New Routine: Reading Challenge

I used to devour books. An appetite for science fiction and fantasy novels meant new shelves continuously being constructed to hold my ever-growing collection of paperbacks.

The internet is not entirely to blame for my loss of appetite but reading fiction certainly fell away after I discovered it.

And then, more than a decade or so later, I bought a Kindle. It's the most wonderful piece of kit. I am reading again. The tipping point was that the Kindle can sync with my other devices: my iPhone, my laptop, and any computer with internet access via the Kindle Cloud Reader too. So I have access to my library, and can read any of my books anywhere I go. No more broken ribs from carrying too many books in my bag!

Although I am reading, I still I feel that I'm a sluggish reader. Back in the day I could read an entire novel in 8-10 hours. Now it takes me ages. I've never got the hang of 'skim' reading and will read every single word. Between my reading speed, and the lack of a routine, it can take me months to finish one book. Which would be okay - because reading is enjoyable - but I have a ton of books I want to read, so need to pick up my pace:  so what to do?

Poking around online I came across Julian Smith's blog post about how he read a book per week in a year. How cool would that be? He read 40 pages per day (15%) and finished most average-sized books within the seven days.

For me, that means to read a good hour per day. Half an hour before bedtime, two 15 blocks during the day? Quite achievable for me, I'd say - just need to make it a routine and watch the book pile shrink!

So here I am talking about it, my Kindle on the charger for tonight, and a warm glow at the thought of completing Sir Ken Robinson's The Element: How finding your passion changes everything way sooner than I would normally take.

What are you reading at the moment? Fancy joining me in my 15%/40 pages per day reading challenge?

Don't Break the Chain

The best way to create a new routine is to do it at the same time, for the same amount of time, every day. Miss a day and the chain will become weaker, or maybe break entirely. To keep track of my days, and to encourage the routine every day, I'm printing off this calendar and crossing off each day I succeed at my goal.

Sleeplessnessity

I am supposed to be asleep. I cleansed, toned and moisturised. I brushed, flossed and rinsed. I took zinc, muli-vitamin and st johns wort with an effervescent iron and vitamin C solution. I used the sleep-gel on my neck, temples and ears. I read for an hour. I turned out the light. Why am I still awake? I know i'm tired - I went to bed because I was tired. The light is back on and I'm in bed with some Fantastic Noodles thinking the having-dinner is the part of the process I shouldn't have skipped. I had an exceptionally late lunch and it threw off my appetite feng shui. So between the heat of the noodles and the rehydrated monosodium glutomated peas I should be back to monkey-laiden dreams from last night before I know it. I'm a bit weirded out too - I have to say; because I came home a bit late, and went straight to my computer to complete the work I'd started this morning before my meeting in town - I didn't shut any of my blinds. Now, my lounge and kitchen are visiable to anyone who cares to see (from that weird angle from the street if you stand by the hedge and cock your head just so) and it's like.. the NUMBER ONE RULE of women living alone. Close. Your. Blinds. The fact I'm reading American Psycho won't be helping matters. Though not the gruesome nature of American Psycho, but the unrelenting detailed catalogue that has become a passionless monotone chanting on regardless of whether it's describing itemised brand names clothing the immaculately dressed Pat Batemen or the systematic torture, mutilation and eventual death of his victims. It's the words; endless, restless. repetitive. chanting, detailed descriptions waken the voices in my head to narrate everything I do and think. KEEPING ME AWAKE. Even he has to cover his ears from live music, from chattering dates, from the city noise because it's just _too_much. The amazing thing about reading this book in the first person is that it appears normal because he's me, my eyes - and I'm normal, right? Hell he's even likeable. There is no horror or passion associated with him or his actions because he is Being Pat Bateman. Mr Completely Insane. It's the times he has his anxious moments, where he loses touch with his control that we realise he realises just how much will he exercises containing his compulsions. Though he often expresses his desire to cut someone's arms off, or slit their throat, no one ever takes any notice of him because in the expansive, expensive, vacuous 80s - no one is listening. When he does let his urges free - he revels and relishes and rampages. He's one inventive little puppy. There are lines and sentences that made me bark out loud laughing. I wanted, may times, to take a highlighter and drag it across passages and conversations so I could find them again - but you know how hard highlighters are to find when you really need them. I'm thinking that I will try to sleep now my belly is cradling a warm tangle of Fantastic noodles.
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