difficulties of reading / overload

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ATP

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In at least one section here in AW, members talk about books they are currently reading/have read. Most of these members seem to be WAHM, or those with paid employment, p-t or f-t.

I haven't read a book since I can't remember - a good, long while.

I work f-t. After a day of concentrating on the administrivia, reading the online news sites, obtaining information/chasing interviewees, writing interminable e-mail for the umpteenth time, and eventually getting around to writing the piece, and re-writing, and researching, re-writing, re-writing, and marketing, and reading AW numerous times a day, I just want to switch off for the remainder of the day.

I find it difficult to concentrate on a book now. Given the mental workload, I haven't been able to read a good novel for a goodly while.Mores the pity.
I don't see any quick and easy solution to the reading problem.
 

Kate Thornton

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I "read" books on tape on my daily commute to work. I go through about 2 a week.

I would be lost without my daily fix of mystery or lit fic or self help or military or adventure or sci fi or whatever I'm reading at the moment (right now it's P.D. James - last week was Ridley Pearson)
 

Unique

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gosh, ATP. I'm sorry for ya. Really I am. If I couldn't read I think I'd die. (or maybe just want to)

I don't know what would make it better for you; maybe like Kate said - books on tape.

I know I make time. Even when I was in college I always, always had a fiction book. I'd say I never read much non-fiction until a year or two ago.

What do you like to read? Maybe if you found something nice & fluffy it wouldn't seem like a chore. When you can buzz through a novel in a couple of hours it isn't so much like work.

What do you like? Maybe one of us can suggest a real page turner to get you started.
 

Jenan Mac

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ATP said:
I find it difficult to concentrate on a book now. Given the mental workload, I haven't been able to read a good novel for a goodly while.Mores the pity.
I don't see any quick and easy solution to the reading problem.

When I was in nursing school (and working full time) I had no energy to read. I finally took up bad romance novels. Good ones were too much work. I just couldn't read the sex scenes after anatomy class because I'd be shouting "that can't possibly go there!" at the characters, and it freaked out my kids even worse than the sheep's brain I kept in the crisper.
 

CBeasy

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I don't get read as often as I used to, but I still manage to get in about one a month, which is pitiful considering how fast I read. Sometimes I go in spurts, and use all available free time to read. If I'm doing that, I can really tear through some novels. After I first read Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, I read the rest of the series in a week. I did the same thing with the Ender's Game series, and all the Vampire Chronicles. I love getting into a good series that has several books written in it already. It's like reading a Super Book! I love epic stories, and I hate waiting for sequels.
 

Shadow_Ferret

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I work FT, sitting in front of a computer all day putting manuals together. Yet when I get the first thing I do is grab a book to read. I have never felt so burned out that I couldn't read for relaxation. I couldn't even imagine not wanting to read.

I guess I'm like the proverbial postman who goes for a walk on his day off.
 

aadams73

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Jenan Mac said:
and it freaked out my kids even worse than the sheep's brain I kept in the crisper.

Note to self: Do *not* eat the salad at Jenan Mac's house.
 

veinglory

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I work full time, but full time means about 9-5 about six days a week and even that is working more hours than I am paid for. That leaves me time to read, eat, write, inves in my relationships with family and generally have a life. And I read genres that are relaxing and entertaining most of the time. Reading can be a way to relax.

Work used to drain me so much I could barely put any effort into other activities, then I did a little thinking about it and put a cap on how much effort work was really worth. When I ratchetted down my effort... nobody noticed the difference LOL. I simply ask other people to do something or delay them (just like everyone else in the office was doing all along).
 

Momento Mori

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I work full time and sometimes work v. long hours (including all nighters), but I always manage to read on the bus into work. I also like to go to a cafe or Starbucks on the weekend and just sit and read for half an hour or so as it's quite relaxing.
 

Siddow

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If reading was something that you needed to do, you'd find time for it. I've fallen victim to the same feelings...so-and-so is much better read than I, I must hit the library and check out eight literary novels immediately, even though I know that I'll only have time to read one.

I have a list of books to read that will take me to the end of my life to get through. And I add to it regularly. I always have something I'm reading, but whether it takes me one day or one month to read it, depends a lot on the quality.

Are you a guy? My husband only reads on the toilet. He'll stock the "library" with magazines and such, but I slip easy-reads in there and he'll read them. Thank goodness we have more than one bathroom.
 

Jaycinth

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OOOhhhh ATP, your day sounds similar to mine, sans interviews (The people I work for do NOT want me interacting with anybody they like, trust me).

But Reading is a vacation from the madness, dear!

When I was bussing in, I read on the bus. Now that I'm driving again, I read at lunch.(I've learned to take a late lunch because co-workers were constantly asking me what the plot was. Once a day is annoying. 8 times a day is enough to make one....)

Yes, I am full time, and I occasionally do side work. And I have pets and kids (At least I think that's what they are). But I make sure I get at least that one hour a day to read.

I write between the time I get home and the time that creatures start asking for food. If I'm awake at 10pm then I read until I fall asleep.(2 pages if I am lucky)
 

Freckles

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What a good thread, one I can truly identify with. I have quite a few writing books stacked on my end table. These are ones I'm dying to read, but for some reason, I never seem to have the time to sit down and crack them open. :(
 

Jenan Mac

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chaostitan said:
Ooooh, there's a story in there. ;)

LOL! It actually did turn up in something I wrote a few years ago. It's floating around online somewhere.
 
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