10/14/08 My Confession

My apologies for my absence. I’m on a book binge and it doesn’t appear to be letting up any time soon. I’m not sure if this happens for other people, but every now and then, I book binge. Sure, I’ve always got a book with me, and I read almost every day. A couple hours here, a couple there. Lots of people do that. But sometimes, out of the blue, I’ll hit a bender that totally consumes me. Especially when I’m in the middle of a good series. Then it’s all I do. I’m a bookaholic.

I went through 4 books this weekend. It started Friday night and is still going. This current book stash averages about 600 pages, so it takes me about 10 hours a book when I really savor the passages. I read in marathon blocks. I forgot to eat lunch AND dinner on Saturday because I was so caught up in the stories. I read all genres, although mostly fiction or historical fiction. I love a good story. I cover all kinds of themes. (I seem to be in a sci-fi mood at the moment). I like to read entire series at one time to really get in touch with the characters, so some binges last longer than others.

I try to schedule around book binges. I don’t have the willpower to put a book down and go to sleep before I finish, so I try to only start books that I know I can finish before 2am. And only towards the end of the workweek so that I can make up the sleep over the weekend. (I’m not doing so well with that this week…it’s only Tuesday and I’m seriously sleep deprived). Although I confess that in past binges, I’ve read straight through the entire night and then just went to work the next day, but I can only manage that for so long. (Stupid need for sleep). Work is harder. I read during lunch, but for the rest of the day, the book just sits here on the corner of my desk- singing its siren song. The story lines run through my head all day. I find it very hard to concentrate on anything else. I’m obsessed.

Another day or two ought to do it. The book I’m in right now isn’t as compelling, (still good but not as good as the others), which is probably why I was able to come to work mid-chapter. Still, I know it’s going to be another long night before the fever breaks. Thank goodness the library is so close that I can stock up whenever I need a hit. I’d be in the poor house if I were buying all these books. Some people need alcohol, or drugs, or caffeine. I need books. And sometimes, a whole lot of them at once.

But at least now you know what I've been up to. I'm feeding my addiction.