Note to self: I really must stop opening my book when consuming the morning's dose of caffeine. I invariably glance at the clock and think "loads of time, I'll just read to the end of this chapter" only to find myself engrossed, 3 chapters further than intended and needing to leave 10 minutes ago.
Every morning while slaloming through rush hour traffic, I swear I will no longer pick up a book before 6pm on a work day. In fact, I'll go one better - I will hide the book. Each night I will stow it in a different location, leaving myself a series of cunning clues - each more fiendish than the next - telling me where to find it. But I don't think I have the time to devise all manner of fiendishly difficult cryptic instructions.
But a good book is only half the problem, the other half is a reasonable employer. One who isn't hell bent on punctuality at all costs and instead, realising that a certain element of give and take is essential, is relatively flexible on start and finish times. Its makes it far too easy to decide you will hang on until just after this news report/chapter/article/episode of Neighbours.
The final half of the problem is, apart from a poor grasp of basic fractions, the fact that I am not at the mercy of rush hour traffic. We all know that, for some unfortunate drones, leaving the house 10 minutes later than normal can result in arriving at the office 30 to 40 minutes later than normal. On two wheels you don't really experience that phenomenon - you leave 10 minutes later, you arrive 10 minutes later. Hence there is no urgency to get out the door, it makes your morning routine a little more flexible.
But mostly its the books. We written, enjoyable, unputdownable books.
Tuesday 4 March 2008
You say you will but you know you won't.
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5 comments:
Mills & Boon, eh?
Never been one for the old bodice rippers sheepworrier. While I may write like there is a stack of well thumbed (Don't!) M&B novels in Ambassador Towers I have never actually read one.
"7 Seconds or Less" is the book of choice right now - well actually it was, I finished it before work this morning. A biography of Ho Chi Minh or "The Casting of Mr O'Shaughnessy" will probably be next.
Im guessing you're one of those compulsive readers who finish 3 books a week?
Im reading the new Sebastian Faulks at the mo - very good so far.
Once upon a time maybe - it wouldn't be uncommon for me to have 3 or 4 books lying, half-read about the house at any one time.
The demands of university changed that somewhat - what with projects, text books, papers, reports and travelling across Dublin twice a day. There was no time for recreational reading and, unfortunately, I haven't really been able to get back into it with the same vigour since graduating.
So long as you're not reading while cycling things aren't too bad.
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