Feb 21, 2009
Odd how one posture among many developed such linguistic dominance.
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Google reveals people are 125 times more likely to mention curling up with a good book rather than stretching out with one.
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And 95,500 times more likely than my first choice…”take a walk with a good book.”
Which it’s too cold to do today, though I’m inexplicably cheered by the googlewhack.
KP
What on earth made you think of googling those terms?
I don’t think I’ve ever said I wanted to “Stretch out with a good book”, but I know it’s something I do about as often as I curl up with a good book, which I definitely do say. . .
One implies comfort, the other effort. I’d much rather curl than stretch. :)
Ever visited Mount Vernon? George and Martha’s chairs on either side of the fireplace are straight-backed, straight-up, no-nonsense. Presumably, that’s where they “relaxed,” debriefed at the end of the day, and read into the evening.
So I guess with the invention of furniture that LETS one curl up, there were centuries to make up for.
This works mentally as well. Do you curl up with comfortable eye candy, or stretch out towards new horizons?
I don’t think I’ve ever “stretched out” with a book.
It’s those doggone phrasal verbs – they getcha every time!
But I actually do curl up with the book, unless it is on Project Gutenberg and then I just get in the curliest-up position I can. Or I’m at the gym. Then I guess one could “exercising with a book”…
KP –
Also my favorite choice! I spent most of my grad school days perfecting the art of walking and reading.
But really, curling up with a book is much more comfortable than stretching out with one. Curling up you have a place to rest the book. Stretch out and it’s always awkward one way or the other.
When I was a kid, I did both. Curled up in a chair, or stretched out on the floor or bed. Both excellent ways to enjoy a book.
Oh, but I’ve never said I want to “stretch out with a book”.
AP: Your mind works in strange ways…
Just by talking about stretching out with a book, you’ve apparently altered the truth of your statement a little bit. (See the google page on stretching out now.)