TO READ OR NOT TO READ—DOUG'S ATTENTION CHALLENGES!

AN OLD HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATE, Lindsay, recently sent me a book to read (The Musician.) I'm not a big reader of fiction . . . in fact, the last fiction book I read from start to finish might have been The Bobbsey Twins and Baby May back when I was, what, 10 years old? How did I make it through high school and college without reading Great Expectations and Homer's Odyssey? I don't know, but I do remember faking my way through exams on both those works. And it's ironic; 'cuz as a kid, I used to write a lot of fiction—short stories. And I guess, as an adult, I've done my share of writing in the form of songs and articles. I even have a blog: Keety Mewzings. I do read a newspaper cover to cover each day and peruse various technical materials—especially those related to music. However, when it comes to stories with intricate plots and character development, I find myself struggling. The deeper I get into a book, as the plot unfolds and individuals are introduced, the more lost I become in keeping everyone (and everything) straight. Hmmmm, Evan . . . now was that the son or is that the business associate?? And another thing, my inner dialog is just too unbridled. As I'm reading, I'll suddenly realize that I'm not really reading, I'm just looking at each word in succession while I'm actually thinking about something else. I wonder if I should repeat the chorus on that new song, or maybe—whoops! I'm supposed to be reading this story. I think my form of attention deficit also extends into other aspects of my life, such as watching movies. I often find myself focusing on details like whether the boom mic dips into the shot instead of following the plot.

Similarly, during conversations, I'm frequently distracted by an inner Chris Farley soundtrack running in my head, e.g., “Those pictures of the grand canyon on your cellphone are way too small for me to see . . . please, for the love of all that's sacred, STOP with the photos and put the phone away!!” I'm actually in awe of folks who read and enjoy lengthy books by such popular authors as J.K. Rowling and John Grisham. They'll say, “I just read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night. It was wonderful!” “You mean you finished it last night, right?” “Noooo. I started it after dinner and just couldn't put it down! It was sooo won-der-ful!” It would take me a year to get through the first chapter. And even then, I wouldn't have a clue as to what it was about. Anyway, getting back to the book Lindsay sent me. I've actually been reading it. I tackle one chapter each night; and I'm thirteen chapters in, about halfway. And I'm actually enjoying it and have been successfully keeping track of who everyone is (it helps that there's only been two main characters so far!) How about you? Are you a fiction reader? If you'd care to share your thoughts, click here.