Literate
May 6, 2008, 9:50 pm
Most of us are blissfully oblivious to the number of words we read each day. This simple fact hit me like an unabridged dictionary when I was in Japan a few years ago.
Not only can I not read Japanese, I can’t even sound out the words in my head. In Europe I can wander around reading all sorts of great words. Of course, I don’t have a clue what most mean.
An oxymoronic sense of calm and frustration descended on me in Japan. I could sit on the train, focus on the scenery and not have to read the plethora of billboards and signs that flew by my window. In this situation, I was illiterate.
On the other hand, it would have been nice if I could have read the signs at the hot springs, “Beware, poisonous fumes are omitted by the volcanic vapors”. Luckily, a Japanese friend took pity on me and supplied that translation.
After Japan, I am cognizant that being a reader doesn’t just provide hours of pleasure with the books, magazines, newspapers and movie subtitles I choose to read. Since I read automatically, loads of non-elective reading happens daily. Much of this reading is inane, superfluous, redundant or all three. Here are a few examples from recent months…
- Raspberry creme walleye dinner
- Please remove your ski mask before entering the bank.
- Normal is a setting on my washing machine.
- Receive collect calls from jail or prison to your cellular.
- Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Chicory Stout
- Do not feed the coyotes.
- Express your inner beauty with cosmetic surgery.
- Please request doggie paper dinnerware.
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The Suitcase Lady Blog is now in its fifteenth year. I am obviously a believer in these words from E. B. White. "We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or sorting the laundry." Thank you for reading the writing that I delight in doing.
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