Saturday, August 3, 2019

Action and Adventure in August

Lee's blogging about Action and Adventure this month, so I'm doing it, too. It seems like it's going to be fun.

My big Saturday adventure is more of a quiet sort. I'm catching up on some reading. And yes, I'm beginning the ADVENTURE challenge with kind of a whisper, but I think we can all agree that reading surely qualifies. I've already learned about CAR-T cells today and a movie called The Farewell. And, I read a short story that might make the reader re-think what she knows about love and marriage. That same story also made me think about craft and literary elements and what a writer can get by with, depending on his aims.

All of these adventurous thoughts sprang from my reading of The New Yorker. Many times, I've thought about how I both love and loathe The New Yorker. I like being the sort of person who gets a paper copy of this iconic publication in the mail every week. My dad re-ups my subscription annually, so it's not even something I choose; it's just part of me.

Even so, I almost never actually read The New Yorker.  I've been able to let go of the guilt about this at various moments and stages, like when I'm a full-time teacher and parenting some crazy busy kids 24/7.

But, now I'm supposed to be a full-time writer, and I'm supposed to be literary AF. So, reading a couple of New Yorker articles--we're not even aiming for cover-to-cover--shouldn't be that big of a problem. Soon, the kids will be back in school and maybe I can make a magazine ritual. An article with my matcha on Tuesday mornings, for example, and another one in the late-afternoon lull on Fridays.

Adventures can be momentous and also sort of regular. I guess I'm starting with the latter.

3 comments:

mm said...

Reading the New Yorker is certainly adventure!

Julie said...

Reading should absolutely count, and since I've just joined the challenge, but have done all of my summer actioning and adventuring in July, reading may have to count for me, as well. In the past, I've had stacks of New Yorkers lying there making me feel guilty. A normal working person can simply not keep up with The New Yorker. And yet, some stories continue across issues, so you can't throw them out, either. Argh. I couldn't take the pressure.

LH said...

Husbandman loves the New Yorker in practice, while I love it in theory. He loves pieces by Masha Gessen.