reading revelations

i enjoy reading, but it's something that i have to get into from the start. if i'm reading a book and lose interest after the first couple chapters, it's quite doubtful that i will finish it. throughout high school, cliffsnotes were how i survived most english classes. yet, i was somewhat envious of my friend anna who enjoyed reading constantly. and something struck me through conversations with her - she had an extensive vocabulary and correctly used words that i had never heard and knew nothing of their meanings. my sophomore english teacher used to talk about vocabulary and reading went hand-in-hand. i didn't buy it.

now that it's summer and i have a bit more free time, i decide to read some of those books that kept staring at me. my undoing was intriguing at first, but it didn't grab me as i thought it would. the da vinci code - i've been meaning to read it forever and ever since the movie came out, i've been determined to finish it (and start it) before i went to see the movie. yesterday, i started it. i haven't been able to put it down since.

revelation time:

1) did you know the word 'villager' comes from the church's' fear of "country-folk" and those that lived in rural villes (pagans), what we know as villain. who knew that this word had negative connotations

2) the "divine proportion" is amazing! PHI (1.618) is truly AMAZING my friends! so much that i got out the tape measurer. shoulder to fingertips = 77 in. divided by elbow to fingertips = 48.75 in. comes out to 1.579 (please excuse the slight miscalculations due to the approximate measurements) AND hip to floor = 95 in. divided by knee to floor = 54.5 in. comes out to 1.743 (note the approximate measurements, again!). AMAZING! i'm baffled. there is a number out there that applys to each human being. not only to us but the proportions of female to male bees in a beehive or the number of sunflower seeds ratio to each rotation's diameter. truly interesting, folks!

perhaps my revelations are not new to you, but i realize that i enjoy learning each day. as i was told today, i'm inquisitive. i like to know and be informed. so, mrs. herbert, i'm sorry. maybe i can add to my vocabulary if i just pick up a book more often!