I’m doing The Cookie Read-A-Thon, started by Mary @ Books & Cookies (on her tumblr blog though). Learn More

I’d like to take this opportunity to send a little shout-out to lost favorite reading spots: It’s been a long time, I miss you, you were the perfect comfort level…

I’ve had several favorite reading spots in my life, each one a little odd.

When I was 3 I used to have this little plastic shopping cart (you know, like a kid sized, brightly-colored thing) and I used to sit in it, legs hanging out over the edge — looking quite a lot like a turtle or beetle that’s been flipped over — and read for hours, oblivious to the fact that I should have been horribly uncomfortable.

When I was in elementary school my favorite reading spot was the shadowy spot under the trampoline in the church gymnasium. They had one of those big rectangular ones that folds over on itself and they would store it in the back corner of the gym, as well as a bunch of gym mats that were folded up underneath it. I loved to lounge on the mats under there where it was all dark and creepy and I could look up and watch everyone playing while I was reading. I’d still go under there if I could.

In middle school it was a tree. The church had this perfect climbing tree and I could get on this specific branch and lay back and when I looked up it felt like being in a tent made of leaves. It was the perfect aesthetically pleasing reading tree, and I would spend ages up there reading and occasionally eavesdropping on people who didn’t realize there was a child in the tree they were talking under…

In high school I discovered the joys of reading at a desk. I mean it wasn’t like I’d never sat at a desk and read before, but I guess I hit the perfect height or something because it suddenly got way more comfortable. I’m talking about those school desks with the seat attached to the table part. I even had an old one (from like the 60s) in my bedroom at home! It was the perfect combination of comfortable and uncomfortable, and I could rest my arms on it while leaning back and reading. When we lost the house I lost that old school desk, but it was a good spot; I hope whoever has it now loves it.

After high school was over and my then-boyfriend and I got our first apartment, I spent hours every day on the balcony reading (and smoking and drinking, but that’s beside the point). I could lean back against our front door, legs stretched out so my feet touched the railing, and breeze through some novel, occasionally pausing to people-watch or daydream. And as long as I remembered to move my legs when people wanted to go by, it was perfectly comfortable.

I don’t currently have a favorite reading spot, but that’s mostly because I don’t have a lot of options. I don’t really leave the house at all (last time was months and months ago and only happened because I was really sick and went to the ER) so I mostly just read on the couch or in bed. Not a lot of variety, no need for a preference. But being me, when/if I find a new favorite reading spot, I will inevitably be so excited I’ll have to post it on the internet.

I’d love to hear about some of your favorite reading spots over the years!