Top Ten Tuesday - The good stuff about Bloggin' and Readin'

This week the ladies' at The Broke and the Bookish instructions are to expound upon the top ten reasons I love being a blogger/reader.  My list will have a little of both. 

BLOGGING

1) Being exposed to all the great blogs out there.

I guess you don't have to be a blogger to appreciate all the great book centric blogs out there but I feel so much more connected and aware of them by being somewhat apart of the community.  It's so much fun to see all the different thoughts and opinions about various books as well as all the writing and review styles.  

2) The exercise for the old noggin.

The blog forces me to exercise my writing and think a little more deeply about the books I read.  In fact doing these lists have been great exercise for the brain and forced me to reflect and think about books I haven't thought about in years.

3) The Connections 

I'm not real good at "selling" my blog but after a little over a year of blogging I have a few fellow bloggers that I enjoy reading and discussing things with.   It is definitely the most rewarding part of blogging.

4) Sharing the love for books that I don't think get enough of it.

There are a few books out there that I think everyone would be happier having read.  I love evangelizing for these books.  If even one new person discovers these books because of me, that is just awesome.  

5) Umm... Expressing Myself?

I don't know a better way of umm..expressing this but I enjoy having a place I can express my thoughts, opinions, and ideas on any topic that occurs to me that also has the possibility of starting a dialogue.  

READING

6) The never ending discovery.

I sometimes get into this weird mood where I worry that I won't find another book to read.  But guess what?  I always do.  There are way more books than I'll ever get to which sometimes makes me sad but is truly such a treasure. 

7) The exploration and the escape.

Getting to visit places that I may never get to in real life and many that only exist in an author's imagination.  I love to get sucked into a story and swept away.  I also like meeting and getting to know all the characters. To quote the inestimable Willy Wonka, "There's no life I know to compare with pure imagination."

8) Being nosy.

I hate to admit it but I'm a little nosy.  With biographies and memoirs, I can indulge this bad habit without being annoying or socially inappropriate! 

9) Portable fun!

Especially now with the advent of the e-reader, books are an adventure you can take with you wherever you go.  How can you not love that!

10) The exercise for the old noggin.

Yes, I know I listed this one up above.  But I love all the stuff I learn by reading books and the ideas that I am exposed to.  It seemed worth list again!

That's it for me.  I can't wait to see what everybody else has on their lists!