Hungering and thirsting

Good news: yesterday afternoon I got an e-mail from the University of North Texas saying I’d gotten the MLS scholarship. ~breathe sigh of relief, wipe sweat from brow, slow heartrate back down to normal, etc.~ Actually, I found myself strangely calm about the whole thing. I don’t think I would have been devastated in the least if I hadn’t gotten the scholarship. That’s odd.

Anyway, oddness aside, I faxed my acceptance letter in (and I blush to admit that I had to get help — here I am, a computer programmer who can fix most computer problems, needing help to send a blinking fax! ;)) and so it’s official.

And now for an abrupt change of topic. Over the past few days I’ve noticed that I need books almost as badly as I need food and water. The last two weeks haven’t given me much time for leisure reading — various projects eating up my after-work hours — and it was starting to affect me more than I realized. Starvation. Distended book stomach. Parched throat from lack of words. And I could tell that it was books I was hungering and thirsting after, because the mere thought of books was as delicious as the thought of water on Fast Sunday. :)

I don’t think all people have this kind of book hunger, though. Just a select few. And this makes me wonder, is it acquired or did I come to earth already salivating at the sight of print? I don’t know. My guess would be the former, but at the same time I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to find out I was a librarian in the pre-mortal existence. :)

At any rate, no longer will I let a day go by without reading at least a chapter of some book. (Not counting the scriptures.) I’m almost done with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (rereading before Deathly Hallows comes out), and very much enjoying it. In fact, at work today I came across a mention of one of Tyco Brahe’s astronomical works, and the sight of the name somehow made me start craving Harry Potter. I’m guessing “Tyco Brahe” somehow reminded me of Nicolas Flamel. At any rate, it’s nice knowing there’s still five books waiting for me. :)

Ben,
I am so excited for you getting that scholarship, though once again I am not surprised in the least. That scholarship had your name all over it. If it makes you feel any better I am completely inept when it comes to faxing as well. E-mail is just so much nicer a tool.

As for your craving of books…that is exactly how I have felt these last two weeks. Though I have always been busy, it is amazing how much busier life gets when you are responsible for a 2 ½ year old and a 6 month old. I find myself looking for those precious moments when I can open the pages of a book I am reading (and when I cannot even do that I find myself thinking of a favorite passage or story…). Thank goodness for nap time! My soul cries out when I am deprived from reading, writing, and music for any period of time.

Congratulations on the scholarship. That’s very fine.

I sympathize with you and Julia with your need to be immersed in art, especially literature. You know what else I crave? Poetry readings. I love hearing poetry read aloud. I didn’t even know this was something I craved until I went to my first poetry reading at BYU, and it was satisfying in a way I hadn’t anticipated. Lance Larsen’s devotional this past semester was heaven.

Julia: Thanks! Faxing is too…well, it bothers me that the quality is so low. I’ll take e-mail with scanned images any day. Why isn’t faxing dying off?!? :P

As for reading, it is indeed hard to fit it in, but I think it’s essential. At least it’s essential for me. :)

Katherine: Poetry readings, eh? I’m going to be blogging about reading aloud pretty soon, actually (either tonight or tomorrow). I haven’t been to a poetry reading since I went to one by John Talbot a year or two ago. Ought to try it again… Poetry is vastly satisfying once you realize that it’s not prose. :)