Isn't it strange that the work week often seems to drag on interminably yet here we are with just a little over one week left in March? The year is zipping by and while I am ready for nicer weather to come and longer days to arrive I wish I could slow things down a little, too. This year I've not been especially happy with my reading--not with the books I choose (lots of variety and lots of good stories), but how many languish and how slowly I seem to work my way through them. Life has been hectic and a little stressful at times, which has been the main reason my reading has been off.
So I've been thinking that maybe I need to approach it all a little differently. If you visit here often you know I am a more than one book at a time reader, but I have been toying with the idea of paring things down considerably. I am not sure I would ever be able to read just one book at a time. Would I? Maybe pick three books to read and do a rotation? I'm not sure.
Then this weekend I was getting ready for the upcoming work week, contemplating which books need to be completed first, which books were grabbing my attention mostly, and which need attention for various reasons but I don't seem to reach for as often as I should. This is no solution, but I have divided the reading pile into a few smaller piles. Yes, I'm afraid the main pile is so large it must be subdivided.
This (above) is the main, 'must/would like to finish these books before the end of March' pile.
Then there is the 'just need to read a chapter (in the case of the bottom book) or two' pile.
And then there is the 'I am really enjoying these but they require time and attention and thoughtfulness' pile. The spirit is willing, but free time for reading is sadly limited. I need to sneak in some very quiet reading time for these two.
And then there is the 'more or less for entertainment purposes' pile, which to be really honest is the pile I tend to pick from mostly of late. There is no rush to get through these other than the general 'can't or don't want to put these down' quality to the reads. At least one will go with me to work each day.
I still need to pare things down. I say that in the same breath as I say I also need to pick out a new library book as I just finished one. And that stack is tall and varied with lots and lots of temptations. So I don't think I will ever be able to do just one book at a time (at least not right now), but I really do want to try and streamline my reading in some way. My reading may be off, but it also reflects the craziness of life at the moment, and that's okay, too. Books are my escape and I need them, even if they tend to Mt. Everest size pile proportions.
What does your reading pile look like? Should I ask if you even have a reading pile? I know there are lots of 'just one book at a time' readers out there. Who knows, someday I may well join your ranks. But I don't think it will happen this week! :)
By the way, I don't know how it has been with other bloggers? Maybe it is the time of year, but it has been very, very quiet here of late. I am contemplating posting on an abbreviated schedule for a while, though I do have lots of bookishness in mind, too, that I want to share. As you can see I have lots of books calling out to me, and having a little extra reading time with them would be a good thing. I can't quite decide, but you may well see fewer updates here for a while. Of course the doors are always open for bookish chat so feel free to drop in any time and leave a comment!