I committed to commenting on my new unread book total of 152 at the end of my last post. So here's my comment, getting to Book Shelf Zero just isn't my number one priority at the moment. In the midst of COVID hysteria, I needed something to look forward to. Waiting for books to arrive is a great joy, far more joyful than it deserves but that's just how I am, so I ordered some books that looked interesting. I've mostly bought nonfiction titles. I'm talking hard core academic history titles. I finished one of them earlier this week. Tobacco Culture. It's about the mindset of the great planters in Virginia prior to the Revolution. It was an interesting and fun read. It was also really short which is definitely a plus. I'm planning on reading a few more before I buy again though.
I'm actually finding it very hard to fit in reading time right now. I spend way too much time playing Dr Mario on my phone or scrolling through Twitter. The game is fun but Twitter can be obnoxious. I am so thoroughly and utterly over the social distancing and flimsy talk of people's safety that I just about can't stand it. We have so over reacted to the virus that I find myself more aggravated than I would prefer. I've never really struggled with mental health, but this damn situation has me feeling more depressed and defeated than I can remember. I still read and exercise and do those kinds of things, but it's more from habit than a desire to really get out and improve myself. It's just so hard to escape the negativity and malaise. All of my usual escapes have been contaminated with the insanity of trying to control the virus (an utter waste of effort). The little gaps in my day where I was able to clear my head have also disappeared as I'm working from home and my kids are here with me everyday (with today being an exception with one of them at a friend's house and the other at her summer camp). I should be at the gym, but I decided to write this first. I'm not very motivated to exercise, but I always feel better after I've lifted or run a couple of miles.
A brief note on reading before signing off. Not sure what physical book I will read next. The wife suggested something I've owned for a long time. Based on a previous evaluation, I think the longest tenured book in my collection may be Crime and Punishment, but it could be Don Quixote. Neither sound particularly inviting at the moment. Maybe I'll just scan the shelves and see what jumps out at me. I read the first Witcher book after borrowing it from the library. I watched the Netfilx series and enjoyed it. The book was good too. I have the next one borrowed already. The clock is ticking so I need to get to it before it goes away!
