Reading habits

Was on the train to NTU for training, and had to stand in the cabin cos it was peak hours. I couldn't help but look over the shoulder of the lady in front of me, reading a women's magazine. Every other page have a product advertisement, and every other article is about beauty and fashion, with articles discussing the amount of makeup one should use, and polls on whether people will go out without makeup on them.

I recall Karen telling me about a friend who's the type who almost never step outside and face the world without makeup, and it's something quite sad I feel, to subscribe so fully to conventional notions of beauty (and the need to beautify). And it all seems so frivolous to me, getting endless pairs of shoes and clothes and spending thousands on bags.

Anyway, Alex was just telling me excitedly about his new acquisitions on Sunday - 2 books on NLP/coaching, and one about thinking of getting rich. Now, that's the über-male executive read. And I have not seen any females who head straight for the 'money' section when they start on the papers, nor seen them read books like Rich dad, Poor dad.

So, what do you think I read? I go for neither - I opt to partake in the telling of man's history recounted in antiquated texts, to read of the struggles and trials of man at different moments and in different places. I read to be humbled and humanised, to learn about life from other peoples' experiences, or even from their fictions. But as a male, it is hard not to avoid professional readings that will improve work skills, so I have been reading more and more instructional books. Maybe I'll ask Alex for an NLP introduction too in the future...

So...what do you read?