Before I quit my job, I assumed that if I didn't work full time I would be reading feverishly and be able to knock off a book everyday or worst case - every 2 days. It has not turned out that way exactly. For the first week, I was in such bad shape that I could barely read 2 pages at a time. I would start reading before mental fatigue would set in or I would get distracted. Part of this may be due to some accumulated frustration at not having run for a while now, leaving me listless but some of it is just recently formed bad habits since I am better now, but still can't read a book a day.
As a result I have started on all of the following in the last two weeks but finished none
David Mitchell's Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet (actually started on this last year, but never picked it up again till last week)
Samurai Williams (incredibly also about a westerner in Japan)
Firoozeh Dumas' Laughing without an accent (started on this when I was in the US, but never finished it and then someone borrowed it!)
HItchhiker (Douglas Adams' bio)
Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by Mohd. Hanif (considering how much I liked his 1st, thought this would be a breeze...)
Does Anything eat Wasps? (from the New Scientist - yes, that's how desperate I am to read!)
The Greatest Show on Earth - writings on Bollywood edited by my man, Jerry
It is a telling comment that the only books I finished were both focussed on running.
Somehow I managed to finish seeing two full movies - again this is very unsettling for someone who has done 24 hr movie marathons with ease. I can barely sit for 15 mins for a movie now, although I have now managed to start reading 50 pages at least at one sitting.
True Grit (the Coen brothers' version) - fantastically made movie. Of particular delight is the rattlesnake scene...Everyone does well - Brolin, Damon, Bridges and Hailee...
The Lincoln Lawyer (a little pulpy but definitely watchable)
Have also seen random reruns of several B action movies on kungfu, assassins and the likes but never what happens after 15-20 mins. At one point, insanity & desperation connived to make me watch Singham on TV.
Phew!
In short my world is a little messed up right now. God knows I need a run!