Friday, February 5, 2016

Book Blogger Hop No. 36: Does your significant other share your reading passion?




Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop,
hosted by Billy @


For more information, click HERE.


What to Do

1.) Post on your blog answering this week's
question:

Does your significant other
share your reading passion?

2.)  Enter the link to your post in the
Linky list on Billy's blog.

3.)  Visit other blogs on the list and
comment on their posts. 

4.)  Be sure to find out next week's
question when you visit
Ramblings of a Coffee-Addicted Writer!


My Answer

No, alas, he does not.....My husband is more of a tech nerd, whereas I am a TOTAL book nerd! Lol. In fact, he really can't understand my obsession with books, especially when it comes to buying them. I already have lots and lots of books in our condo that I haven't read, plus many more in storage, since we had to move last March, and our new place is smaller. He can't understand why I haven't read the books I already own, instead of continuing to buy new ones. Well, it's a bookworm thing, as we all know! There's the allure of the book we don't own yet....

As for actually reading books, he doesn't do much of that, either. He prefers to read short articles on the Internet, or watch tech YouTube videos, or play video games. I can immerse myself for hours in a book, losing track of the world at large. He needs some sort of physical action to keep his attention engaged.

Bookstores certainly do not appeal to him, so he can't see himself spending hours and hours in them, which is what I LOVE to do. On the other hand, he can walk into a computer store and spend hours and hours in there, while I am completely bored.

He's also into biking, and just generally being outdoors. Although I love the outdoors, I can't take it for very long, because of such things as mosquitoes (and now I'm worrying about the Zika virus, people!), the heat, and the fact that I really prefer to use our home bathroom to public restrooms (and, depending on  where we are, there might be no indoor plumbing readily available).

So we just respect each other's tastes, and try not to let our different geeky passions stand in the way of marital harmony. 

I'm already looking forward to visiting this year's Miami International Book Fair, scheduled to take place in November! Hubby will drop me off in the morning, and I'll spend the entire day there, blissful in Book Paradise! I'll be browsing, buying, and going to book presentations and signings. Meanwhile, he will probably spend his time tinkering with his laptop's motherboard, biking at Tropical Park, or playing the latest version of "Assassin's Creed", on our living room TV. Or maybe all three, one after the other. Lol.   

   


What are your thoughts?
Please leave a comment along
with a link to your post,
so I can come check it out! 








24 comments:

  1. This is a really interesting topic Maria.

    Though my wife reads, she does not have the enthusiasm that I have.

    This is true of the majority of my family and friends. This is actually one of the reasons that I began blogging so I could connect with more bookish folks. Several other bloggers have told me similar things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey, Brian!

      Indeed it is! I really like the questions for this blog hop. Most of them are submitted by a participant named Elizabeth, who blogs at Silver's Reviews. You might want to check out her blog, as she reads various genres.

      As you point out, no two readers have the same amount of enthusiasm for reading. A true bookworm, though, is someone like all of us book bloggers, who are actually OBSESSED. That's why we LOVE to blog about books! Lol.

      But it's interesting how often bookworms don't end up marrying, or being in relationships with, other bookworms. I suppose it's true, then, that opposites attract!

      I have the same situation with my own family and friends. Mom was the one who instilled in me a love of books and reading, but my enthusiasm has always far exceeded hers. Well, that's because she had three kids to raise, after all. That didn't leave much time for reading!

      Although Mom taught us about books from an early age, my two sisters don't read at all. So I'm the crazy bookworm in the family! Lol.

      So book blogging is where we obsessed bookworms can share our passion with other obsessed bookworms!!

      Thanks for the nice comment!! : )

      Delete
  2. My husband is a full on tech/gaming nerd as well! It took him about 5 years, but he finally talked me into playing World of Warcraft! I must admit, it is a fun game and I am pretty much addicted, but I cannot get him to read for fun to save my life! I think it is because he HAS to read so much for work since he is a Medic in the Army, but he at least sits there and listens to me babble and lets me drag him all over creation getting books lol.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi, Punkiee!

      WOW, he actually talked you into playing that game? I like video games myself, but my problem is that I get VERY frustrated if I don't win, or can't figure out the next step to take in order to solve the puzzle. Lol. So what I do sometimes is just sit and watch the TV screen as my husband plays. That's very entertaining! He presses those buttons so madly, and things move so quickly on the screen, it's really FUN to watch! One of these days I'll ask him to actually teach me to play one of these games. He's tried to before, but I've just gotten too impatient. Maybe this time, I'll curb my impatience, and be able to play!

      I think you're right that, because your husband has to read a lot for his job, he might prefer some action in a video game when gets home, in order to unwind.

      It's great that he doesn't object as you "drag him all over creation getting books"!! Lol

      Thanks for the nice comment!! : )

      Delete
  3. I think it's great that you both respect each other's interests especially when they're so different. My husband doesn't quite understand why I keep getting books even though I already have so many and he is a reader!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Katherine!

      Yeah, we have to, in order to avoid any arguments! Lol.

      How ironic that your husband is a reader, yet he doesn't understand why you keep getting books. Doesn't he know that's part of being a bookworm? Lol.

      Thanks for the nice comment!! : )

      Delete
  4. Hi,
    My hubby doesn't read, but doesn't mind me doing this. I usually hang out with him and read. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Sherrie!

      That's exactly what I do, too! We can be in the same room together, but he'll be playing one of his video games, or watching a tech-related YouTube video, while I'm either blogging or totally immersed in a book!

      Thanks for commenting!! : )

      Delete
  5. I feel if my boyfriend didn't enjoy reading just a little, he might think my reading habits were obsessive and would probably think I am slightly nuts! Thankfully, he reads a little bit so he does understand to an extent!

    My boyfriend is also very similar to your husband - he loves computers and all techy things! He built his own computer complete with there monitors and some other crazy stuff and my thinking is "all the money could have been to buy books!" lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, there!

      It's great that your boyfriend reads to some extent! So he can better understand you, and be more supportive about your obsession. Lol.

      Yup, they sure are similar! My hubby has taken apart laptops in order to fix them, and then put them back together again. When I've asked him how and where he learned how to do that, he's told me he picked this up "just from watching YouTube videos". He's REALLY good at this sort of thing!

      How funny that you were thinking of the money being wasted because it didn't go into buying books! I would have probably have felt the same way, but then, you have to respect his own geeky passion.

      Thanks for the nice comment!! : )

      Delete
  6. Same with my husband...he puts up with me and my reading obsession but doesn't read.

    He reads short articles.

    Happy Hopping!!

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Blog Hop Answer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Elizabeth!

      It's interesting how we bookworms often end up with spouses or romantic partners who don't share our obsession. Sot that means that opposites DO attract each other! Lol.

      Happy Hopping to you, too!

      Thanks for commenting!! : )

      Delete
  7. Yeah, only us bookworms understand why we love books so much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Billy!

      Absolutely!! Non-bookworms simply don't get it! Lol.

      Hope you find a fellow bookworm to share your life with someday!

      Thanks for commenting back!! : )

      Delete
  8. I think it's wonderful that despite you both having different loves, you both have learned to respect the other. It's a true testament to how much you truly love and respect one another.

    I think the saying about opposites attracting is mostly true for most couples. If you were both bookworms, you'd probably drive each other nuts.

    Thanks for stopping by earlier!

    Kristine @ The Writer's Inkwell

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Sookie!

      Aw.....You're so sweet!! Thank you! Yes, we do love each other very much! Respect is a very important part of love, and you have definitely affirmed that.

      I agree that the statement about opposites attracting each other is very true. And I had to laugh when I read the following: "If you were both bookworms, you'd probably drive each other nuts." Yeah, we might have had arguments about whether certain books were good or not, about which book to buy first -- one he liked, or one I liked, and on and on. Lol. Very perceptive of you to say this!

      You're very welcome for my visit! Thanks for commenting back!! : )

      Delete
  9. I wish my husband was a tech nerd but he's not. He actually leaves that stuff to me. The only thing he is really into is sports. I did get him to start reading though and that was because I went out of my way to help him acquire the books. The Kindle I had really helped too, it pretty much became his Kindle. I even had to download Overdrive onto his phone, and show him how to use it. I introduced him to audiobooks even though I don't like audiobooks. All that work paid off though because now we can discuss books together since we both enjoy reading Fantasy books. It sounds good, except for most of our discussions end with him saying that I am over-analyzing passages and us agreeing to disagree...that is until we find someone else who has read the book too.

    Have fun at your book fair! It sounds like you both will be having a lot of fun even on your own, which is what matters (I mean having fun). Sometimes we need that short time apart to enjoy our own things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Alyn!

      Hey, it's AWESOME that you're the tech nerd! There ARE women who are more into tech stuff than their boyfriends or husbands are. I wish I were a tech nerd, because I enjoy reading science fiction, for instance. But I am just not gifted in that area. However, I can do okay with some software, like the Blogger platform blogging software. But computer hardware? No way! My husband is also more knowledgeable about software glitches.

      How nice that you got your husband to start reading! I can see you really tried hard, what with the Kindle and audiobooks! It's also good that he was open to it all; a lot of guys wouldn't have been. And now the two of you have book discussions, and share a love of fantasy books. TERRIFIC!!

      This book fair is a lot of fun every year! I wish he would come with me, but well, it's nice that he's willing to drop me off so I can enjoy the fair. And yes, we do need a short time apart from our spouses to enjoy our own hobbies.

      Thanks for leaving such a GREAT comment!! : )

      Delete
  10. "So we just respect each other's tastes, and try not to let our different geeky passions stand in the way of marital harmony." <--- This is so cute! We love this post. My hubby does not share my love of reading -- but he does support it and all my book-buying, and he supplies me with plenty of bookcases so it works out fine ;) Lol.

    ~Michele & Mckenzie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Micheke & Nckenxie!

      I'm glad you liked that quote! Thanks for saying it's cute, and also for the compliment about the post! : )

      It's GREAT that your hubby is so supportive, Michele! How sweet that he supplies you with plenty of bookcases, too.

      It's interesting, as well as paradoxical, that many of us bookworms have spouses who are not into reading. But at least they support our 'madness'! Lol.

      Thanks so much for the GREAT comment!! : )

      Delete
  11. Enjoy the bookfair! The L.A. Times Festival of Books comes around every spring and I feel like I have to drag my family to it. I really should just go by myself one year. I hate driving in the L.A. traffic, however. I much prefer to have someone else do it.

    My husband is a reader, although not as into it as I am. And he definitely doesn't share my obsession with books. His TBR pile is an actual pile. Maybe twelve books. Mine is, well, a collection--shelves and shelves, really.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, there!

      Oh, I love book fairs!! The one here in Miami is in November. That sounds like there would be cold weather, but not in Miami! Lol. And I'm like you -- I prefer for my husband to drive me there.

      How nice that your husband is a reader, although he's not obsessed. And that's the shortest TBR pile I ever heard of! Lol. Mine is just like yours -- shelves and shelves!

      Thanks for the great comment!! : )

      Delete
  12. Great answer. I am a cross between you and your husband. I have 2 Kindles, 2 Nook's. iPad Air 2 and iPad Pro. Yeah I know excessive but I am retired from IT and a book nerd. The reason for 2 of each of my eBooks is I got the color ones 1st but can't read out in the sun with them so got the eReaders that can.

    MY BLOG SPORTOCHICK’S MUSINGS ANSWER

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi, Teri!

      Thanks for the compliment!

      Well, you sure are well prepared technologically! And I would say that you are pretty much obsessed, which is terrific! Lol. After all, you have ereaders for reading out in the sun, and for reading indoors.

      I don't own a Kindle, but I have an Android phone, so I got the Kindle app for it. I have over 100 Kindle books on it. However, I do prefer printed books.

      Thanks for the great comment!! : )

      Delete

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