On a reading hiatus

[KanoasDestiny]

I seriously have OCD, where I get obsessed about something for a while. Right now, I am going through a phase where I am working on my recipe books, which means that I haven't been spending as much time online and absolutely no time reading. I can't wait for this current obsession to subside so I can get back to reading.

What kind of activities/obsessions cut into your reading time? Do you still fit in some time to read, or do you take a break for a while?

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

Reading IS my obssession, so I always read a little of something, but some days I don't have long stretches of time to read (30 mins to several hours). Often on the weekends it's my horses and "chores" around the house/farm that keep me from reading as much, and we do often watch movies or TV shows in the evening. To me not reading means I read less than 20 minutes in one day. And even if I don't have time to read, I was probably listening to an audiobook at some point during the day.

Sometimes it will take me a little bit after finishing a book to decide what I'm starting next, or what I'm in the mood to read.

 

[Kendra]

I wouldn't say I ever don't read - I've been a reader my whole life, and rarely go to sleep without reading for at least a few minutes first. Sometimes that's the only time I have to read. If I get into a good book though, I have a heck of a time putting it down to do other things ... sometimes important things, like sleeping. ;-)

I do get super focused on other interests too though. Horse shows in the summertime, of course, and writing fairly often - if I'm into a story I don't want to do anything but write, and get quite sulky about having to do something else, even other fun stuff. My brother loves to bring up the time I was typing away on my laptop in the movie theater during the previews. ;-) I also love to research new things and can lose hours and days on the internet learning all I can about whatever shiny thing has caught my interest. Oh, and crocheting - I get obsessive about a project, and don't do much else but crochet until it's done.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Do you mean novel reading? I can't think of a day I didn't read something, but it might be research on something like my button collection, research for a newsletter article, or something about horses. Sometimes I go several days without reading a novel. But then, I have to lay the "heavy" stuff aside and lighten it up with a novel.

Your receipe activity sounds interesting, Sara. Are you cataloguing, purging, or just enjoying looking through them? I know people who love receipe books, and read through them as though they were adventure novels. One of the strangest, and most unsavory, receipe books I ever saw was called "Foods and Nudes". It was a collection of Southwestern receipes with illustrations by R C Gorman. A nude girl sitting on a chamber pot was not my idea of appetising illustrations for a receipe!

What is OCD???

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I obsess over something until I either finish it or I lose interest in it. Last year I spent thousands of dollars collecting old cartoons, then one day I decided I was done and I haven't touched them since.

A few years ago I spent months collecting recipes, typing them up, printing them out, and arranging them in three ring binders. I collected 'hundreds', and I don't even cook. I'm now trying to lose some weight, so I've decided to finally try cooking. I have just recently fallen back into collecting recipes and re-alphabetizing my four binders, so that is consuming my free time right now.

I am going to try starting a new book tomorow though.

 

[Sonya]

summer cuts into my reading...I will only read at work and on the boat at times.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Summer I spend in the caravan at my field, so I read all the time- if I have a book I am invested in, like a novel, I will read till I fall asleep. I have a couple of historical books, one on Lucretia Borgia and one on Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire and those are my fall back books. I also have a back bedroom |FULL of soft toys so I understand obsession- I have just found a horse charity that wants them to raffle for their tombola so they are going to be packed up and sent off- except the "special" ones, of course.....

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Thankfully I haven't collected any toys since I was little. But if something catches my eye, I wouldn't put it past me to start. My problem is that I can't just 'collect' things that I like, I have to collect the entire sets. I am sooo happy I never fell into the Beenie Babies craze.

I started a book last night. Hoping to finish it today.

What I wouldn't give to have a field or boat to read in...

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Summer I spend in the caravan at my field, so I read all the time- if I have a book I am invested in, like a novel, I will read till I fall asleep. I have a couple of historical books, one on Lucretia Borgia and one on Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire and those are my fall back books. I also have a back bedroom |FULL of soft toys so I understand obsession- I have just found a horse charity that wants them to raffle for their tombola so they are going to be packed up and sent off- except the "special" ones, of course.....

The Duchess of Devonshire shows up fairly often on pretty buttons. I have a Solitaire, or bachelor's button, with her and her fabulous hat, and it is backmarked Duchess of Devonshire solitaire. What is the name of your book? It might be fun to read it and do an article for my button society newsletter...

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Yay! My reading hiatus is over! I am currently reading a book, although doctor's orders is that I can't strain my eye too badly right now. So lots of breaks inbetween chapters. Now that I'm done doing my recipe books, I hope to get back into the swing of obsessing over my books again.

 

[Remali]

Right now I am only reading the magazines I subscribe to (not truly reading, since to me reading has to be a book...but, well, anyway...). I've had a couple pets that were sick, then I got walloped with another sinus headache thingie...... that is usually what prevents me from reading. And, the occasional project, although I'm project-free at the moment. Also, when the weather gets warm that usually cuts into my reading time.... but then I actually do the majority of my reading at night while in bed.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Reading magazines is reading. And so is reading receipes IMHO!

Right now I'm going through all my back issues of button society newsletters from around the world, passing on those I don't need to other collectors, and culling ideas for our own newsletter. Several interesting books have been mentioned, which I may search for. Since some of the newsletters date from the early 60's, it may be an expensive challenge to locate some of the books.

 

[Jill]

Certain tv shows, or types of tv shows, can cut into my reading time, but with the way I do audio books and the distance between myself and my office, unless something really capturing my interest is going on in terms of news / politics, I will spend my time in the car "reading". However, that (driving) is about the ONLY thing I can do at the same time as I follow a book, unless you count relaxing! I know a lot of people can do chores, and I can do MINOR house chores and pay attention to a book, or I can get ready to go out in public (bath, "hair", make up, etc.) and pay attention to a book, but cannot do anything horse or business related and pay attention to a book. Both of those areas will eclipse my attention and I will space out on the book.