A Reading Slump

Various factors have conspired against my usual relentless pursuit of plowing through my to-read list. The news about Amazon's acquisition of GoodReads placed a stumbling block in my way.  I  am using spare time to scrub my own book database on the new platform and that's taking a fair amount of time.  It's a good opportunity to refresh the information both on the database and in my own mind. 

It's interesting how many books I have marked as read but for which I have no recollection.  It makes me wonder what it means to read something; is the experience of reading by itself enough of a goal? Or are we to remember our reading experiences and be shaped somehow by them? Or are we shaped regardless of what we might remember?  I don't really know the answers to these things. But I will say, the process of moving away from GR has provided some perspective to me and offered some beneficial reminders to me.  There are lots of good ways to spend my time and reading (as much as I love it) is really only one.

As I said, though, this is only one factor.  A new job which provides much in the way of mental stimulation and energy has left me somewhat more drained at the end of the day and week than usual.  Spring is coming (in fits and starts) and this uncovers a host of new tasks to take on with regard to home, yard and family.  There are sticks and leaves to rake, flower beds to tend, bike rides to be had, etc.

Also, I had taken a break from my marathon, epic-consumption of several television shows (viewing an entire season or series in one enormous gulp is hugely satisfying!) to attend to more reading.  But the release of Season 2 of Game of Thrones on DVD prompted a rewatch of Season 1 to refresh (man, this is a dense and detailed show!).  But, as I said, also hugely satisfying.  We have only 3 more episodes of Season 2 to cover and then the long wait for Season 3 on DVD will begin.  We also have Boardwalk Empire and Homeland to inhale.

And finally, there's a book on my nightstand which I am just a little tired of looking at.  It's terribly unfair because it's a perfectly nice book (The Last Letter from Your Lover) but I had is on deck as the next read ever since finishing Jojo Moyes' latest Me Before You.  And it seems to taking me forever to get through it; I started it 2 weeks ago!  But I have gotten back into it and I'm stepping up the effort a bit.