Trawling & Types of Reading

8,000 words later - at least 1,000 more then I can have and 4,000 more than what makes this a viable work. My blogging silence has involved words in other spaces. This is good. The truth is writing the paper now would involve a different set of ideas - one that centres on its relevance. But I will honour that 1st year self. There is enormous self-doubt. But this I can deal with through deciding what to do and doing it. I can also carry on 'as if'. So - its manageable. This is trawling. 


I now need to re & reread and neaten. My hair is combed. Tame. The wild profusion has been ordered. Now - what I need is to beautify. Or perhaps a less gendered concept. I need to focus my argument and contextualise it more clearly. I need to establish the link between my statements and evidence. I also need to signal what is original and specific. This work - needs to be published. Its symbolic. The trawling is the identifying what I can discard - may be to use at a later stage. And what I need to cherish. To rephrase and capture. 


The reading - I want to think through the types of reading I need to do. I note that sentence - 'fast food for the mind'. This is not what I want. I want wholesome sumptuous vegetarian meals, spicy and hot. Delicious reading that leaves me hungry and fulfilled. 


1)    reading that is geared to supporting, clarifying, shaping a specific piece of writing at any stage. Opening the area, closing a discussion, checking, refuting. That sort of thing. It is reading that has an end, an object in mind and is read with an audience and writing for an audience in mind. Reading for the sake of writing for an audience. 


2) reading that is geared to teaching. This may include preparation for a particular session or module. It may include reading around a subject. It may include at attempt to think about ways of developing the programme. Reading as paid work.  


3) reading that is based only on interest. Curiosity. This may become reading 1 at a later stage but does not start here and does not have this as an intention. This feels like its the most important part of reading. But is is the easiest to place to one side. But this is the type I mush engender. Curiosity. Cross fertilisation. Openness and genuine scholarship. Authentic reading. Reading to feed my curiosity: that leaves my hungry and fulfilled.