Just had my breasts squished today. OUCH! I hate my yearly mammogram and the technician was especially mean, a real masochist. I am usually very stoic even though it's rather uncomfortable but this time it hurt like HELL. Most painful one I have ever had and I actually yelled in pain. Never done that before. I swear I've got a huge bruise on one boob.
Anyway, before the mammogram the assistant who led me back to the changing area noticed the book in my hand and asked what I was reading. I was brave and told her it was a romance (something I usually don't admit to a stranger) and her expression just lit up with a big smile. She said she loves to read romance.. but calls them her 'slutty' books. You know we woman have got to stop putting down our reading preferences. I smiled back and said 'oh I don't think they're slutty, I really enjoy romance.' Right there I could see that she realized I was a kindred spirit. She wanted to know who the author was (Susan Donovan) and I told her it was a contemporary. She said that she liked historical romance and asked if I had read Christina Dodd. We spent the next few minutes talking about our favorite historical romance authors until she realized I needed to get changed into an exam gown.
I think I have finally gotten braver about admitting to strangers what I'm reading. In the past when asked "what ja reading" I would say stuff like:
"oh, nothing"
"just a trashy book"
"a mystery" (it was a romantic suspense)
and other lies or half truths.
I was always afraid about being judged but really why should I care what perfect strangers think. I bet most of you are more secure in your reading preferences and never have this problem but it has taken me a long time to reach this conclusion. I will never ever call a book I'm reading 'trashy' again. I will stand tall. I will be proud.
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6 comments:
Ouch! Sorry to hear the mammogram was especially painful this year!
I admit sometimes it's not easy for me to admit to reading romance. I'm ok with saying i'm reading a romance novel when someone asks, but what always gets me is when I'm talking with someone and I say I love reading, adn they ask me what I read. I confess to sometimes evading the issue and saying "oh, a bit of everything", or mentioning a few genres and then "oh, and also a bit or romance", as if romance wasn't the biggest part of what I'm reading. We should all make some kind of collective New Year's resolution to be proud of our reading in 2007, and not let ourselves be cowed into hiding our love for romance!
Dang!!! Damn blogger ate my comment. You switched to Beta didn't you?
Anways - what I said is unfortunatley I'm a coward too. I don't often tell people how much romance I read and how much I love it. The last person I told - a coworker I really liked - rolled her eyes and made a face. If I'd had more guts I would have stood up for myself and my genre of choice. Rosario is right! All us chickens need to stand tall and be proud of what we read!!
I always say that I'm just reading either a general fiction book or a suspense/thriller/mystery. Sometimes it's embarrassing admitting you're a romance reader *blush* Especially when you're a librarian and "supposed" to read classic/important books all the time I find.
Ouch! Well, at least you found a kindred spirit out of the thing. I have to start mammograms in a couple of years and I'm not looking forward to it.
Sorry about the mammogram (doesn't that sound like something that should come with chocolate and some balloons?). I don't know when I will have to start but it's something that does not sound like a fun day at the docs.
You know for years I hid what I read (avidly hid it buy folding the covers back so people couldn't see the clinch cover) and I'm not sure I'm as out there as I think I am.
It used to depend on who I was talking to. My doctor (female) asked what I was reading once and I thought what the hell and told her about Anne Stuart - sure enough she had never read her and I don't think she would read romance but I decided not to worry about it. I mean, if you're really going to ask then I'm going to answer. I think after many years of the 'so, do you have kids?' question in social situations I can handle almost anything. (I always end up feeling bad for the person asking me that question because I know they are just looking for something to connect on and well, most people have kids - yep, I feel bad that I can't say yes although I have learned to say 'no, but I have two wonderful Godchildren in my life that I love to pieces'. That seems to ease their pain and lets them know I love kids.
Geez, there I go again, off in my own little world.
Rosario - I would consider you very well read and in reality you can just say oh this and that and be honest. You have reviewed a number of books that aren't romance and have made me think outside my box!
Me? I read romance. No way around it. I have no interest in mysteries or straight sci-fi fantasy etc. I want sexy, angsty romance!
I am better at people saying 'oh you read smut' or whatever because as I get older I realize they are just ignorant and have no clue what they are talking about. Makes me want to hand them a Laura Kinsale and then get back to me ;)
Cindy (talkative mood again!)
Ouch! Sorry to hear about what happened.
And yeah, why do we feel defensive when asked what we are reading? So, I'm taking a leaf outta your book and just be danged honest with everyone who's gonna ask me that question. No more evasion tactics! ;p
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