A Book a Day Will Keep the Doctor Away...

Okay, well maybe it won't, but reading is something that is very healthy for the mind. I have loved to read every since I was young. My mom used to read to me every night before I went to sleep and it was one of the things I looked forward to every day. I think this is where my love for reading came from. There is something about reading a good book that makes me feel good inside. I think this is because I get to escape from my real life into adventures that most people never go on and couldn't even imagine.

There is no Frigate like a Book
To take us Lands away,
Nor any Coursers like a Page
Of prancing Poetry.
~ Emily Dickinson ~

The next item on my bucket list is reading Newsweek's Top 100 Books. I actually would only like to read the books of fiction on the list (minus the Shakespeare). It's not that it wouldn't be good for me to read the nonfiction, but I want this to be enjoyable when I have free time. I have read some of the books on the list already, so I think I would like to add a few more, such as: The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, The Chronicles of Narnia (all of them not just

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) by C.S. Lewis, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake. I will probably add more as the years go by and more books come to my attention.

I think reading these books will not only expand my horizons, but also shape me as a person. If these books are considered the best of all time, they must have something in common. I think that one thing is humanity. Most good books I find are loved because they explain the human experience in a profound, yet simple way.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

"Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go"- John Denver

I have had this song stuck in my head all day. I guess it's better than Lady Gaga, which is what usually happens. Anyhow, it got me thinking about traveling. I realized that I have never been out of the country (except for Canada and that doesn't count!). I think it is important to go to a different country just to experience a culture completely different from your own. I know there are several different cultures in America, but most of them are somewhat similar. I want a completely unique experience in a different country.

So, if you haven't guessed, the next item on my bucket list is traveling to another country that isn't Canada. I'm not really even sure what country I would like to go to. There are so many different ones that look amazing.

The countries in Europe that are possibilities are Ireland, France, and Spain. The one that I would like to visit the most is Ireland. It has the most beautiful landscapes (at least from the pictures I have seen). My friend Alexa has been there and told me that it was absolutely gorgeous (she had pictures to prove it). Another aspect about Ireland I would like is the pubs. I have been in an Irish Pub in the United States before and loved it. I have heard the pubs in Ireland are even cooler. They are noisy, lively, and usually have some form of live music. I think the Irish culture would just be a fun one to immerse yourself in.

Another country I would like to visit is Israel. I am a Christian, so I think it would be really amazing to walk where Jesus walked and taught. Also, there are so many different religions that all merge in Israel. Therefore, there are many different cultures there too.

Lastly, I think Egypt would be pretty cool to go to also. There is so much visible history there including the pyramids and Mount Sinai (where Moses got the 10 Commandments from God. I find the pyramids so fascinating because they were built purely from the hands of people and they are so large; it doesn't seem possible.

I have many options as to where I would like to go. The only thing that would be stopping me is money. It would be so expensive to go to any of these places. Hopefully I will be able to go sometime before I die though!