Guys guys guys guys guys! I CAN READ AGAIN!!!!
So I told myself I would take this whole weekend off, because the last six months have been so stressful and the last two especially so non-stop-worky-work. I was really psyched to just do nothing. Bliss. Of course it would be sheer bliss.
Right?
Well, as it turns out, it was a lot harder than I expected! First off, I tried to sleep in really late, which shouldn't have been hard after three nights staying up till past two, but turned out to be impossible. I made it to 9:30 a.m. yesterday, and 9:00 today, before I had to admit I was just lying there awake and that was stupid. All yesterday morning I vegged out and caught up on the TV shows I'd missed last week but to be honest, it wasn't until I watched Parks and Rec that I actually started enjoying myself. So I just watched old episodes of Parks and Rec all afternoon and then went to dinner with my wonderful, wonderful friends and had a game of Liebrary afterwards, which was great fun.
But today: same as yesterday morning. It wasn't that I wanted to be working, but instead of tasting like freedom time just seemed to hang heavy on my hands. I knew if I were hanging out with people it would be different, but tomorrow's a work day for everyone but me, and it really shouldn't have been such a problem to entertain myself! What was wrong with me?
Then five minutes ago I had an epiphany. All my life I've had a way to keep myself fully amused, not wanting a thing, never noticing the hours go by. You all, I'm sure, know what it is. But it literally did not occur to me, because I have trained myself out of reading for pleasure.
Seriously. There isn't a book in the house I'm itching to get my hands on. Since the school year started, I have not read a single new book (as in, new to me) that wasn't on my exam list. I couldn't let myself. There was just too much to read, an impossible amount in the time frame. I read a chapter of something non-school-related before going to sleep now and then, to help me relax, but even then I had to make myself pick old familiars so I wouldn't get sucked in.
But guess what? Now I can read again!
Yes, I have to read lots and lots for my dissertation research; I'll start working on my prospectus tomorrow, and too much spare time isn't a problem I'm going to face. But I can afford to take an afternoon here and there to actually enjoy a book of my free choosing. And oh, does that prospect sound lovely.
So what should I read? What's really, really good? What have I been missing?
Right?
Well, as it turns out, it was a lot harder than I expected! First off, I tried to sleep in really late, which shouldn't have been hard after three nights staying up till past two, but turned out to be impossible. I made it to 9:30 a.m. yesterday, and 9:00 today, before I had to admit I was just lying there awake and that was stupid. All yesterday morning I vegged out and caught up on the TV shows I'd missed last week but to be honest, it wasn't until I watched Parks and Rec that I actually started enjoying myself. So I just watched old episodes of Parks and Rec all afternoon and then went to dinner with my wonderful, wonderful friends and had a game of Liebrary afterwards, which was great fun.
But today: same as yesterday morning. It wasn't that I wanted to be working, but instead of tasting like freedom time just seemed to hang heavy on my hands. I knew if I were hanging out with people it would be different, but tomorrow's a work day for everyone but me, and it really shouldn't have been such a problem to entertain myself! What was wrong with me?
Then five minutes ago I had an epiphany. All my life I've had a way to keep myself fully amused, not wanting a thing, never noticing the hours go by. You all, I'm sure, know what it is. But it literally did not occur to me, because I have trained myself out of reading for pleasure.
Seriously. There isn't a book in the house I'm itching to get my hands on. Since the school year started, I have not read a single new book (as in, new to me) that wasn't on my exam list. I couldn't let myself. There was just too much to read, an impossible amount in the time frame. I read a chapter of something non-school-related before going to sleep now and then, to help me relax, but even then I had to make myself pick old familiars so I wouldn't get sucked in.
But guess what? Now I can read again!
Yes, I have to read lots and lots for my dissertation research; I'll start working on my prospectus tomorrow, and too much spare time isn't a problem I'm going to face. But I can afford to take an afternoon here and there to actually enjoy a book of my free choosing. And oh, does that prospect sound lovely.
So what should I read? What's really, really good? What have I been missing?