EP 24: Taylor's Birthday and International Literacy Day

We're celebrating Taylor's birthday with walking through memory lane and how she feels about turning 30. Finally, we've all officially entered a new decade with so much to look forward to! Whilst celebrating Taylor's birthday, we also celebrate International Literacy Day. We're are so passionate about books that we can't stop talking! We discuss favourite books, genres and debate paper vs electronic. Join in on the conversation on our social media pages. 

Transcript

[00:00:00] United A.F: Hey, y'all welcome to United AF. As friends podcast, a show where we try to unravel the complexities of our multicultural friendship and existing as millennials in today's world every other week, we'll get together for a deep dive into how our friendship has survived and have some laughs while doing it.

We're your hosts, Amanda Justine and Taylor. 

[00:00:23] Taylor: Hi guys welcome back to today's episode we are a duality type deal where we're celebrating international literacy day and my birthday 

[00:00:34] Justine: Yeah 

[00:00:34] Taylor: which actually happened last week I'm finally 30 

[00:00:40] Justine: Last to join the club.

[00:00:44] Taylor: so nice to be like oh my God Wow Am I doing this with these two people in the whole decade behind oh Ross line 

[00:00:54] Justine: Well, listen, my aunt already thinks I'm 31 jokingly said she's like, you have to make a speech at my party. And then, list all the good things that have been going on, with your life and me for the past 31 years. And then my other aunt goes 30. She's 30, she's only 30.

[00:01:19] Taylor: gosh to Tita Amy for the win

[00:01:20] Justine: I mean, I'm like halfway there, so,

[00:01:24] Taylor: needs to know that that's your to quote the the tablet the brown that's just your business they they ain't gonna talk about that Cause that's show business

Yeah so 30 Hmm 

[00:01:36] Justine: do you feel 

[00:01:37] Taylor: year and see okay So that's my thing I sister asked me what do you want to do for your birthday you're turning 30 milestone birthday And 

[00:01:47] Justine: Oh, wait. And before you get into that, we have share, right? Like Taylor's birthday parties have been so, so much fun because Malori always plans them. It's just always fun. And 21st birthday, I mean, that was fun. I mean, Amanda wasn't there. Unfortunately you right? Or you were sick 

[00:02:11] Taylor: it's a it's a constant thing If I'm having a birthday party Amanda's getting sick So like like it's better if I don't plan it's just from my health had chickungunya right That's what it was that first time?

No 

[00:02:31] Amanda: I think that

[00:02:33] Taylor: because that was after you came back from Israel right No Puerto Rico that was my my second party You had chickungunya but the 21 I had pneumonia 

[00:02:46] Justine: No, but yeah, that was a lot of fun. And it was an itinerary filled night. it was just one thing right after the other. And I mean, I remember the strip club or whatever it's called for guys. What's it called for guys 

[00:03:03] Taylor: women 

[00:03:04] Justine: No, no, no. I mean like, there you go. I mean, it's like, 

[00:03:07] Taylor: It's still a strip club I guess 

[00:03:10] Justine: So yeah, we had that. And then 

[00:03:12] Taylor: then we had 

[00:03:14] Justine: we to another club.

[00:03:17] Taylor: Well first of all first we have food that we 

[00:03:18] Justine: Where did we have food 

[00:03:21] Taylor: Chinese food place around the court 

[00:03:24] Justine: I don't that. 

[00:03:26] Taylor: you don't even remember 

[00:03:27] Justine: No, I just remember the other club afterwards,

[00:03:32] Taylor: Then we went to the hookah bar club lounge 

[00:03:35] Justine: but we didn't hookah 

[00:03:36] Taylor: own section Yes we did You 

[00:03:39] Justine: didn't know.

[00:03:39] Taylor: but the rest we three in our little section There's a lot of stuff you don't remember 

[00:03:46] Justine: And I wasn't even drunk, like, come on.

[00:03:51] Taylor: It made no sense Justine You're supposed to be drinking then 

[00:03:54] Justine: I know she had a limo that took us everywhere, 

[00:03:59] Taylor: Yeah We 

[00:03:59] Justine: I think it's because Alison got drunk really fast. And just, you know, missed out on all the fun that I was just like, Hm. Yeah. Gonna not 

[00:04:10] Taylor: Her and my 

[00:04:10] Justine: do that 

[00:04:11] Taylor: in the limo during the thing sleeping at off 

[00:04:15] Justine: Oh man 

[00:04:17] Taylor: showed up 

[00:04:17] Justine: Yes.

[00:04:19] Taylor: love the fact that for that birthday the age range with it's 20 because we got Whitney in everywhere Cause nobody was carding us as she wasn't 21 yet

And that it was like 20 to 68 was the age range Cause if I'm turning to 30 now yeah is 70

like yeah My cousin Judy who had everybody calling her Aunt Judy that night 

[00:04:48] Justine: Yeah, no, I was like, wait, isn't you're on.

[00:04:52] Taylor: Yeah She's like I'm y'all like Judy, you're my cousin Please stop But with age she was taking her name I'm y'all's aunt yeah she makes she's one of the people I love to bits and pieces she shows up for everything and she's always down for everything She is love her is just so special to me 

[00:05:18] Justine: Oh 

[00:05:19] Taylor: to this day she yelled at my mom She said you tricked me into going because you were supposed to go to 

[00:05:28] Justine: no way. Your mom was supposed to come.

[00:05:31] Taylor: found out

afterwards I when we were leaving the house that my mom was going to come but she has told me in hindsight she said raised of you guys in that car I didn't need to be there for that night for you guys to be having fun And then be like 

Oh,

my God mom's there Did you like y'all have fun 

[00:05:53] Justine: Oh 

[00:05:54] Taylor: I was like man you should have come She goes no I shouldn't have I'm like 

whatever 

[00:06:02] Justine: I wonder how she would have felt if she saw you on stage in the hunk Khamenei. Yeah,

[00:06:08] Taylor: I that is a great question I never asked Asked her but I feel like it would she would have been as crazy as the rest of the more because as I I've gotten in these in this past decade I feel like Mal and I have learned so much more about her because she's relaxed She doesn't have to be my parent anymore And I think that has been the best part of this past decade learned so much about her And I think that's the one thing that I've really taken away from this decade I have become a better friend to my mom 

I know more about her Like I thought I knew her and like now she's got no filter and Mal and I look at each other when she says stuff were just like didn't really say that did she But then we just looked at her and we're like who are you And where did the woman who raised those goals

But I think that's a thing that I think that's an evolution of your relationship with your parents Once you get to a apart point where they no longer have like they still care about you they still love you they don't have to like micromanage your life they're overseeing everything they can be the people they were before they had you And that's the person I'm learning now And that there are a lot of people I didn't know mother felt certain ways about she was like I needed you to have a relationship with that person outside of my feelings for things that have happened in my life now she can her peace about things not feel like that's going to anything that I've already built with someone 

I'm like you for that 

[00:07:51] Justine: no.

I think that's great because then you'd have that bias towards that person. 

no, that's great.

[00:07:59] Taylor: So going back to the actual original thing Malori asked me I said don't want to 

[00:08:04] Justine: Okay 

[00:08:04] Taylor: for my birthday I'm turning 30 just going to let the day pass me by the past two years have been so weird and I don't feel like there's anything we're celebrating 

[00:08:17] Justine: Well side note. I mean, when I'm there, if you guys are free, can we still celebrate your birthday?

[00:08:24] Taylor: Yes 

[00:08:25] Justine: Okay 

[00:08:25] Taylor: can do that Yes we can do something small like I'm not want to I don't want to really places like even like go into the city or anything Like I I just want this day to pass me by just wanted him to be I'm like I just want things to be cool 

[00:08:43] Justine: Okay 

[00:08:44] Taylor: My mom's still making my lasagna for my birthday Cause that's the one thing I asked for but 30 is just coming to pass me by and I'm Okay with it 

[00:08:55] Justine: Yeah 

[00:08:56] Taylor: I'm okay with the day going by but I'm not I'm going to let my thirties past the way my twenties did 

[00:09:02] Justine: Hmm 

[00:09:03] Taylor: twenties did 

[00:09:04] Justine: And how was that 

[00:09:06] Taylor: Status quo I was in survival mode I'm sick of being in survival mode that's what my latter twenties Like I'm I'm working to pay bills tired of doing that?

I want to be comfortable in my life and not have to fear like anything happening Like financial I have to pay things like health any health things that pop 

[00:09:37] Justine: Okay 

[00:09:38] Taylor: I don't want to have to worry about scrounging and saving and stuff like that but I need to actually work on me Like I have been like I know I've been working on me and I keep doing 

[00:09:50] Justine: Okay 

[00:09:51] Taylor: that better help Not better help I don't know why I speak English I do speak English I got a degree and stuff done things to improve myself I have done things to improve my marketability but I I just keep the things and doing nothing with it I'm stuck in that rut And I'm not like guess this is what I'm gonna do But like that is my end goal By the time I'm 40 will have the place where I am comfortable My 50 sixties and seventies are accounted for nineties and I won't have this lake Woogie in between feeling of just like I'm here know what I'm doing but I'm here and I've hit the basic necessities but with just hitting the basic necessities I know it's like that is not like a quarter life crisis because I'm not trying to figure it out who I am I know who I am I know what I mean They want out of life I just have to jump off the cliff And I've been teetering on the edge for the past three years you two know because you're constantly telling me certain things I need to change and I keep going back and forth on them I'm like yes And I get there And then something happens It has been it's been constant we graduated high school like since two weeks after we graduated high school it has been a constant of me making decisions then some some life altering thing happens and I'm like okay I'm going to get knocked back Okay just figure out how we're going to do it Then we'll come back to this later I never come back to it later I just keep moving forward And done with that being my life 

[00:11:47] Justine: So what's the one thing, like what is one of the things that you, you need to do to push you off of that cliff that you were talking about?

[00:12:01] Taylor: got a new job application love the people I work with I love the place I love my job I have been fortunate have had a series of opportunities but I haven't taken them I feel so in Alliance with my current job even though when I was hired this out recently the person who recommended me for the job told me she'd hold She's like she's only staying for like a year or two now I'm on eight years haven't no

I'm one of my character flaws is my dedication to people And like if you've given me that you've created that warm environment for me I get addicted to it And y'all know me I survive in comfortability and that's that's always been my thing I'll be like like I just want to be comfortable And I don't have grandiose plans if I 

am around people if I trust them trust is really big I've built that level of trust which is now eight years of employment a family environment workplace is great bed at the same time because I'm also in a position where 

[00:13:24] Justine: Hmm. 

[00:13:25] Taylor: I can't 

yeah a big thing I need to do is that and then also get back in shape the other thing I really needed to do I am not I used to be dedicated to 

[00:13:38] Justine: Yes. I remember you're telling me your schedule Yeah.

[00:13:42] Taylor: I was regimented and like Consistent Like even if we did go to the gym I was like okay I'm working out at home Dah I have COVID happened everybody else has gotten on the gym and the walking bandwagon like there was so much work going on I once I was done with work I was so drained because being in front of a computer my job was lot of being the front of the computer when I was at the school But like I would be able to get up and walk and go to other rooms and stuff like that when I was home and I made the basement my office I was like if I go upstairs I'm going to miss something People were calling all the time I'm just going to stay in my little bubble Once I was done day I just went to sleep because I was exhausted It was hard It's a lot out of me And then I'm going to transition to going back in And then we were I was a lot of times I'm at the school by myself you were in the kids were at home like all the different things There's no like but at the same time I just don't want to do anything 

[00:14:48] Justine: yeah 

[00:14:48] Taylor: Like even my yard work has been I used to love the summaries to be my favorite because I would sit in the backyard and just read also ties into today's episode I don't go outside and do it anymore because in the past year because of like the the money that everybody kept getting grants and stuff 

all 

[00:15:10] Justine: stimulus 

[00:15:12] Taylor: checks.

Thank you next to businesses And then it's a main street All of that is construction is going on the v-necks the Popeye's it's all of the heat and the dumpsters They move them around and it's just like my happy place disappeared. My backyard used to be my happy place and everything That's the fight that we're going on with that Like I need to find a new type of happy but I love sitting in the backyard and yesterday I was grilling and just the fumes were killing me I was like I can't do this I can't be outside Like I used to be So Yeah. I need some form of going out and just exercising somewhere sunlight fresh air a different way Like I've got I need baby steps into changing my address free day So, yeah that's what I'm looking for in this next year And also like I've been slowly changing my room over I'm making that my happy place but which is also it's good but also bad because then I really don't want to leave the house So it's a I'm a I'm a work in progress That's what that's that's what we all are I'm a work in progress 

[00:16:31] Justine: Yeah So since we asked this question for the other birthday episodes, which one was your favorite birthday memory? Thus far.

[00:16:43] Taylor: like my funny for his birthday I think is on a different level 

[00:16:48] Justine: Okay.

[00:16:50] Taylor: So that that one gets an that's like its own special category 

[00:16:54] Justine: Yeah 

[00:16:55] Taylor: of my tone down birthdays

I think I'm going to have to say

like seven or eight it was one of the last birthdays where was my my uncle was home his wife was here they were it was like everybody was here for we celebrated my birthday before I went to school that year but like my grandmother was there everybody that morning that is one of the memories that stick out in my mind I had a lot of the people I loved around me that day also celebrating my birthdays with all of my siblings Also like I have birthdays where I was with my brother and MaloriI was with my sister my younger sister at a Malori Like I love those birthdays too And then also I love hanging out with you guys So like think I've had a bad birthday celebration I even had one where my brother from Virginia and his kids were up it was like it was by coincidence that they were here that same weekend I saw three out of four siblings that day 

It was interesting 

[00:18:04] Justine: nice.

[00:18:05] Taylor: but yeah I don't think I've ever had a bad birthday 

[00:18:09] Justine: really good. Yeah. No, you are surrounded by a very supportive and loving family. So that's wonderful.

[00:18:18] Taylor: Yes Sometimes we want to kill each other but we do love each other at the end of the day 

 I haven't done anything I haven't done anything big in a couple of And I still I don't feel I don't feel the need to I think that's what it is 

[00:18:31] Justine: And that's fine too. I feel like even the very intimate ones. So the ones that the, with people you actually want to be with are the best kinds because it's with people that you, you have a really good time with anyway. So at least there's no drama. Everyone's just there and they're celebrating you so you don't need to have a big one.

[00:18:54] Taylor: was a back to school birthday that always like until I graduated school it was a thing it's just like school starting What do you want for your birthday Oh you're some pencils and notebooks 

[00:19:06] Justine: No,

[00:19:08] Taylor: like practical gifts I'm okay with practical gifts but at the same time you're like okay of getting socks for I love socks I was on the same Well for other people like getting socks and clothing for Christmas requests that I don't understand people that don't like it So I'm just trying to figure out a way to make other people feel about it So yeah.

No I haven't that I it's new day I'm birthday to me thirties thirties or I haven't hit any of those milestones that are your unquote supposed to hit but 

[00:19:46] Justine: what? 

[00:19:47] Taylor: Oh you're supposed to be married or in a 

[00:19:49] Justine: Oh, fuck that.

[00:19:54] Taylor: okay Let's talk about we do have a lot of people in our circles that are there 

[00:19:59] Justine: Yes. Married having kids. Yeah.

[00:20:02] Taylor: That's I and I was like all of the societal goals Cause I was read a couple articles about what people saying what 30 was to them And I wait it's a it's a different thing for everybody You do what You've gotta do You do what you need to do You do what you want to do not on that same path that other people expect you to be on That's okay 

[00:20:25] Justine: Yeah And if, and also if it's something that you don't want, why try to get that? If you don't want to get married, if you don't want to have kids, if you don't wanna have a relationship right now or ever, why are we going to stress ourselves to, to get that

[00:20:45] Taylor: Oh agreed agreed 

[00:20:47] Justine: as long as you're happy and you're doing you, that is the most important thing. 

[00:20:52] Taylor: And you're not hurting other people 

[00:20:54] Justine: Yes. And you're not hurting other people. Well, I mean, 

[00:20:58] Taylor: that is different than hurting 

[00:20:59] Justine: Okay.

[00:21:06] Taylor: just cut this off Yes no you can disappoint people Yes but it's not my fault You had expectations I did try to meet 

[00:21:15] Justine: okay.

[00:21:21] Taylor: All right So guys it's 

[00:21:23] Justine: Awesome 

[00:21:24] Taylor: any last statements or older 30 year old people any advice for me for the next year for the rest of the year

Why is within days that you want to share with me 

[00:21:41] Justine: I mean, I would have, 30 has been the year of me being selfish myself and I am, I am. 

[00:21:49] Taylor: for other people 

[00:21:49] Justine: Huh? 

[00:21:51] Taylor: Sorry I keep going 

[00:21:52] Justine: Okay 

[00:21:54] Taylor: being an asshole 

[00:21:55] Justine: No, I like, yeah. Everything's about me and what I want to do. And I'm enjoying it, working on myself and doing again, doing what I want to do and not caring what other, what family members want me to do and things like that.

And I am really enjoying that. So yeah,

[00:22:17] Taylor: right Thank you I'll be selfish write that down 

[00:22:20] Justine: I think you need to be selfish. I feel like we tell you that all the time.

[00:22:24] Taylor: Yeah Working on it 

[00:22:29] Justine: Amanda. What is your wise words for Taylor?

[00:22:32] Taylor: Hmm you got a 

[00:22:40] Justine: for like how many months 

[00:22:43] Taylor: You got a headstart on me and leave 

[00:22:45] Justine: And that's fine too 

[00:22:50] Taylor: that is fine just hoping that you know some point we'll have an answer you a minute 

[00:22:59] Justine: Maybe in December.

[00:23:02] Taylor: maybe maybe no you guys you for sharing this day with me

[00:23:16] Taylor: Let's move on International literacy day 

[00:23:19] Justine: Great segue

[00:23:23] Taylor: was so subtle They're not even going to notice that I do with it I jumped both feet in on that one 

[00:23:33] Justine: sarcasm. You're joking. Sarcasm is just like, I don't know. Like I prefer your other sarcasm versus this sarcasm.

[00:23:46] Taylor: okay So you're trying to tell me I can't be cheesy 

[00:23:50] Justine: go 

[00:23:51] Taylor: I can't be 

[00:23:52] Justine: I just, I haven't seen you be cheesy. Like your sarcasm is like on another level and cheesiness. I have never seen you be cheesy.

[00:24:06] Taylor: I think I observed cheesy 

[00:24:09] Justine: I don't know Amanda, have you seen her be cheesy?

[00:24:14] Amanda: I don't think so 

[00:24:15] Justine: See,

[00:24:16] Taylor: Now I'm saying here reevaluate myself again 

[00:24:21] Justine: be more cheesy.

[00:24:23] Taylor: be more cheesy presence of Justine and Amanda and Tiffany Cause I'm going to go with she also has never seen me be cheesy before

Okay it That's it I always think I'm playful This is part of learning who I am and also wearing 17 different masks 

[00:24:40] Justine: Yes 

[00:24:41] Taylor: Okay So international literacy day is September 8th are celebrating it today Cause we're going to talk about reading because I like to think that I'm an avid reader devour lover of books what do you go How about you guys What what is your relationship with reading 

[00:25:01] Amanda: much a fan of it I haven't done it often Lately I've definitely fell off I used to be able to read like a whole book in like two days 

[00:25:14] Justine: Damn.

[00:25:14] Amanda: day Oh yeah I was really really big into reading and I could just stay Reading late into the night So I could just finish and be like I need to know how this goes I totally dropped off within the last I wanna say three years or so can't I just

[00:25:36] Taylor: So do you think that has anything to do with in the past few years you were working on your CPA exam Is it because you had to stop reading for pleasure and I'd start reading for purpose again you also went and that's how you were also going back to school I am kind of got eaten away 

[00:25:53] Amanda: Yeah. probably probably I need to get back into it I'm looking towards my right and I'm like have no space for any new books though I 

[00:26:06] Justine: Yeah. But your new place might 

[00:26:08] Taylor: ebook or something like one of those you know 

[00:26:10] Justine: or just go to the library borrow books 

[00:26:13] Taylor: fan Oh that too 

[00:26:16] Amanda: What 

[00:26:17] Justine: You can borrow books from the library.

[00:26:19] Amanda: you know I forget that there's a thing like a library 

[00:26:23] Justine: Oh, 

[00:26:24] Taylor: Let's let's take two seconds to 

[00:26:26] Justine: oh no 

[00:26:26] Taylor: library And since I did go there recently not the newest selection I will say that not the greatest because they are with the New Jersey inter library loan group opens up a lot more doors for you but you have to wait for some of those a couple of books to get with your account do get Kindle and audible 

[00:26:55] Justine: Yeah 

[00:26:55] Taylor: also that might be a way for you to look into it 

[00:26:59] Amanda: Okay I first need to figure out do I have a library card for our town 

[00:27:04] Justine: Oh, then just sign for one. It's really easy.

[00:27:07] Taylor: Yeah stayed in the kids level until shows how much I used it 

[00:27:14] Justine: So I used to read a lot because I would commute into New York. It was definitely a great way to go through books. And that's why I really enjoyed thick books because it's just so satisfying to see your bookmark go through the whole book. And then I'm also laughing at myself whenever I feel a certain emotion towards a scene in the book.

And then you can kind of see it on my face or if I'm physically laughing. Cause sometimes I do actually laugh out loud, reading some of these things. And so I'm, I'm thinking like, oh, it's probably pretty funny to see other people read a book and react to it. When I moved to LA that's when I, switched it over because you don't commute via train, you commute via car and you can't really read.

But I listened to podcasts , but on the weekends I would then go to the cafe and have a coffee date with a book and just kind of go through that. So it would take me longer to read. But it was just nice to do that. I do try to read here. I'm actually going through two books right now at the same time.

Just pick it up. One is more for the commute. One is more for at home and just taking the time to read that. I do enjoy books and actually a guy that I dated back in LA got me the shirt that I really like, it says I have no shelf control, so I do I have I like that shirt a lot.

[00:28:42] Taylor: Oh my God I kind of think I have not either but I've moved away since I got the Kindle I've moved into the electronic books so I take less space up 

[00:28:52] Justine: I know, but 

[00:28:53] Taylor: when I when you cleaned out your house and I just whole shelf worth of books and did not help 

[00:29:02] Justine: I asked you Amanda as well, if you wanted any of my books, but I totally forgot. I'm so sorry. But I mean, are we going to have a debate on, on Kindles and regular books 

[00:29:13] Taylor: was going to ask that question next once you finished your thought say. So what is your preference And then how do you feel about physical books versus readers Because that is that is a huge divider in the reading community and just people who read it it's like no it's better to have the physical book No I can have 10 books on my hand and just of thin tablet kind of like me but what do you guys think I'll give my opinion last 

[00:29:45] Amanda: I don't see a problem with electronic Like what does it matter can have so much more Yeah. Justine's face I know I know It's like can have so much more space Like literally I have nothing granted I've never actually done it before so I don't know Maybe I won't like it just because there could also be it's sorta similar to my phone sometimes I'll have a thing where like I'll touch like the screen and it'll just be like flipping to something else I'm like what the fuck just happened So yeah Okay I could get annoyed very easily with that but like I said I've never I've never had one so I don't know sensitive is it 

[00:30:32] Taylor: okay. 

[00:30:34] Justine: Okay So pros to having a Kindle or those electronic ones. Yes. You can have multiple books on there. It's very lightweight and you can take it anywhere. And especially if you're traveling a lot, you don't have to worry about, oh no, I'm over two pounds, et cetera, because I have to have to get rid of some books, you know?

But I prefer having the physical book because again, I do like to see my bookmark go through the whole book. And it's just really satisfying. And I know some people just like the experience of flipping the page or even the smell of the books. Like I said, I like thick books, so having a small purse and a thick book does not help.

And it really sucks that that's where I'm just like, oh, I wish you were thinner or I wish you were smaller because you're taking up too much space, but I definitely do prefer having a physical book to go through. And yeah. I have been worried about the shelf because moving from one place to another. You do have to part with some of your books, you can't take everything with you, then it's like, okay, support your local library and go through and pick up a book. And like Taylor said, there is that interlibrary exchange. You do have to wait, two to four days for it, but you can still get the book that you want, or you might have to wait a little bit and things like that.

So actually, when I was in Pasadena, I did borrow from the library very often. So that was really nice, but also I do love, I love seeing the free libraries around there's actually one near me here and it's just nice to walk down the neighborhood, and then you see what books are available, and then you can also, leave one there.

So that's a cute exchange too, but yeah, I just, I really enjoy that. And there was one also in LA, or actually there was two near me in LA, so it was just nice to, to be able to peek through and see what people leave there. So I prefer in short, I prefer the actual book, physical book.

[00:32:38] Taylor: got that you got the end in short we understood 

[00:32:43] Justine: Perfect 

[00:32:44] Taylor: I have I have an equal relationship with both I got a Kindle at the start of COVID because 

[00:32:52] Justine: Okay 

[00:32:53] Taylor: I didn't feel safe going out I didn't want to go to the library any of that I didn't want to do And I was like I need to stop just buying so many books at one shot because I I read in seasons for different genres and I was like okay I spent $70 this month on books I need to not do that right now 

[00:33:13] Justine: Okay 

[00:33:13] Taylor: I need to space out that how can I get the most bang for my buck. So then I got a Kindle is a good investment. I didn't want to get an iPad because that's what people had been telling me They were like just get an iPad dah dah I don't want all the other stuff that goes with the iPad I was like I just want a Kindle So I got the Kindle fire it does pretty much the same thing as an iPad just the Amazon version and it's cheaper I was like okay so am I gonna get an audible membership Am I just going to get the Kindle unlimited I got the Kindle unlimited where you can a library of up to 10 books at one time it works for those on the go moments because if I have just left it in my bag as long as I have wifi access I can change out books I can do whatever I want in that time I feel like with books if I forget I forget I've gone And then I'll be sitting somewhere Like I'll be in the car If I don't have a book in the car I'm just sitting somewhere waiting and there's nothing to do But with my Kindle I was like okay I can open up I can pick up where it is And then also with getting the it was like a self promotion for Amazon's Kindle right now Like they need any more money but with the the Kindle app I've got it on my phone I can any computer anywhere and just read the books that I have out from there you I spending like I think I spent 10 a month for the membership which is I get the same thing out of it that I'm getting with my Disney plus membership and all of that stuff up except this is reading So I'm like I'm Okay. with this But at the same time Justine, I'm also on your team because when I get those intense feelings about things I'm reading can't throw my Kindle across the room The way I can throw a book 

[00:34:58] Justine: You actually book.

[00:35:01] Taylor: I have such visceral feelings about I'm in reading mode I am in there. If I'm walking around the house with a book or my Kindle I can be muttering to myself and be like oh my God you're such an idiot I can have feel like second hand Like there's certain times with characters I'm feeling secondhand shame And I just slammed the book down I was like I can't do this right now I need to come back to you later because you're about to do you're about to be made such a fool or you're going to do something so stupid I'm like I can't do it I need to go away from you right now I'll talk to you later And then I'm like I'll put it down Like love that Like you said moving moving your 

[00:35:40] Justine: Bookmark 

[00:35:42] Taylor: one 

the other It's so satisfying Being able to physically see your progress like you said with those thick books like the smaller books that are like 300 400 books sort 

[00:35:51] Justine: Yeah 

[00:35:52] Taylor: that's fine those I have no problem with on the Kindle but Lord of the rings book because that took me so long to kept restarting that book and just going through it and be like no no no I need to start at the beginning again I put it down away I came back like a year later I was like okay I'm going to finish this That was the most satisfying book to finish in my life Because it was all three books in it And just going so far from one side to the other I love being able to see it And then also just being able to just pick it back up and be like huh like when you finished a book and it's been years when you go back to it you still have that is like if you've bought it you still have the physical book buy that Okay I'm going to read this one again you've got a series It like it feels nice to have books on a shelf too 

[00:36:40] Justine: And I feel like each has a specific memory tied to it And you're just, once you pick that up and you're like, oh, I remember this and this and this. And you're just like, oh my gosh. So that's such a nice memory. We're so emotionally connected to 

it 

[00:36:57] Amanda: with that sure There's so many books here I have not I I won't give away just because you 

[00:37:03] Justine: yeah. See, when I cleaning out my books in Jersey, I'm like, I have to bring the Nightingale and I have to bring the orphans tale. Cause those are my favorite books. The rest of them, like the Shakespeare collections, I mean one that's too massive, but two, you can get it anywhere, you know?

And it's just like, but yeah, I didn't want to let 

[00:37:22] Taylor: did 

[00:37:23] Justine: go of those two. I know. I'm happy. You did. I'm happy you did 

[00:37:26] Taylor: one 

[00:37:27] Justine: That's fine. I'm happy you took it.

[00:37:38] Taylor: Yeah Okay So Justine said those are your two favorite books right 

[00:37:42] Justine: Yeah, 

[00:37:43] Taylor: Ever 

[00:37:44] Justine: yes.

[00:37:45] Taylor: Okay Amanda are your two favorite books Well what are your favorite books And you can have them 

[00:37:51] Amanda: Yeah I do actually So damn I'm like looking at it I'm like I like that one but I liked that one too

Oh okay Wait give me a sec here Okay Okay Okay I'll let you think Yeah always been a fan of Harry Potter I'm not put that in there just because who doesn't love Harry Potter but actually don't but that's all they have things going on Let's say they have some things going on in their lives so okay This might be weird but one of my favorites the complete tales and poems of Edgar Allen Poe. 

[00:38:31] Taylor: How was that weird 

[00:38:32] Amanda: I don't know Some people might think it's weird 

[00:38:35] Justine: I haven't read it all yet, but I have the Fall of the House of Usher and Other and other by aEdgar Allen Poe.. but I don't know if I don't have to. I don't think it's the complete one, but I do have a book.

[00:38:49] Taylor: the only Edgar Allen Poe book story I ever read was the Raven. Yeah With McLean for creative writing time I ever did Edgar Allen Poe yeah Cause like he's an American writer right Yeah one of the American writers I was never not that I wasn't exposed to him I never had interest in his writing 

[00:39:15] Justine: mm.

[00:39:16] Amanda: I mean, he was an odd dude though So you know have you met me no I'm talking like he was interested in his cousin type odd dude 

[00:39:27] Justine: I mean back in the day, everyone's interested in their cousins.

[00:39:32] Taylor: As long Yeah That's the look at most of the Royal families yeah 

[00:39:38] Justine: Yeah, Taylor, what's your favorite book?

[00:39:41] Taylor: okay. So The fourth Harry Potter book is my favorite favorite I've read that the most times the Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling . Middlesex

by Jeffrey Eugenides And I love him He's he's the guy who did the Virgin suicides Did you guys ever see that movie He wrote the books Okay So he wrote the book the Virgin suicide and I had never I saw the movie but I was like okay whatever But then his book when we were in high school he came out with Middlesex and my mom saw it because it was an Oprah's book club book And she was like this looks like something you'd be interested in It tells the story of Cal So Cola Cal started out as Calliope Calliope was a hermaphrodite So we're going back to Edgar Allen Poe and the cousins So you find out that she was born intersex because her grandparents were first cousins but they came from Greece and war-torn Greece they had to act like they met each other It was like they were already always in love with each other They acted like they met each other on the boat coming over from Greece to the United States because nobody would know that they All of this stuff Like find out some wild things about her And since she was a hermaphrodite her parents and it was like the fifties when this happened her parents have her male parts removed because she's sterile Anyway They're like they might as have a daughter because They thought they were having a daughter whatever She finds out that she is not a woman and changes her cuts her hair changes her name to Cal She's always felt different then it's just her whole journey through this Her she refers to her bro little brother through the whole thing as chapter 11 because he files for bankruptcy 

there's you never find out the name of the brother Like there's so much wild stuff that happens like her life because she's just like hitchhiking across the country and from her Greek background and all of this stuff And then Calliope changes then it's all of a sudden it's him It's Cal Like it was very it was really interesting I wrote a book report on this at some point I do remember this I was like 15 or 16 a really good book And then I went through all of his other books He's a professor at Princeton university or their English department Very like you said Edgar Allen Poe is strange He's very he's a very unique individual 

so the whole purpose of international literacy day is to promote literacy because we are very fortunate that we live in a culture or society where we have access to reading education and everything 

What role do you think reading has played in your life overall 

[00:42:50] Amanda: Well I would say when I was younger even sometimes now reading was very much an escape just to put everything behind into some new worlds and just absorb myself into that just because I didn't want to deal with whatever was happening or it became too much think about So yeah how reading definitely played a role

[00:43:18] Justine: I think more recently though, acknowledging reading and stuff. It has helped me with reading out loud because I know that when I read out loud, I stumble and I read slower. For some reason, I don't know why, but just reading has helped me become better. At reading out loud and not stumbling as much.

So I'd say that has helped.

[00:43:49] Taylor: That's different Awesome for me like Amanda reading has been an escape but also reading has been a communal thing for me So growing up we did family reading where you read a book with a family member And then way my my family read Harry Potter all at the same time second through seventh books we read them okay Friday afternoon at visor with work school whatever we're going to sit we're going to go through like the next six chapters together out loud at home So a different person would read through each chapter Like I could remember a spoiler for anybody who hasn't read six books by now can remember my sister was reading the chapter where Dumbledore dies and the tears coming down her face 

[00:44:40] Justine: Oh 

[00:44:42] Taylor: and she had to push through and read it out loud for 

[00:44:44] Justine: Oh 

[00:44:47] Taylor: I told you guys strong emotions and reading with me Cause that I was like well when that book came out we were 13 or 14 but I'm used to reading being a together that's why I read a book I got to I have to share it with someone else I haven't done I tried doing a book club for the first time this year and we failed at it we're going to try again But like if I read something good I need to share it with everybody But like have you read this book No you need to so I can discuss it with you 

 So I want to know, I know in my family reading for fun was always was introduced to me from did your parents introduced the two that way or at home there Like a conversation about reading When I was like Hey you should read or something like that or hear books you should read 

[00:45:32] Justine: No reading was not in my life at all. As a childhood, it wasn't encouraged it wasn't, I don't even think it was a punishment. They definitely did not bring that up. The first time I remember actually picking up a book and reading it and then wanting to buy it was, in a Kmart with my I think, no, it was Marshall's as per usual, because my aunts love to shop there But I actually picked up a Harry Potter book. Not no, and at this time it was it, the movies didn't come out. It wasn't very popular, but it was in one of those large bins, like close to the the register machines, you know, just looking, looking at things before you, you go on pay. And so I think we were waiting in line and I picked it up and I started reading and I was like, wow, this is actually something seems to be very interesting about it.

And it was actually Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban. So I started off with book three verses one and two 

[00:46:31] Taylor: Okay 

[00:46:31] Justine: knowing, not knowing it was part of a series. So, so yeah, that's, that's how my reading experience started. And I don't remember how old I was, but I would say a little bit before teens, definitely before teens actually.

[00:46:46] Taylor: So did you ever get like books as gifts or anything or no 

[00:46:52] Justine: not at dolls, clothes, shoes. What else? Games? Maybe when we asked for it, but definitely not book 

[00:47:02] Taylor: that's interesting Manda Banda 

[00:47:05] Amanda: I'm trying to Remember 

in all honesty like I don't remember how It per se Like know growing up my bedroom used to be what we call it the playroom and it was filled with all our crap like our toys and things And there was like there was this corner I remember it right here there was a bookshelf and it was filled with all books for all different reading levels because I'm pretty sure we took some of like our older cousins books and like then obviously from when we were little and like I said so I mentioned you know I used reading as an escape and I think I just always had a book. with me growing up it was my siblings and my cousins and we were all pretty much the same age I didn't really feel like close to them Like they like we just didn't get each other in a sense So I kind of whenever we would have to like not have to but like you know when we were all together I would feel like the tag along to like my my I was like my siblings tablet tag along So like the group Hangouts or whatever So I was just reading I was just always reading And my parents always encouraged it back to say when Barnes Noble's first opened I was like the best thing of our out I always wanted to be in there My my mom had to be like no no no no no no expensive Hold on just once every once in a while and not all the time but Yeah. no it's just I feel like it was always there Like I don't know pinpoint a specific time when I started reading It was just there 

[00:48:38] Taylor: good That's good So I'm assuming Amanda you were one of those kids that were like okay mom you can just drop me off at Barnes and Nobles and pick me up I'll just go sit and read No you weren't 

[00:48:53] Amanda: She would Like I would go up and down aisles and I would look at the books and she'd be the ones who just be like oh are you done yet Have you found a book like but I would be But that out had like a stack hash was like no no no no no pick like two or three now stack then she would make note of what book I was in Like and usually for my birthday I would get like the other book that she wouldn't let me get 

[00:49:20] Taylor: That's cute That's that's a good memory though Thinking about Barnes and noble that was the place to be really was 

[00:49:27] Justine: Yeah,

[00:49:28] Taylor: like even like if you had to wait for a movie or something like that was like a just drop me off at Brendan 

[00:49:33] Justine: Yeah It's a 

hangout 

[00:49:35] Taylor: next door I can hang out there like that That was a good part of childhood Just being able to out there it's like and noble even though it looks nothing like that on the inside now No like 

[00:49:48] Justine: yeah 

[00:49:49] Taylor: totally changed Like it was a it was a bookstore when we went to it as kids Now it's like with books and a Kindle section

[00:50:00] Amanda: Yeah the same one time I went I noticed like a little mini section It's called blind date with the book and it's 

covered up And it's like a little sticker that tells you like little random things like oh boy meets girl Or you know stupid I think I saw one that was like oh Harry Potter for adults And I was like do I get this Do I not I didn't but I probably should have 

[00:50:25] Justine: That's cute I a cute idea 

[00:50:28] Amanda: No it's wrapped up in brown paper So you don't know what it is with 

[00:50:33] Justine: I think library do that if they don't do that already. I think that's a cute idea 

[00:50:40] Taylor: oh yeah that's a good idea Maybe I'll maybe I'll swing by Barnes and noble one day this week and just 

[00:50:45] Justine: Shall we 

[00:50:45] Taylor: go 

[00:50:45] Justine: go, shall we go to Barnes and noble center hangout?

[00:50:52] Amanda: I saw online I think it was like a meme I wasn't like a legit thing but it seemed like a good idea how you know you could do like date night at Barnes and Nobles and they would like feed you type of thing And you would just read a book with your significant other And it's like mean you don't have to have a significant other You could just do it as a group of friends or 

[00:51:10] Justine: I like that idea 

[00:51:12] Amanda: so do I and it's like someone needs to do this 

[00:51:15] Justine: Yeah. But actually one of my dates I invited him out to, to, I was having coffee and reading a book as I usually do on the weekends. I was like, you can join me if you want to. And we legit just, you know, sat there and read our books for a bit. Granted, he was a bit chatty and he would talk a little bit and such, but you know, we'd go back to our books, read a few and then chat some more.

[00:51:38] Taylor: a good idea Yeah So we need to find somebody who owns a book And be like look here's a local restaurant Here's what you do You set it up and be like okay course meal but it's like a pre-fixed dinner day thing It's not like you can really order many things 

then do it that way I think that would be the most cost-effective

somebody out there in the atmosphere get on that Cause I know we're not gonna 

[00:52:10] Justine: a coffee shop. I mean, you do have, you can have breakfast items 

Yeah. 

[00:52:16] Taylor: Okay so for me like like Amanda reading was always there I was read to as a child before that was my bedtime thing

To me or she'd start a book do that And I don't know when she I can't remember when she stopped but I feel like she should have gone on much longer than she did but that's just my own personal selfishness now as an adult 

[00:52:40] Justine: Okay 

[00:52:41] Taylor: But yeah yeah I don't not know a land of books because people I was always reading Other people were always reading Like my grandmother did a lot of reading her Bible and like she was the first purse first and only person I've ever seen when she read her Bible She also had like two other books open which I found out after a while one was a Bible dictionary 

 And then my mom was always reading 

[00:53:08] Justine: Okay 

[00:53:08] Taylor: My mom definitely introduced me into reading for fun And that's why I read a lot of books other people weren't reading So like that list of the hundred best novels that you're supposed to read I think I've read like outside of school I've read like five of them 

[00:53:33] Taylor: so with this list of top 100 books say I say like of them I think I've read And of those No I think seven nine did it on my own And the rest of them were for school The majority of 

[00:53:52] Justine: Okay 

[00:53:52] Taylor: classic books ever were written people that don't look like us. The Bronte sisters wrote at a time where women weren't supposed to be authors also they were writing very middle-class Regency era type things And they're classic books that in my opinion I don't understand while they're still classics but they have also inspired other people to write So I guess that has something to do with it But 

do you guys think there are other books that should be added to this list of top 100 books out of things you have personally read 

[00:54:34] Justine: well, things that I've personally read. Probably not because it's very like one specific genres. 

[00:54:42] Taylor: Yeah 

[00:54:44] Justine: It just gets boring, not necessarily boring, but like they're the same 

[00:54:49] Taylor: Okay so I guess I should have asked that question first since we've been bouncing around our topics like is your favorite genre to read Justine 

[00:54:56] Justine: Okay. My favorite genre is historical fiction, but specifically during the Holocaust. So most of them obviously have the same premise. Most of them have very similar endings, which I also don't like happy endings. And I mean, 

[00:55:15] Taylor: are what I 

[00:55:15] Justine: Yeah. And then there's some stories where it does talk about the people who actually help and hide the Jews, but most of them are about Jews trying to survive the Holocaust. And then I tried to go into the non fiction out route and just with like historical fact type of books, which is very hard to read a small, yeah. 

[00:55:44] Taylor: What book brought you into reading those specific genre because that is a very specific genre to read 

[00:55:51] Justine: I don't remember what book got me into that, genre, but I remember that. I remember learning about the Holocaust in elementary school and then us going on a school trip to visit Holocaust survivors. And that w that's what got me really interested in that specific timeframe or historical event.

But yeah, don't, I really don't remember what was the first book that I picked up with that was specifically on on that spoke, but that's what got me interested in that historical event.

[00:56:28] Taylor: Amanda what about you What's your 

[00:56:31] Amanda: my my area I'd say fantasy sci-fi adventure type books 

[00:56:36] Justine: Yeah 

[00:56:37] Amanda: what I prefer that's That's why it was very very difficult to we had those assigned readings and school because it was none of that all that bullshit that I never enjoyed 

[00:56:53] Taylor: Okay So I go through seasons reading and now I am back on Sci-fi with Amanda but prior to this and I really had I never thought I would do this I was reading romance fiction and like romantic era I was reading romance novels because it was like 

[00:57:15] Justine: interesting.

[00:57:16] Taylor: yeah it of the books I picked up with the it was cause I got the Kindle and I was like okay I'm going to go through the free stuff And I saw that I was okay just started a thing of me just reading a bunch of them And then I was like I can't believe I sat here And I read this cause my brain I was like I feel I felt like grace my name was Gracie Lou free Bush miss congeniality My IQ just dropped 10 points reading this book I read It It was like nothing of substance or anything it was a good story And I laughed through part of it and I kept going through them and I was like am I still reading this genre And I can't get I can't get myself off of it But like I re I read and season So before that I was reading like self I guess self-help books is what he would call it kind of it was I read the year of yes by Shonda Rhimes I read I guess the word a lot of it was non-fiction through so that was doing like that I read we got casinos by I got by one of the comedians like I was going through a bunch of just non-fiction kind of self-help realizing yourself thing And then before that just fiction CII and fantasy and law fiction And I loved John Grisham I was going through that I read in cycles So right now I'm back on Sci-Fi and I think I'm going back to law afterwards also that's just me So back to Amanda's statement that it was a bunch of bull that we had to read in school Do you think any of those books that you were forced to read have had any sort of impact on your life moving forward 

[00:59:03] Amanda: One book I would say to kill a Mockingbird that one really I really enjoyed that one just because of its accuracy probably just it felt more real than any other book that we were forced to read but everything else was just so hard to get through Jesus Christ It really was 

[00:59:25] Taylor: Do you think they should still be teaching those classes those those books in classes or should they update to 

[00:59:31] Amanda: update needs update Cause I'm sorry but today's world you need to put more of all you need more diversity It was old white people who read that shit I wrote that shit get some like Asian people get some black some Hispanics get some Indians get some Indian native American apologies you know get some other stuff in there But those those authors of those races have books out there that are that could probably be classics as well So I think we need to broaden our horizons I think you also to get people more interested in reading in general make it more relevant Don't stop putting books on there that were made in like the 1800s get a book that was about someone who grew up in like 

the 

ghettos of like 

who grew up in like there's I know there's books out there about people who had the gang life who grew up Homeless it doesn't have to be non-fiction it could be fiction but it's still something that someone could relate to 

[01:00:43] Taylor: I agree I definitely agree with her because of the issues with schools now I see it I see it in my school and that kids don't read and in just they don't read for fun because it's not something that is encouraged or anything Plus it's hard to read those books unless it's a fun thing So like when they find a book that is relevant and interesting they love the discussions or else they're really quiet because they're like I didn't I know that when we were in school I felt like if I didn't like the book if I didn't feel one way or another about a book I didn't want to participate But like if I hated the book I wanted to voice my opinion and be like they're idiots This this is 

really it How about you Justine? 

[01:01:34] Justine: So in, college I took a creative writing class and we had to read graphic novels, which I think it was really cool because I would've, I wouldn't have looked into that anyway.

So the two novels that we read were, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and it says that it paints an unforgettable portrait of the daily life in Iran. And the bewildering contradictions between home and life and public life.

 The other one is Maus, and hopefully I'm pronouncing that correctly and that's from Art Spiegelman. And that one is about a Jewish survivor in Hitler's Europe and his son, a cartoonist coming to terms with his father's story.

So he's exploring his father's story, which is really interesting. And maybe that's probably one of the reasons why I got into that specific genre with reading as well. But those two graphic novels, being introduced to that, I think it was really interesting to see and to read that because, we have these certain visuals that come up, when we're reading a book because the author paints this picture with their words, but with the graphic novels, you're following it.

And there's not as much detail from a regular book because you obviously have those the the graphics to follow with it. So I think for me, even though it was super life-changing, it was just it was just really interesting to be introduced to that type of story or genre

[01:03:13] Taylor: so has that sparked your entrance I know that you're very into your Holocaust fiction but has that an interest into looking at the other graphic novels 

[01:03:25] Justine: Aye. Yes. For a brief moment. I was also trying to find, I remember looking into graphic novels and I remember finding out the, the biggest graphic novel that there was, and I wanted to purchase it, but I don't, they didn't have it at Barnes and noble, so I ended up not getting it. And that was the short time span of my interest in graphic novel.

But I would recommend both of those books, honestly. I think they were really good to read.

[01:03:59] Taylor: So I think that the two stories I read

in school that stuck with me were 1984 So kind of like Amanda with to kill a Mockingbird to be I think like we're living in 1984 with big brother and everything Like all of that And people just looking at each other like God he's one of those he's a Democrat She's a Republican Oh my God End of the world's conservatives liberals Ah tell everybody tell everybody on everybody and with cancel culture and everything in my head I was like we are living 1984 you can mess up your whole family by just putting out Well my uncle said this way back in 1972 this is the end of his life Now Like that one I think stuck with me and it was

a Midsummer night's dream 

[01:04:53] Justine: oh 

[01:04:55] Taylor: I love that that play And I don't know why I know Puck just was fun the whole time and I really liked it Like I I I stopped and thought about all the things I had to read in college I read a lot of stuff that I was like ah why am I reading it And then the whole romance era the second year I think it was I read a lot of romantic era which is different than reading romance novels for most people who don't know that there is a difference as like your Mary Shelley Frankenstein your Madame Bovary not Madame Bovary Yeah no no Madame Bovary and sorrows of young worth there I could with the exception of Frankenstein I will never look at those books again I will never recommend them to other people.

[01:05:55] Taylor: This has been quite an interesting conversation about everything today, from my birthday to world literacy day and everything that we have gotten out of reading. My final question. What are your final thoughts on literacy and what we can do? 

[01:06:11] Amanda: I would definitely say go out there and find your genre. It's I don't know, to some people it's like super boring and so many words oh my God. Find that book that just transports you elsewhere. You just let everything fall away. There's no worries.

It's great. It's so relaxing. 

It's incredibly important. It's being able just to have the access bur we're so lucky to live in the world that we yeah. In a first world country, especially just because it's always there. It's always available. Public libraries are pretty much free. You can go and you can access any type of book that you want. And it's a privilege really. And I think more of us need to start taking advantage of that. Yeah, I'd definitely recommend everyone going out, reading sharing what you're reading, 

yeah. 

[01:06:59] Justine: I completely agree with Amanda, go out and read. That was , The main thing that I was thinking. And once you said I was like, no, we're on the same page. So, yeah. Yeah. and definitely find your genre. And we talked about different types of books that you can read too. If you don't like too many words, you've got mangas, you've got graphic novels. And if you don't want to, read it, you can listen to it with audio books. There's just so many options. And there's also poetry. I haven't really gotten into because I think that's so very. 

The way that people analyze it is just, is intimidating to me because it's I'm not getting what you're getting out of poetry, but but yes. So find the genre that you like and share it with people. I think it's great to share some stories with people. Actually I feel like that's one way, in the free library. So you have obviously your library in your town, but there's also people who do free libraries that are literally outside of their homes and they put up this cute little like box where. 

People can put in. Books and you can take books for free. So that's a great way of sharing books. And if there's a book that impacted you. Share it with another person as well. And that way they can they can read that. Definitely try it. It's a lot of fun. So with any type of reading, I do like to listen to music with it. And so I love to listen to classical music or even jazz. And I think. 

It puts, I know some people don't like this, but like it puts me in the zone even more and it helps move the story and it helps put in more emotion. into the story as well. So I like to do that whenever I read a book and sometimes it does distract me. I did text Taylor this morning. Yeah. I was like, I'm listening to, classical music. And this song is just like beautiful. And I can't concentrate on what I'm actually reading because this music is just, Ugh, I can't it's beautiful. But most of the times I can concentrate on it.

[01:08:57] Taylor: Yeah. And there's different types of reading for everybody. So like Justine said, reading with music, reading, you don't even have to like, make yourself read a whole book in one sitting, you can time it, you can do timed reading. Like I tend to do that cause Get stuck for hours. If I don't do that, you set yourself a little alarm and be like, okay, you take 15 minute break from the book and rejoin society a little bit, making sure that, everything still works, move and get around and then jump back into the story. Yeah, I take every opportunity you have to read. That is really, it just, it's hard to get into it. 

at first, but like Amanda said, when you find your genre. . You can 

run away with it. And even, I know this is different. If you like to write your own stories, write your stories and share them with each other. 

[01:09:49] Justine: Yes, Definitely.

[01:09:51] Taylor: Somebody on here said she wrote 14 chapters something, and we never knew. 

[01:09:55] Justine: Yes. 

I put it on fiction, press. And then I never did anything with it.

[01:10:01] Taylor: There you go. Yeah. If you like to write, go on fiction, press, go on ink, go on what pad there's a whole bunch of different online options, share stuff in the world. We can never have enough authors. If you think yourself as bad, try again. And that's the thing you have to keep going at it. You have to keep going at it. in reading and you have to go at it in writing.

Also, the more you do the better your stuff. Thank you guys for joining us. 

 Thanks for Thanks to United a F with us. 

[01:10:37] Justine: If you enjoy today's episode, please like comment and share our conversation with your friends and family on our social media pages.

[01:10:45] Amanda: Join us next time for us. The evolution I'm done, duh. 

[01:10:50] Justine: But we use that for something else or Annie,

[01:10:53] Track 2: Oh, okay. Okay. Okay. 

[01:10:56] Justine: what is an evolution?

[01:10:58] Track 2: you want to start a revolution? What. That's the

Beatles.

Yeah. No. All right. I'll listen to the Beatles.

We'll discuss this next time.