What did I come in here for....?
For the last few months I have had a very weird thing going on.
I love reading, me. I used to read all the time. I don't read anything worthwhile, of course - it's all rubbish. But I used to love it. When I was a Small Person I used to take about six books on long car journeys because there was nothing worse (apart from my stepsister putting one of her books/her elbow/her foot on my side of the car, which would elicit whiny cries of "Muuuuum!" and one of those weird, I-can't-see-you slaps from the front seat) than running out of book on a long journey. I used to hate coming home from my Granny's on a Sunday afternoon because it would get dark halfway home and I wasn't allowed to read any more and the only thing to do was listen to my stepdad's Genesis tapes and keep a sharp eye out for incoming from the other side of the back seat.
Anyway.
I can't read books any more. Well, occasionally I can - I've just read "The Bell Jar". But that's the first book I've started and then finished for months. I do that thing where I stand in front of the bookcase, which would normally make me go ooh! and grab for something I haven't read for ages, which would then be devoured in hours flat. But these days I can't even concentrate long enough to choose anything. And on the rare occasions that I can, I can't actually read the bloody book. It's the same with music - I tend to obsess over albums and listen to them endlessly. Again, that hasn't happened for ages (well, until the Other Half got me the My Chemical Romance CD which I have listened to relentlessly for almost a week now). I put a CD on and get bored with it halfway through.
What on earth has happened to my attention span? I've got so many things in my head (busy at work, Small Person changing school, millions of random things) that stuff keeps falling out. I'm going to London on Saturday, but completely forgot about it. The Other Half had to remind me. I can't remember anything. I'm going to end up like some random bag lady, all pockets and bits of paper that say things like "dentist" and "hair" and "brush teeth" on them.
Worrying.
I love reading, me. I used to read all the time. I don't read anything worthwhile, of course - it's all rubbish. But I used to love it. When I was a Small Person I used to take about six books on long car journeys because there was nothing worse (apart from my stepsister putting one of her books/her elbow/her foot on my side of the car, which would elicit whiny cries of "Muuuuum!" and one of those weird, I-can't-see-you slaps from the front seat) than running out of book on a long journey. I used to hate coming home from my Granny's on a Sunday afternoon because it would get dark halfway home and I wasn't allowed to read any more and the only thing to do was listen to my stepdad's Genesis tapes and keep a sharp eye out for incoming from the other side of the back seat.
Anyway.
I can't read books any more. Well, occasionally I can - I've just read "The Bell Jar". But that's the first book I've started and then finished for months. I do that thing where I stand in front of the bookcase, which would normally make me go ooh! and grab for something I haven't read for ages, which would then be devoured in hours flat. But these days I can't even concentrate long enough to choose anything. And on the rare occasions that I can, I can't actually read the bloody book. It's the same with music - I tend to obsess over albums and listen to them endlessly. Again, that hasn't happened for ages (well, until the Other Half got me the My Chemical Romance CD which I have listened to relentlessly for almost a week now). I put a CD on and get bored with it halfway through.
What on earth has happened to my attention span? I've got so many things in my head (busy at work, Small Person changing school, millions of random things) that stuff keeps falling out. I'm going to London on Saturday, but completely forgot about it. The Other Half had to remind me. I can't remember anything. I'm going to end up like some random bag lady, all pockets and bits of paper that say things like "dentist" and "hair" and "brush teeth" on them.
Worrying.
posted by surly girl at 6:11 pm
16 Comments:
I go through phases like this too. I don't know what it is either, and I do carry around scraps of paper. I used to write notes on the back of my hand, but ever since I got the tattoo that doesn't work as well as it used to.
All I can say is, don't get a tattoo on the back of the hand you use to write reminders on.
if you do that.
Hmmm... "The Bell Jar." Not the most uplifting book ever written.
Gee, that combined with the visit from your Ma is enough to make anybody believe they're half way to the madhouse!
This is me! I am loosing great chunks of information from my brain each day I get older....there's just too much in there now....when I have to remember something important, it is at the expense of some other less significant piece of info that has to go...normally my husband's name!! ;)
It's the Ipod Generation. Random chunks of info and an immediate "forward" button if something isn't immediately arresting.
The only book I've read in 2 years is the Da Vinci Code.
I feel (some of) your pain: I have started several books this year most of which are technically still 'on the go'.
The main problem not so much my 2 jobs, one child, one rather distracting wife lifestyle as the fact that I keep acquiring hardbacks which are too awkward to carry around so I give up on them for a couple of days so I can fit more sandwiches in my laptop bag etc and then when I get around to them I've forgotten what's happening or I've been given something else to read or there are too many sentences that are just unrealistically long with no punctuation etc. to guide one as to where one might reasonably stop and watch X-factor for a bit or perhaps just have a little sleep.
hormones, blame it on the hormones.
Maybe you are thinking about being read rather than what to read (in a good way)?
I'm going through a similar period. I just have so much going on, that I can't think beyond the next 5 minutes. I went to pick G up from a friends last night, and actually had to phone her en route to remind me where she lives. I could picture the house, but had no idea which part of the estate it was on!
it takes me about a month or more to get through a book sometimes. this is mostly due to the fact that i read in bed and usually wake up at 3 in the morning with a book on my face. it takes awhile to get through a few pages with a habit like that.
Don't worry, we'll grow old and senile together. Just think, when the memoryhas finally gone you'll be able to revisit all your favourite books and CD's as you'll have not recollection of them in the first place !
It's like I said last night, write it all down. Lists are good, lists work and they mean there's less 'stuff' in your head taking up all the concentrating space. See, I should have been a therapist.
Sympathy from here. I tend to binge read. I can usually just manage a few pages a night but then something clicks in my brain and I stay awake until 3 and kill my brain for a week. As for the Bell Jar I've never managed it all the way through.
The Bell Jar? Are you thinking about sticking our head in your electric oven again?
I like lists. And the bag lady look is underrated.
Just be sure that your attention doesn't wander while writing your reminders. You don't want to 'get done' for brushing your dentist...
perfect opprtunity to "research" all the fantastic notebook/diary permutations there are out there. Just don't end up like the Weird Woman at the next table to us at some service station over the summer who compulsively scribbled out each line of the minute writing in her tiny tiny notebook while totally ignoring her companion.
I obviously totally ignored my companions to stalker-ishly study the Weird Woman.
But seriously, lists are good. As are small whiteboards at each entrance/exit to your house.
Too much life for you to deal with escapism I think. I've only had this happen to me once and it was when I was seriously overloaded with Way Too Much Stuff To Do.
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