Author Archives: Alicia Abdul

There are so many quotes attributed to a people around what they prioritize, what they are busy doing, and when they’ll make excuses rather than time. I’ve said it a few times before in posts regarding my prioritization for reading to improve my own life and my work in a high school library.

Here is one thing that works well for me: I read during my lunch. I have very strong feelings about people in education who don’t make time in their daily schedule to sit for a few minutes to eat lunch. You might not need one hour or a whole class period, but you also shouldn’t NOT have time for it either– even if it needs to be scheduled. I say this because I dislike when people are eating in a meeting with me because “they don’t have time” to eat and I also don’t want to hear anyone complaining that they didn’t eat at all. Just like “when it’s important, we remind”, food fuels our bodies and it’s important to nourish them but coupled with that is the peace it brings for just a few minutes each day in our hectic school lives. I want everyone to treat themselves well.

So during my lunch, you’ll see me reading. I might spend a few minutes on my phone, but there’s always a book on the table. Often I’ll pick a nonfiction book and a lot of times I’ll choose a graphic novel format that’s separate from the fiction title I’m reading (that you’ll still find me lugging back and forth to work with the off-chance that I am somewhere where I need to kill some time). Plus, they’re often titles from our library’s collection so it’s entertainment, relaxation, and still fruitful. You can find those titles that I read during my lunch at school on Instagram with my hashtag #literarylunchbox. Titles that I’ve read recently during lunch at work:

• Body 2.0: The Engineering Revolution in Medicine
• Brilliant Maps for Curious Minds
• Infinite Hope: A Black Artist’s Journey from World War II to Peace
• Earth Day and the Environmental Movement 
• The American Dream? A Journey on Route 66 
• How the World Rescued 33 Miners from 2,000 Feet Below the Chilean Desert
• Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A graphic novel
• The Great Nijinsky
• Pilu of the Woods
• Sunny Rolls the Dice

An additional reading window I’ve given myself is a 15-minute timed reading session in the morning. My morning routine consists of waking early to work out and then I typically moved through breakfast and tea, the televisions news and the newspaper, and helping my kids before school. In between the post-workout shower and waiting for the hot water to boil for tea, I set my phone timer and read for 15 minutes. It’s not sexy or luxurious to time yourself reading, but again, it gives me an extra few minutes before the day really starts and I feel good about the prioritization.

Where can you find some time to make reading a priority each and every day?

Over the last few days, people on Twitter have been sharing their tweets about ten women that have inspired them. Today, I joined the crowd. But I couldn’t let it end with tagging them. Here’s a little more:

• Stacey S.– A former colleague in education turned MBA grad who now works in the non-profit world a few hours away.
  • What I’ve learned from you is that power is confidence, food and drink is life, and friendship can range from a book recommendation before a plane ride to a breakfast while in town.
• Stacey R.– A librarian colleague who doesn’t work in the same district nor at the same level, but the connection is undeniable.
  • What I’ve learned from you is that passion and purpose make our profession (and matching leggings to her 2nd graders is just a bonus on why I love her).
• Kristen– I’ve already written about her before, but I’ll never get sick of talking about her.
  • What I’ve learned from you is that we can be serious, be silly, and be good at what we do… together. And encouragement always helps; matching our outfits is just a bonus.
• Silvia– A librarian and entrepreneur, she speaks her mind and shares the beauty of the place that I have come to call home but that has always been hers.
  • What I’ve learned from you is to never wait if you want to travel. Live a life of abundance in food, style, and merriment.
• Ruta– An author of hidden histories with a powerful pen and a big heart.
  • What I’ve learned from you is that listening has the power to give a voice to the voiceless.
• Molly– I’ve known you less than a year but I know you love what you do in a banana costume or hosting an author.
  • What I’ve learned from you is loving what you do makes it that much easier to work and that book criticism comes easy for some– your mind is like a steel trap!
• Annie– Stepping in to an administrative position was the next logical step for you and you’ll shine for sure.
  • What I’ve learned from you is that leadership is kindness and knowledge is power because learning never stops.
• Lisa– Your work can’t be easy but your wordsmithing skills are superb.
  • What I’ve learned from you is that hard work as a team is easier than going at it alone.
• Heather– My oldest friend. And ironically one who also works in education but in a different field but with the same goals to be good at what we do and inspire others to do the same while impacting young lives.
  • What I’ve learned from you is that women should never be in competition with each other. We should spend our energy building each other up and that takes time and an investment.
• Alea– Leading a committee of fabulous women who were once strangers and giving us direction and guidance from afar couldn’t have been easy. But you did it.
  • What I learned from you is that leadership is quiet but it can also be loud: use your voice. (And give the best damn present ever– I still get misty-eyed looking at mine).

Think about the women in your life and how they inspire you.

We should all spend a little more time thinking about what we’re grateful for. And, rolling in to the Thanksgiving season, it is the perfect time to stop and think about. And sometimes you just need a old-school chain tweet to remind you about it too.

I never apologize to myself or others for reading hiatuses, just like I don’t apologize if it’s been four weeks or four days since my last blog post.

I never apologize for taking a break from reading fiction so that I can read a graphic biography.

I never apologize for reading picture books at lunch even though I’m a high school librarian, and I will count each book including those picture books in my overall total.