The Psychology of Book Abandonment [infographic]

How much time do you invest in a book you can’t get into before you decide it’s time to cut your losses? What is your breaking point? Goodreads put together an infographic highlighting the top-five books abandoned by Goodreads’ users. Unsurprisingly, three of the five I have abandoned myself. But reading this infographic got me thinking a lot about the psychology behind an abandoned book.

I rarely abandon books; I feel defeated when it happens. In fact, before today I would have claimed that I always finish books–even if I hate them. I abandoned Eat Pray Love with one chapter to go, Fifty Shades of Grey 250 pages in, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo after the first chapter. I haven’t read Casual Vacancy for fear of having an abandoned J.K. Rowling book on my record. All of these books were recommended to me. I am afraid that I tend to neglect books that are recommended and then lent to me to read. I generally read books according to where I am in life emotionally. If I am reading a book that I haven’t already created some prearranged attachment to based on the level of emotional support I need it to provide me at the time, I just can’t get into it.

What’s your stance on abandonment? Are you an always-finish-no-matter-what kind of person? Have you ever hated the main character of a book? Do you hide your book covers in the airport because your reading selection embarrasses you? And most importantly, has anyone (other than my sister whom I envy for her reading abilities) read Catch 22 cover to cover? [via]


© Lindsey Lawrence for Daily Infographic, 2013. |
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Post tags: Abandoning Books, books, Goodreads, Psychology of Book Abandonment, Psychology of Reading, reading, Top Five, Top Five Abandoned Classics, Top Five Most Abandoned Books

 

When Ugly Turns to Beautiful: Ugly Christmas Sweater [infographic]

Until reading this infographic put together by UglyChristmasSweater.com, I was not aware of just how popular the ugly Christmas sweater is. I, like Canada, wanted to believe that my friends and I had thrown the first ugly Christmas sweater party in history. In other words, I was certain that I was the first ever to wrap myself in itchy wool and ironic jingle bells while drinking warm cider in the dead of winter with my friends.

This year I think I will be the first to wear them genuinely. No ulterior motive, just a celebration of all things merry and bright written all over my sweater. When people ask me why I wear them all the time, I will respond by saying, “Because I love Christmas.” Then I will wink in the direction of the North Pole. Or is that already a thing too?

I will also be buying each and every one of my siblings one. What better way to ring in the holiday cheer than with all four siblings wearing red “Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal” sweaters while Home Alone (as per Christmas usual) plays in the background? The answer is, nothing. There is nothing that would make my siblings and I happier than that! So do what you must, but know, that no good Christmas without ugly Christmas sweaters goes unpunished. Let UglyChistmasSweater.com take care of you. [via]


© Lindsey Lawrence for Daily Infographic, 2013. |
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Post tags: christmas, gifts, holiday, Holiday Gifts, holiday shopping, Home Alone, shopping, sweater, ugly christmas sweater

10 Most Visited Cities in the World [infographic]

I have the travel bug. It’s been a year and a half since I have been abroad, and it is starting to get to me. This may seem like a short amount of time to you, but it feels like eternity to me. Traveling is like getting tattoos (or so I am told because I don’t actually have any tattoos), once you go on one trip, you’re going to want to go on a million trips. Here’s a better analogy: traveling is like the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Once you’ve seen one place, you are going to want to see all the places. And if you are going to see all the places, you best get a move on. If you’re not sure exactly where to start, check out the infographic below. It lists the top ten most visited cities in the world.

It can seem impossible to make it abroad, but I can assure you it’s not–especially for college students and recent grads. Yesterday I submitted a graduate application to a school in Barcelona. And I have numerous friends that have studied or worked abroad. I have a friend right now that is in Africa on a Fulbright scholarship and another two friends that just submitted their Fulbright application to teach English in Brazil. There are tons of options out there. If you want to travel, you will make it happen. [via]


© Lindsey Lawrence for Daily Infographic, 2013. |
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Post tags: 10 most visited cities, Bangkok, Global Destination, London, new york, paris, study abroad, travel, travel abroad

Oktoberfest: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know [infographic]

Apparently, over the stretch of a little over 200 years, Oktoberfest has gone from a non-alcoholic event to a 6.9 million beers consumer event. While some of the stats below don’t appeal to me (6,530 people to every one toilet), most of them do.

Apart from wanting to see the entire world, I have two travel goals: (1) visit all the oldest libraries in the world and (2) attend all the biggest festivals in the world (e.g., The Carnival, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, Songkran Water Festival, Festival of the Sun, San Fermin, etc.) The list literally goes on forever, and since Las Fallas in Valencia, Spain is the only one I have crossed off on my bucket list, I have my work cut out for me. But I plan to take on my travel goals with prestige, for I am an apt festival goer, and I will not stop until the job is done.

I give Oktoberfest two thumbs up, and Oktoberfest hands me two ice-cold beers? Jubel! [via]


© Lindsey Lawrence for Daily Infographic, 2013. |
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Post tags: beer, Beer Hunt, Bier, festival, germany, Jubel, oktoberfest, Oktoberfest 2014

A Timeline of Schoolyard Sensations [infographic]

It wasn’t really acing my spelling test or getting a check plus on my homework assignment–though that’s what was relayed to my parents–that made a day in elementary school so great. It wasn’t even the gold star on my star chart or getting chosen for after school safety patrol that made me bounce giddily at the dinner table. The real glamor of elementary school life takes place on the playground. You could guarantee a happy little camper as long as recess included the following: (1) a well fed Tamagochi, (2) my sparkly spider Pog slammer dominating in a game of Pogs, and (3) being chased by my crush until one of us falls and skins our knee.

I hadn’t thought of those simple times in many moons, not until I read this infographic on the history of schoolyard sensations. It’s a serious blast from the past. I know far too many on this list (Chicago Bulls TY Beanie Baby anyone?). Thankfully, I have no idea what Beyblades are. I don’t want to know what Beyblades are.  What would you say the present day schoolyard sensation is? The iPhone 5s? [via]


© Lindsey Lawrence for Daily Infographic, 2013. |
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Post tags: Playground, Pogs, Recess, rubix cube, Schoolyard, slinky, toys, Trolls, TY Beanie Baby, Yoyo

Last Meals [infographic]

If asked to choose what my last meal on earth would be, the answer is simple: macaroni and cheese. However, the likelihood consciously eating a meal knowing all the while that it is my last is highly unlikely, and I hope it remains that way. There are very few circumstances where I would have the opportunity to choose something like that, and the ones that are currently coming to mind involve me committing a despicable crime.

This particular infographic presents last meals in a different way. It shows us what is believed to be the last meal of some of the most iconic laid-to-rest figures sorted by caloric content on a scale of simple to fancy. Weird, right? I like it.

For example, the most fancy and caloric of them all was Titanic Captain Edward Smith, eating oysters a la Russe (part of a 12-course meal). Somewhere in the middle we have Hemingway with a New York Strip, baked potato, and a caesar salad. One of my favorites has to be Frank Sinatra with a grilled cheese sandwich. More than anything, this infographic has got me realizing just how famous these people were to have a graphic designed according to the last thing they ate before heading six feet under. [via]


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Post tags: dead, death, dinner, famous last meals, famous people, food, last meal, last meals, lunch, meal, meals