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Some pleasure reading to make the ache go away

We journalists are hefty readers -- newspapers, blogs, Web sites, magazines, and books keep our eyes busy for oh-so-many hours each week. I probably spend 12 hours reading on a good day. Which leads me to this blog -- a two-parter spawning from the massive headache building behind my eyes as I type, and the novel I very much want to finish that's sitting on my desk (The flourescent lights overhead do little to ease my dilemma).

What do you do to keep your head from hurting during all the reading you do?

I have witnessed the following remedies:
1. Turn off half the lights in the area (this seems to irritate about half the people who work there).
2. Wear a visor or sunglasses indoors (this does work! but it also looks silly)
3. Drink copious amounts of coffee (also works, and yum!)
4. Take copious amounts of Tylonal, or similar pill.
5. Turn on all the lights in the area (this irritates the half that like it dark)

And now... part two -- the more interesting, less whiny question to readers:
 
What do you read for pleasure?

I've got a copy of Gregory Maguire's 'Wicked' staring at me right now, but a whole bunch of other delicious reading waiting for me at home.
So how about you? Do you read fiction, non-fiction, magazines, poetry - or nothing at all?

Published Sunday, May 27, 2007 1:40 AM by ElysseJames
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Comments

# re: Some pleasure reading to make the ache go away

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 10:16 AM by SonyaSmith
Well on the first part of your post, Elysse, I would highly reccomend drinking tons of coffee - you remember when I used to drink 2 pots of coffee in place of two meals a day in college, right?
On the second part of your post - I read tons of things all at the same time. I usually have one comedy book (I love George Carlin), a collection of poems or short stories (right now it's Picturing and Poeting), and right now I'm between Steinbeck novels (I only have a few of his books to go before I've read all his stuff - I'm a big fan). I sometimes will reread one of the many Shakespeare plays I've read before (I've read almost all of them) - but my English lit. background means I have trouble just reading and not analyzing and taking notes in the plays.

# re: Some pleasure reading to make the ache go away

Thursday, May 31, 2007 3:32 PM by Louise Harris
Question No. 1: Why don't you break up the reading. It has always worked for me. When my eyes get tired, I do something else or take a break. Later, I go back to reading.

Question No. 2: I read fiction for pleasure, newspapers to keep up with what is happening, and Internet sources for quirky stuff. For fiction, I love suspense/mysteries and romance. If I spend all day surrounded by news, I usually do not pick up a paper.

Maybe, you might be interested in my new novel, The 1776 Scroll.

# re: Some pleasure reading to make the ache go away

Friday, June 01, 2007 8:18 PM by ElysseJames
Coffee today is doing the trick for the lighting :P

Louise - your book sounds interesting. I'll have to look for it!

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