Ten thousand hours

Does it really take 10 thousand hours of practice to become a good reader or writer?

The definition of "mastery" is 10,000 hours. You can certainly become good at something before that. Although by that logic and definition, most 18 year olds in the US today are masters at video games.

I'd say that there are different readers and writers, painters and politicians, roofers and cement masons, and that anybody who actually believes some catchall rule about an artistic endeavor is full of shit.

I don't know about being a "good reader," but I'd say it takes that much to develop a sophisticated sense of literature. Doesn't matter how many books 10,000 hours is, as long as the reading is close and not just skimming. Reader no (quality/diversity not quantity), but writer yes if /lit/'s output is anything to go by. I have probably spent 10,000 hours reading. Since i was a kid my mom had me reading anything i can get my hands on and forced me to join the library and to borrow 2 books every time i exchanged the old ones.

People are different. They have different brains that are good for different things. The amount of practice required to reach full potential differs from person to person. Sentence structure written across the Internet, Blogs, Forums, and comments is no accurate reflection of one understanding of literature or other academic fields he/she may have studied. I imagine very few people proofread their posts let alone write them in a formal manner. Personally I couldn't care less for one need to inform us about his/her erudition. I never understood why so many people have to provide useless information on Internet.

One thing that is absolutely true is that if you want to be good at something you need to practice. There might be people that write amazing stories the first time they write but that is only because they got lucky and happened to write in a style that happened to appeal to others. So either practice or pray to god you where born with amazing taste.

You write a book. It gets published. It gets decent reviews. People come up to you and tell you they like your book. You can buy some food with money earned from your book. You are a good author.

For those who casually bragging about an intuitive understanding of plot, not prose. One could have checked out dozens and dozens of trashy pulp novels. Plot is not nearly as difficult to comprehend as prose is. 

Discovering my old blogger account

http://ocal88.blogspot.com/

I just googled some random nonsense and Out of nowhere, I stumbled on my old doodles...

Wonder if I should leave it be or pimp it out.

Failsafe notice.

I have no intention to close this blog yet.

If I am not updating my blog within 15 (fifteen) days something has happen to me.

Either I couldn't find internet connection or I am no longer around.

I'll just stick with my own style, being deep is tiring.

50th post. Wow, just when I was starting a bit pessimistic apparently I did reach the golden line.

I hope it is understandable when I say I feel overwhelmed by the series of events happening in this week. I feel like I am doing too much, yet nothing gets done. I have been listening to some old music again (just 90s music in general, but its kinda sound old now) and I have busy myself with paying the bills and fees for the house. Neither are therapeutic nor anywhere fun. Have I been very moody? No, certainly cannot count on that. Maybe having a lot things going on my mind that cause my lack of empathy for the Haiti problem (though without making senseless ruckus here, I'd say those Haitian people get their help mad easy). Fun comes in the form of something a lot more exciting lately (with a lot more expense than I can imagine) but by this weekend I will have another spot blank on my lover book. I guess it's better getting sucked up into somebody else's romantic mind games.

About getting back on track. My focus and energy should be on my personal fitness and health this year. When the school starts I will try finding some time between gym time for cardio exercise again, to conflicting classes and work. Well I just hope I dont get burn out and get sick instead. I only know a few approaches to see what works best (by reading solely from last year magazine). I am not afraid to fail during the process, only what usually happen is that I get bored myself; I hate it when that happens! The spanish language I am so excited to learn still takes its break-- I hope that it is still in my best interest. Glad, at least I already got through to half of the first chapter. And, gotta remind myself to check in with my programme again in February.