Sunday, March 1, 2009

Don't pick on me...I'm slow....and Musing about Monday

Another week has flown by, so once again it is time for our Musing Monday post, via Rebecca at Just One More Page

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about boys and reading…

When reading do you read every word? Do you ever skip chapters or skim over parts?


Ok, am I just slow...I don't get the thing about it being about boys. So I will ignore that and skip on to the skipping part.

And speaking of slow...
I once thought that I was a fast reader. I remember when I was in grammar school, we took one of those state wide tests that measure things...like reading ability and I got this REAL high score. How high I am not sure but I remember they called my mother in to talk about it. Unlike the things they called my mother in to talk to about regarding my brother...but that is another story.

Anyhoo, somewhere along the journey of life, I think I lost it. I see these people who blog and read like 15+ book in February. What did I read...5?
Now, I have read that one of the keys to fast reading is not to read every word. That you see the sentence as a hold. I don't do that. I guess I read every word. Actually, I guess I am not sure that I get the point of trying to read faster. Sure, it might be nice to one day get to all the unread books I own before I die, but isn't it suppose to be about pleasure? Do we want to listen to music faster and play it at higher speeds so we could listen to more. Or fast forward through Gone With the Wind so we could watch the DVD faster? Hey, sounds like a pretty good excuse to me

Do I skim over parts? Hmmm....not really. Not unless I really dislike a book and recently I have decided if I dislike a book, after giving it a fair try, I am not going to read it. As I have read somewhere in the blogsphere recently, life is too short to read book that you don't like. Now granted, if it is an ARC someone has sent me, I do feel an obligation, but even obligation only goes so far. Not as far as skimming chapters.
No, this is ultimately about pleasure and enjoyment. Hey, maybe that is where the boys were suppose to come into the question!

Actually, I think the reason I am a slower reader as I get older is that I am increasing easily distracted. Oh, look....a shiny object. pretty.....
Seriously, unless I TOTALLY love a book, I find my mind wanders a bit as I read. To tell the truth, I find my mind wanders a bit no matter what I am doing. Does anyone know where the remote is for my Bose clock radio? I was cleaning and not paying attention, well, at least not to cleaning, and now it is missing. For the last week.
Say you are vacuuming and thinking about what you need to get at the supermarket and whether you should go to the post office today or tomorrow and do you need to get the oil changed in the car..and next thing you know, you run over your bare foot (hint, don't vacuum barefoot) and whoosh....no more nail on you big toe.

It grew back.

But an injured toe is a good excuse to stay home in your comfy chair, with a cuppa tea and read! Every single word....




18 comments:

  1. ha ha you don't actually discuss those things you think about at the Dr's office, now do you? I just commented on your post about people not reading in waiting rooms. If they let me wait in a quiet place it would be ok. I think I get much more easily distracted too, although I am older than dirt so what do you want from me? I'm finding that a handy excuse for a lot of things. Enjoy your week.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I always thought I was a fast reader too until I started book blogging! How some bloggers find the time to read 2 or 3 or 5 books a week amazes me! That said, I do not skip or skim -- I read the whole book from cover to cover. If I do find that I just can't read it, I have recently given myself permission to stop reading it put it aside. (I used to struggle to read everything I started but I'm really not sure of the point of that!)

    And I don't get the thing about the boys either.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I didn't the thing about the boys either.

    I'm a slow reader. I got off to a good start this year, but I think that's because of the reading challenges. Otherwise, I'm lucky if I read 4 or 5 books a month. Suddenly, I've doubled that because of the challenges.

    Hope you have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't know...maybe someone thinks boys are slow readers? My son is, and for sure my husband. I do not skim or skip. I read everything, sometimes more than once if I feel I need to truly understand a point. Or in the case of audio, I listen to everything. Don't feel bad. I think I may have read 7 books in February. I have a habit of picking looooong books.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Delightful--I read every word!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Seven is better than me. I have almost considered picking a bunch of really thin books.
    If I ever get a hold of a copy of Drood...which is what, 1600 pages...ok, maybe not that many...I might be done for the month.

    Jenners, I totally agree on not forcing yourself to finish something you hate. we can never lose sight of the fact that this is suppose to be fun!

    ReplyDelete
  7. That was just too funny! lol You're answer was so much like mine...about the skimming!I don't consider myself a slow reader, but just don't get some of the bloggers who read 4-5 books a week!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I did learn how to read fast in high school, but it just doesn't work well for me for pleasure reading.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm a fast reader, but I just don't have as many hours to read as I once did!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great point comparing reading fast to movies and music. I only read fast because I am loving the book so much that I must know what happens next!! The speed comes less from skimming though, and more from simply not coming up from air until the book is finished.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your posts always make me giggle. Yep, If my mind is wandering while I read, then forget it. I haven't comprehended a dang thing and have to go back and read it. I think the boy was a typo and she meant books. maybe we should ask. I read fast because that is just the way I read. I enjoy every single book and don't feel like I'm missing anything.



    my post is up

    ReplyDelete
  12. I also have an award for you on blog.

    here

    ReplyDelete
  13. Haha! I average about 2-3 books a month. I don't know how those speed readers do it!

    ReplyDelete
  14. WHOOPS! I copy/pasted and forgot to change what the question was about. You're not slow, I'm just dumb :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. i will muse:

    mom says she NEVER SKIPS CHAPTERS OR WORDS. she says there's no point in rushing to finish a book because the faster you read it, the more money you have to spend on others.

    as for kiki, you could read 15 books a month during that pseudo-job of yours. but i guess you can't read if you're busy sleeping!! haha, JUST KIDDING!!

    see you in a couple days!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. ps. id go to the post office a month from now because id try an avoid the creeper who knows you by name.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Bandit, I have no idea what that menas. Is that a secret puppy language?

    ReplyDelete

please speak up, I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!!