Tag Archives: Weekend Reading

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The Life of a Distracted Reader

I’ll admit it—I’m a distracted reader. One minute, I’m engrossed in a novel’s intricate plot; the next, I’m scrolling through social media or daydreaming about dinner plans. It’s a constant tug-of-war between my love for reading and the myriad distractions that modern life offers. Smartphones buzz with notifications, and even the book itself can send my thoughts spiraling into a hundred different directions.

I used to beat myself up over it, thinking I lacked discipline or a true passion for reading. But I’ve come to accept that it’s just how my brain is wired in this fast-paced digital age. Instead of fighting it, I’ve found ways to make it work for me. Short stories, articles, and chapters become bite-sized pieces that fit into my fractured attention span. Though it’s not ideal, it keeps the pages turning and my love for reading alive. And that’s good enough for me.

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My Weekend Oasis: Books, Buttons, and Touchdowns

Ah, the weekend. Those glorious two days where I can finally take off the work hat and just be myself. You know what that means? Time to dive into my three favorite things: reading, video gaming, and, oh yeah, the start of college football season.

So, first thing’s first. Books. There’s something about losing myself in a new story that’s like hitting the refresh button on my brain. I could be in the middle of the most hectic week ever, but give me a good book, and it’s like an instant vacation. In a way, each page turned is a step away from stress, a mini-holiday for my overworked neurons.

But hey, reading isn’t my only escape hatch. Let’s talk video games. Whether it’s a first-person shooter, an intricate RPG, or just a good ol’ platformer, games give me this sandbox where I can hop in and just mess around. The real world has enough rules, thank you very much. When I’m gaming, I’m the one setting the pace, deciding what challenge I’ll conquer next.

Now, let’s not forget the cherry on top. College football is back, baby! There’s something about the start of the season that feels like cracking open a can of pure excitement. Maybe it’s the crowd roaring from the TV speakers or the drama that unfolds on the field. Either way, when it’s game time, you bet I’m glued to the screen, caught up in every pass, tackle, and—yes!—touchdown.

So that’s my weekend in a nutshell. A good book in one hand, a game controller in the other, and college football on the screen. And you know what? It’s exactly what I need to recharge and tackle another week. Can’t ask for a better way to spend my downtime.

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First Time Reading Tolkien

My introduction to Fantasy was the Belgariad by David Eddings and The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. It may surprise some that I’ve never been into Tolkien much. I’ve enjoyed the films, but I’ve never made much progress reading his work. I skipped right over Tolkien, and anytime I would try to go back and dive into his stories, I struggled to get into his voice. I would get about fifty pages in and stop. It was probably a bad idea to make my first time reading Tolkien be The Silmarillion. But I set a goal to try and get into his work this year. So here I am.

book on wooden surface near a candlelight- First time reading tolkien
Photo by Vincent M.A. Janssen on Pexels.com

My approach to reading Tolkien was to come at it from a student’s perspective, as if I’m studying the history of Fantasy.

One thing I didn’t realize, getting into this was that “The Silmarillion” is only a portion of the book. There are two Prologues, Ainulindalë, then the Valaquenta, and then you finally make it to the Quenta Silmarillion, which winds up being the bulk of the book. This story is “an account of the Elder Days or the First Age of the World.” I’ve learned that The Lord of the Rings takes place at the end of the Third Age, (I honestly didn’t know this) so basically this is the genesis story of how that land came to be. (I can hear a million Tolkien fans quietly laughing at my lack of knowledge.)

So far, I’m enjoying it. Although several podcasts and commentaries have helped. It makes me appreciate Tolkien a bit more, and gives me the desire to dive into more of his works. I’m only on Chapter Nine, but the story is unfolding fantastically.

In a few weeks, I’ll be recording a podcast with a friend of the Show, David Wright, for Geeky Dad’s Talk About Geeky Things. We will not be able to cover everything there is to discuss during that one episode. So, I’ll blog a few of my thoughts occasionally. Like I said, this is my first time reading Tolkien, and I’m enjoying it so far.

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I’m a Slow Reader

Here is a little confession: I’m a Slow Reader. 

I always have been. I used to envy people who read quickly, devouring books in a single day or thick epic fantasy stories over a weekend. But it’s okay that I’m slow, and there are many reasons why. 

eyeglasses on opened book beside cup of coffee on table
Photo by Oziel Gómez on Pexels.com

1) Time. With ADHD, I struggle to sit and stay focused for long periods. I get distracted easily, and the slightest thing can pull my mind away. 

2) I’m just slow. My average reading pace with proper comprehension is about 171 words per minute. Most people come in at around 250 words. That means if I read for a full hour, I can get through about 10,260 words. So a typical 100,000-word novel will take me about ten dedicated hours of reading time. 

3) Priority. I have a lot going on in life and wear many different hats. So sitting down to read is much more complicated than it was fifteen years ago. 

However, I’ve learned a few tricks to help me read more. 

1) I’ve learned to read in ten-minute chunks, which has helped. If I can carve about ten minutes here and ten minutes there, I’ve seen a vast improvement in the number of books I can consume. 

2) Audiobooks. I had to learn to listen to books. It didn’t come naturally. A great narrator can hold me for hours if need be. But I stress the “Great Narrator” part. I can consume more through audio than I used to. So I tend to devour them more now. I want publishing to get it together and learn to bundle ebooks and audio at a discounted price. They would make a fortune.  

3) Stop worrying about how much everyone else is reading. Reading isn’t a sport, it’s entertainment, it’s for enjoyment, it’s for disconnecting from an already chaotic world. I don’t need to keep up with everyone else. So, I don’t care if so and so has read ten more books than me this year. Good for them. 

I’m a slow reader. Maybe you are too. Guess what? That’s okay. Just dive in and learn to enjoy.