JessicaRulestheUniverse.com

You know how, when you have guests, and they look at your bookshelves and say, “Have you read all these books?” your opinion of them plummets and you start lumping them with the people who move their lips while they read?

There’s something worse: Admitting that your answer to their stupid question is tilting towards No.

I don’t have a regular job, but I know the importance of routine for adding structure to your days. The only routine I have that doesn’t have to do with the cats’ food and other supplies is reading one book a week. A pleasurable routine, without the tediousness. Well 2018 is officially my worst reading year since I started making lists of the books I’ve read. We’re at Week 24 and I’ve only read 11 books (and started and abandoned many more).

I blame real life for getting in the way of my reading. It is time for extreme measures.

1. No buying of new books (“new” includes used books, and I don’t read e-books or else I’d have thousands of unread books) until you’ve read 13 books and caught up on your reading quota.

2. No worming out of the requirement by giving away books.

3. Catch up by reading short (less than 200 pages) books.

Here’s the emergency reading list.

Not in photo: Yoko Tawada’s Memoirs of A Polar Bear, which is on its way. We’re doing a Memoirs of A Polar Bear reading group, then doing an interview with Ms Tawada when she comes to Manila in July.

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Speaking of books. I like the food at La Creperie, but does their management realize the horrible associations of the decor at their Burgos Circle BGC branch? Who’s the genius who thought, “Ooh, let’s stuff all the books in the fake fireplace, di ba cute?”

Could someone please tell them about the Nazi book burnings? Symbols, people, symbols.