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jadesfire1. For the first time in years, I actually have a book that I'm reading. Not one that I've started and abandoned, not an overly ambitious pile that I've got out from the library, and not even an audiobook. An actual, honest-to-goodness book. Seriously, it's been years.
I'm making my way with all the speed of a drunken snail through Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes. My concentration is still almost non-existent, so I read for my 10 minute bus journey each morning and then, if I feel like it, for another 20 minutes at lunchtime. But nothing after that, as my eyes just travel over the page without seeing the words.
Even so, I've managed to get through three-quarters of the book, and am really enjoying it. In many ways, it's the perfect book for someone who reads in small chunks, as each chapter is different to the one before. There's no real narrative, no one narrator and no actual story. There are through-lines of characters and themes, but that's about it. The style varies, but is always readable, and some of the prose is just wonderful. There are lots of lists, which naturally appeals to me, and lots of facts mingled in with varying interpretations. The only downside is that I think I'm now going to have to read Madame Bovary to make more sense of what I'm reading (no fore-knowledge of Flaubert is actually required!), and that could prove trickier.
Still, at 30 minutes a day on my phone or iPad, I've got through more of a book in a fortnight than I have in 2 years, so I'll take it!
2. The crippling fatigue has lessened to overwhelming tiredness, which is something I'm more used to coping with. Even so, I am Unamused by this, as I'd been doing pretty well for most of December and January. Nothing's changed, so I'm going to plod onwards and wait for it to lift again. Bah.
3. I'm still undecided about when to go and see Black Panther. Annoyingly, the cinema I have membership of doesn't have a post-work/school showing time, only morning, afternoon or 8.40pm, which is out of the question on a weeknight. In fact, the first 5.40pm showing isn't until a whole week after the film comes out. If I go to the 3D showing, I could see it on the Friday. Decisions, decisions...
4. Despite my exhaustion, I made it through Pilates last night, which was immensely satisfying. I ache a lot around the shoulders today, and desperately need more strength in my upper arms, though, so I need to get back on the 'during the week' practice as well. There are too many exercises that rely on me being able to support myself on all fours, which I can only do for about three minutes at the moment!
5. The other thing I need to pick up again is my running. I got about 5 weeks into Couch to 5K last year, and LOVED it, so much. I never thought I would, but actually miss running. The difficulty is that the only time that works for me is early in the morning, and that definitely doesn't work for me at the moment. Still, like the Pilates and the Whole 30 and the reading, I think there'll come a point where it just clicks, and I'll get back to it. My energy levels are so much better when I'm active, but finding that activation energy is just too much for me at the moment. In the meantime, I'm leaving my running shoes out, just as a reminder.
I'm making my way with all the speed of a drunken snail through Flaubert's Parrot by Julian Barnes. My concentration is still almost non-existent, so I read for my 10 minute bus journey each morning and then, if I feel like it, for another 20 minutes at lunchtime. But nothing after that, as my eyes just travel over the page without seeing the words.
Even so, I've managed to get through three-quarters of the book, and am really enjoying it. In many ways, it's the perfect book for someone who reads in small chunks, as each chapter is different to the one before. There's no real narrative, no one narrator and no actual story. There are through-lines of characters and themes, but that's about it. The style varies, but is always readable, and some of the prose is just wonderful. There are lots of lists, which naturally appeals to me, and lots of facts mingled in with varying interpretations. The only downside is that I think I'm now going to have to read Madame Bovary to make more sense of what I'm reading (no fore-knowledge of Flaubert is actually required!), and that could prove trickier.
Still, at 30 minutes a day on my phone or iPad, I've got through more of a book in a fortnight than I have in 2 years, so I'll take it!
2. The crippling fatigue has lessened to overwhelming tiredness, which is something I'm more used to coping with. Even so, I am Unamused by this, as I'd been doing pretty well for most of December and January. Nothing's changed, so I'm going to plod onwards and wait for it to lift again. Bah.
3. I'm still undecided about when to go and see Black Panther. Annoyingly, the cinema I have membership of doesn't have a post-work/school showing time, only morning, afternoon or 8.40pm, which is out of the question on a weeknight. In fact, the first 5.40pm showing isn't until a whole week after the film comes out. If I go to the 3D showing, I could see it on the Friday. Decisions, decisions...
4. Despite my exhaustion, I made it through Pilates last night, which was immensely satisfying. I ache a lot around the shoulders today, and desperately need more strength in my upper arms, though, so I need to get back on the 'during the week' practice as well. There are too many exercises that rely on me being able to support myself on all fours, which I can only do for about three minutes at the moment!
5. The other thing I need to pick up again is my running. I got about 5 weeks into Couch to 5K last year, and LOVED it, so much. I never thought I would, but actually miss running. The difficulty is that the only time that works for me is early in the morning, and that definitely doesn't work for me at the moment. Still, like the Pilates and the Whole 30 and the reading, I think there'll come a point where it just clicks, and I'll get back to it. My energy levels are so much better when I'm active, but finding that activation energy is just too much for me at the moment. In the meantime, I'm leaving my running shoes out, just as a reminder.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 04:14 pm (UTC)I got 1 week into couch to 5K and then was ill and then actual winter happened. I have promised myself I'll start again once the weather is a bit milder - I bought very expensive new shoes and do not want them to go to waste!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 08:24 pm (UTC)I feel the same about the shoes! My running shoes are great, but just sitting there atm. I even rearranged the garage so I can run on the treadmill (I promised myself that I'd never make myself run in the rain) but haven't got down there yet. But I have big plans for next week :D
(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 08:34 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 08:41 pm (UTC)Thank you! Hopefully on Monday I'll have some progress to report :D
(no subject)
Date: 2018-02-01 09:55 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 05:31 pm (UTC)Good luck with the rest of it!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 08:27 pm (UTC)I figure it's like with my running. I promised myself that I'd never make myself go, and that I'd never run in the rain. With the reading, I decided I wouldn't stress, and I read whatever I wanted. And I liked the cover of Flaubert's Parrot, so I went with that :)
It's so reassuring to hear that this isn't just me, and that improvement is possible!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 08:28 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 06:28 pm (UTC)Madame Bovary isn't a super hard read, IIRC. I read some of it in French and the rest in Spanish but when I say read I mean like... had to read it for college and I FLEW through it. I'm not a speed-reader. I skimmed a LOT. But based on that, not that hard?
I can't do running and I have a hard time doing yoga when it's cold, but I've picked up my stretching and 150dips and I'm enjoying that.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 08:29 pm (UTC)I'm approaching everything the same way nowadays, which seems to be helping. I don't force myself, I make strict rules about what I can and can't do - NO FORCING, give up if my brain wanders, take breaks, come back, no berating myself - and like the exercise, it seems to be coming back slowly. Next up: running!
That's great about getting moving again. It's so hard when weather and circumstances are against you, but that sounds like a good start :)
(no subject)
Date: 2018-01-31 09:04 pm (UTC)And you'll get back into running after winter. It's definitely A Thing to struggle with when it's dark and cold and there's no daylight in which to do actual running. (I was on a roll and then I got sick and now I feel guilty? For not running? Even though I can barely make it through breakfast without feeling exhausted.)