When I was in 1st grade I won an award for having read the most books. Being up on stage with the principal of the school, Mrs. Workman, was pretty cool although I couldn't understand why they were making such a huge presentation out of it.

That question was answered when Mrs. Workman handed me a ribbon with a medallion on it. I had read more books than anyone in the entire school.

A little 6 year old 1st grader had read more books than the 6th grade snobs.

I had been reading since kindergarten and aside from playing and watching baseball, it was my deal. All kids have deals. Hula hooping, Barbie, G.I. Joe, climbing trees, dancing. I think you see where I could head with this. But reading and baseball were my deals.

Sometime in 2nd grade or maybe 3rd grade, I always made sure I had a #2 pencil, or a fountain pen and paper of some sort with me every time I was reading. I'd see a sentence in a novel I liked and jot it down. I wrote down new words I found, I'd make a note of a word that was fun to say- that felt good as it left my mouth. Eventually I turned to harder wordplay,crosswords, anagrams, studying origins of words and so on.

It was no great surprise that I wanted to be a writer. In 4th grade I won an essay contest again against the entire school and it was published in the town newspaper. A dream began. I didn't feel I had a knack for fiction. But non-fiction and poetry were my métier.

Getting published was a real kick, and also affirmed that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.

Of course poets don't make a living wage, even though to this day at age 54, I have never submitted a poem that was turned down. But reading and writing were regretfully placed on the back burner. When I was 40 and Multiple Sclerosis decided to make its residence in my body known, I had a lot of time on my plate. So, I got to read, make my little notes, and write.

I started a political blog and it was pretty successful. I got other gigs when editors of other web sites asked me to contribute. Things were pretty good-except for what M.S. was stealing from me. Aside from a physical assassin, it also causes quite a bit of cognitive dysfunction.

Anybody who writes about this crazy political world we find ourselves in -knows it is an emotional land mine. So I stopped the blog, too much stress. I stopped Twitter even though I had a large following. I withdrew into books and junk food TV.

What you will find on this blog will be unpredictable. Perhaps a quote, a word origin tale, trivial facts that I've saved in my notebooks, and scraps of papers, maybe a word game or 3.

I really want this to be an interactive blog. A place where discussions can take place, even disagreements, your favorite words, anything that suits this site. So if you would like to take part at anytime you will make me a happy blogger. Just email me 1txsage1957@gmail.com.

My next post will be a rave about how much I adore my Nook Color and what it can do. Soon it will be about a Nook Tablet after I save enough coin.

I'd like to hear what you think of whatever reader you use.

And I ask you to please remember I’ve had 6 concussions this year and there are times when my cognitive skills slip away as does a fish you just caught and released.