I always relate events occuring in my life to whatever Im reading. When those events change, so does what I take from reading. If I'm having problems, I associate the conflict in the book to my personal problems; if I'm feeling good about my life, I will relate the positives of the book to my life. I also tend to read works that reflect upon my current state of mind. I enjoy reading what I can strongly respond to. Strong emptions that I can relate to can easily pull me into the world of hte book.
The lenses I currently use are narrow in focus. Since I began reading, I chose topics I was very interested in or attached to. When in elementary school, I read Baby-sitters Club books, and that was it....I knew what I likes and was comfortable with and seldom strayed from my reading comfort zone. Never did I voluntarily pick up a book at random and enjoy it.
Sadly, I feel that my choices, or lack thereof, as a young reader have hindered my progress as an adult reader. but, the more I grow as a person, the more I plan to grow as a reader...