything that would be "high" impact. It's a very fast walk to build up a nice sweat. Is it a routine? Probably. A habit? Maybe. 

The audio book I'm currently listening to 
is TJ Klune's magnificent "The House 
in the Cerulean Sea". It's such a masterpiece, 
and a joy to listen to. I sometimes will 
catch nuances I didn't catch with a first 
reading when I listen to the audio. This 
one keeps me coming back to the treadmill 
so that I can listen to the next chapter(s). 

I know, for a fact, that I couldn't do this almost every day without something to keep me occupied. For the treadmill, I count on my audiobooks. I've been a fan of audiobooks since I first started on the treadmill in the early 2000's. At that time I had abdominal surgery and asked when I could start exercising. I was told I could start really slowly, so I did - R E A L L Y   S L O W L Y.   I think I was doing a pace between one and two miles per hour, and I wasn't able to do much more than fifteen minutes or so for the first week, but I was determined. I didn't have any great portable device for my audio books at that time, so endured a lot of skipped parts on CD's as my speed increased. The book I was listening to at that time? "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R. Tolkien, of course. A standard love of mine for more than 50 years. Books? For me they are a habit - an addiction. 

I own multiple copies of the Trilogy - hard 
cover and paperback. I own several sets 
of the movie as well, and picture books, 
magazines, and even a Tolkien trivia game. 
It's an addiction of mine for most of my life. 

In my quest for good audio books, I switched over to an iPod when it became affordable, and started downloading books from Audible.com for my listening pleasure. I've used audio books and iPods ever since (the only Apple products I own). I even have two underwater iPods that allow me to swim with either music or a book. I've kept up an annual membership with Audible.com since those early days also, and now own more than 250 audio books. If I love an author, it's a good bet I'll be buying their audio version as well as their e-book. I re-read books constantly, and re-listen to the good ones again and again. 

Some of the first books I purchased on audio were books 
by Elizabeth Peters. I think I have a complete set of her 
Egyptian books now. I had the rare pleasure of listening 
to her speak in Denver along with my friend Sharon, a year 
or so before she died. I would have loved to take a tour 
through Egypt with her - what a treat that would have been. 

That, combined with the fact that I always have an e-book uploaded into my phone at any given time, declares to the world that I LOVE BOOKS. No hesitation here - I've always loved books, and I will always love them. On days when I really don't feel like getting onto the treadmill for another workout, it's the book calling to me that gets me there. I want to listen to the next portion - another chapter or two, another plot twist or character. I'm not sure I could develop any constructive habits without a book intertwined with it. How about you? Do you always have a book at hand? Do you listen to audio books? Are you a total book addict - book worm - like I am? I've met many of my readers through my life=long love of Tolkien, but I'm well aware that I have e-friends whom I've met through other means as well. What role do books play in your life and what types of books do you prefer to read? 

I'm addicted to books and I'm NOT looking 
for a cure. From the time I learned to read, 
I've had a book either in my hands or at hand. 
I like to think it's a healthy relationship ... at 
least most of the time - LOL. 

On that note, I'm out of here. Have an excellent day and please, don't be complacent. Be kind, stay safe and please, PLEASE, wear your mask. I'll be back tomorrow.