Books, continued

I am pretty certain that my ADHD as hindered my book reading endeavor. My short attention span for uninteresting, non-captivating things is powerful, indeed. Conversations have a tendency to play out much like my reading. After several minutes of my mouth responding to automated social queues, I leap back into consciousness and realize that I have no idea what my counterpart is talking about. Worse yet, I seem to have agreed to something at some time and date that I have the foggiest of ideas as to when it is or what I'll be doing... or not doing... As many are used to my problem, and I truly do feel horrible when it happens, I am able to ask what, exactly, it was that I just agreed to. I have found that it is better to ask and face frustration and anger now, than over the phone a few days later when the phone rings and I hear, "You said you would pick me up an hour ago! Where are you!?!"

Taking medication seems to be helping with some of these issues but it certainly did not help take care of my inability to enjoy a good book. I felt as though I would be left to live a life of unfulfilled cultural aspirations. I would miss out on such works as Moby Dick, War and Peace, the Iliad, and Into the Wild.

Oh ye of little faith am I! Little did I know that a fateful day would come when my almighty creator would bestow upon me a divine ruling: if you turn it off, you shall read!

Well, I didn't exactly turn it off as much as the service was cancelled. Technically, the cable company turned it off. Then again, I can still turn the TV on... You get the idea (and perhaps a small taste of the luxuries of ADHD; a never-ending supply of thoughts... my mind is like the Energizer Bunny of conversational train derailments).

Although I have always felt that TV was 90%+ a massive waste of time, I watched it anyway. My brain loved to absorb the decoded vibrations entering my ears and the photons striking my eyes. Somehow, and I am sure there is a study on this, television gave my ADHD brain what it wanted far more than a book could ever hope to contribute. Super instant gratification. Without the TV, my brain was left with a few options: sit and watch my crazy neighbor watch me back all day (she watches the house even when I am not watching her watch it; and yes, she does watch the house even if no one else is around) or try and read a book.

Recently, I have been told that I am a reasonably skilled writer. I hope that I can write a book review or two without making myself seem totally foolish.

Finally, I am quickly realizing that when God said, "Let there be light." He did not mean, "for which to find the remote."