Does Reading Twilight Make You a Smarter Legal Nurse Consultant Than Not Reading Twilight?
I just finished Eclipse, the third book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. My sister, Karen gave me the first book and got me started on the 4-part series. Reading Meyer’s books is like eating a bag of salty, hot, buttered (real butter) popcorn – once you start, you can’t put them down and often consume more than you should.
What’s funny though, is that about the same time I started the first book in the Twilight series, I was already reading Richard Russo’s incredible book Bridge of Sighs. The books are as different as their authors. I love reading Russo because his work is deep, rich, analytical, thought provoking and has some of the best character development in literature today. But I also love an author like Meyer whose books, arguably written for the female teenager, are swift, shallow and riveting all at the same time. While I appreciate and enjoy both authors, I’ve completed three of Meyer’s books and have yet to finish Russo’s. So should I be skipping Meyer for the more challenging Russo?
It’s arguable that reading of any kind improves one’s mind. We want to feed our minds a healthy diet, but a little mental junk food once in a while is actually a good thing. When I first met Tom I was only reading business books and serious literature. He brought me a frivolous book and said, “If you put yourself on a diet of nothing but turkey, rice and broccoli, you’ll soon lose your enthusiasm for eating.”
Whatever you choose to read, be sure to read every day. Feeding your mind a steady diet of nothing but TV in lieu of reading is like feeding a Kentucky Derby thoroughbred a diet of Lay’s Potato Chips and Cheetos®. After a point, your mind will start to lose its edge and you’ll no longer be the competitive legal nurse consulting machine you once were. You’ve got to train that brain muscle, just like any other muscle in your body. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.
In addition to the tchotske souvenirs from our global vacations and the family photos in our library at home, you can find a good mix of literature, philosophy, fiction, history and just plain old fun. On those shelves, my Harry Potter books reside comfortably with books by the Dali Llama, Bernard Fall, Sir Edmund Hillary, Alice Hoffman and Martin Cruz Smith. If you poked around you’d find science fiction in the form of a first printing of Frank Herbert’s magnificent Dune, a Bible illustrated by Salvodor Dali and a copy of Good Night Moon. Bill Gates, Seth Godin, Tim Ferriss and other gurus hang out in my home office. They seem to enjoy debating each other from a separate bookshelf of business, marketing, legal, medical and nursing books comfortably out of my sight.
In short, as much as I’d like to read Twilight from dusk to dawn to dusk, I need to read other things and so do you. It’s fun to read light fiction and it’s a great way to stimulate your learning muscles. Just mix it up a bit. Balance the Dennis Lehane with the Geoff Colvin and you’ll keep your mind in its best shape.
So yes, reading Twilight will make you smarter than not reading Twilight – as long as that’s not all you’re reading.
I’m off to start number four in the Twilight series and vow to finish Bridge of Sighs this week.
Success Is Inside!
P.S.Comment and share what you’re currently reading for fun and business.
6 thoughts on “Does Reading Twilight Make You a Smarter Legal Nurse Consultant Than Not Reading Twilight?”
I think everyone should pick up Twilight and get lost in Bella and Edward’s story. My 14 year old daughter turned me on to this series when I noticed she could not go anywhere without one of Meyers books in hand. My daughter’s books are so worn that a second hand shop would laugh at us. I have recently picked up The Host by Stephanie Meyer and have The Shack by Nicholas Sparks on standby. Guess it is time for me to add in some health food to my mental diet.
What a timely blog piece. Yesterday, I went out and bought books #2, #3 and #4 and read them all in one day. I have not done that in years and it felt great. I like Vickie have been reading clinical journals, business books/mags as my business has been growing so much in the last year. I spent the whole day with the windows/doors open and peacefully read the whole series. And this morning, as I am working on a cost projection, my mind is more open and fresh.
Thanks Vickie, for easing my guilt! I have tried to read nothing but “healthy” books for years, and I cannot remember the last one I actually finished! Usually, I’m reading two or three at a time and skipping around, get bored, and never get through them. Like Candy, my daughter turned me on to the Twilight series when she made me watch the movie with her. I read the entire series in 9 days, 6 of which I also worked 12 hour shifts! I agree, we have to mix in the fun stuff with the healthy stuff. I have been in work mode for so long without taking a break that now I am just burned out, in a fog, and getting nothing accomplished! Your article has reminded me that just like changing up with the books, we need to mix it up in all areas of our life, or we become stagnant. Once again, your timing has been perfect!
Good morning! As always, I enjoyed Vickie’s post. I generally have several books going. Because I drive a lot, I usually have several books on CD/tape in the vehicle. I am currently listening to Summer in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Anne Krentz. My reading selection at the moment is ECG Workout by Jane Huff, Something More, Excavating Your Authentic Self by Sarah Ban Breathnach, Tempting Fate by Carla Neggers, and multiple professional journals.
I enjoyed the Twilight movie last year, and have ordered the sequels through my public library on CD. I can “read” so many more books while driving. I live in Washington state, and the book is based in Forks, which I know well. I was amused to see the shops and library there start advertising her books a while back, before the movie came out.
Vickie,
I agree with mixing up the reading content and go further by having several books or pieces of reading going at one time. I am trying to teach my 13 year old daughter that this is not “weird”.e.g. reading a few inspirational lines from The Dalai Lama after reading some medical literature is perfectly synchronized for furthering life long learning!
Keep “treading “, the week’s already half way.
Vickie,
So.. so true! I always read your blog but being a “newbie” have felt a bit uncomfortable writing here… This time I will join in….
The reason you have mentioned above, is the very reason I belong to a Book Club…It keeps me engaged within books I would never choose to read otherwise. Usually deep in nature, multicultural and political, they are not the norm for me to read, as I like to read books for pleasure. They are chosen and recommended by women I admire and consider friends…so I take their recommendations and learn an immense amount! Yes, Vickie, A balanced diet of different books is great brain food! Thanks for the reminder.
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I think everyone should pick up Twilight and get lost in Bella and Edward’s story. My 14 year old daughter turned me on to this series when I noticed she could not go anywhere without one of Meyers books in hand. My daughter’s books are so worn that a second hand shop would laugh at us. I have recently picked up The Host by Stephanie Meyer and have The Shack by Nicholas Sparks on standby. Guess it is time for me to add in some health food to my mental diet.
What a timely blog piece. Yesterday, I went out and bought books #2, #3 and #4 and read them all in one day. I have not done that in years and it felt great. I like Vickie have been reading clinical journals, business books/mags as my business has been growing so much in the last year. I spent the whole day with the windows/doors open and peacefully read the whole series. And this morning, as I am working on a cost projection, my mind is more open and fresh.
Thanks Vickie, for easing my guilt! I have tried to read nothing but “healthy” books for years, and I cannot remember the last one I actually finished! Usually, I’m reading two or three at a time and skipping around, get bored, and never get through them. Like Candy, my daughter turned me on to the Twilight series when she made me watch the movie with her. I read the entire series in 9 days, 6 of which I also worked 12 hour shifts! I agree, we have to mix in the fun stuff with the healthy stuff. I have been in work mode for so long without taking a break that now I am just burned out, in a fog, and getting nothing accomplished! Your article has reminded me that just like changing up with the books, we need to mix it up in all areas of our life, or we become stagnant. Once again, your timing has been perfect!
Good morning! As always, I enjoyed Vickie’s post. I generally have several books going. Because I drive a lot, I usually have several books on CD/tape in the vehicle. I am currently listening to Summer in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Anne Krentz. My reading selection at the moment is ECG Workout by Jane Huff, Something More, Excavating Your Authentic Self by Sarah Ban Breathnach, Tempting Fate by Carla Neggers, and multiple professional journals.
I enjoyed the Twilight movie last year, and have ordered the sequels through my public library on CD. I can “read” so many more books while driving. I live in Washington state, and the book is based in Forks, which I know well. I was amused to see the shops and library there start advertising her books a while back, before the movie came out.
Vickie,
I agree with mixing up the reading content and go further by having several books or pieces of reading going at one time. I am trying to teach my 13 year old daughter that this is not “weird”.e.g. reading a few inspirational lines from The Dalai Lama after reading some medical literature is perfectly synchronized for furthering life long learning!
Keep “treading “, the week’s already half way.
Vickie,
So.. so true! I always read your blog but being a “newbie” have felt a bit uncomfortable writing here… This time I will join in….
The reason you have mentioned above, is the very reason I belong to a Book Club…It keeps me engaged within books I would never choose to read otherwise. Usually deep in nature, multicultural and political, they are not the norm for me to read, as I like to read books for pleasure. They are chosen and recommended by women I admire and consider friends…so I take their recommendations and learn an immense amount! Yes, Vickie, A balanced diet of different books is great brain food! Thanks for the reminder.