My Reading List

I love to read. I'm mean I realllllly love it. Sometimes I'll skip a whole day of work just because I MUST finish a book. It is a problem. I wonder if it qualifies as an addiction. Hmmmm.

The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Addiction includes the 12 symptoms listed below:

Uncontrolled cravings - check - I must have it!
Obsessive thought about the addiction - Check - I should be working - instead I'm obsessing about my books. A vicious cycle.
Energy focused on the addiction - Check - If only I could focus this much at work - I'd be rich!!
Absenteeism - Check - Thank God I'm self-employed!
School truancy - When I was in school... Most definately CHECK!
Nasal congestion - hmmm - not so much
Eye changes - Yessir - Got reading glasses last year - barely 30 years old. Check.
Glassy eyes - see above
Behavioral changes - Well, I get real grumpy when a book ends badly. Check.
Hyperactivity - not quite
Fatigue - and then some. I've been known to stay awake all night to read an entire Harry Potter book from start to finish. Sad. Check.
Over-spending money - I can't resist the Borders' sales - Buy two, get one free! What a bargain. At least $50.00 every time I go in there. Check.

So out of all these, only 2 symptons don't qualify. Yes, I'd say I have an addiction. Well, that kinda blows.

So here's a list of what I'm reading:

The Federalist Papers - I've made a commitment to balance my reading list with as many classics as possible. I don't know if this qualifies as a classic, but I was getting a little bored with classic fiction, so I thought that this would be a nice change. I intend on reading The Art of War next for my "classical education"

The Four Agreements - not too sure about this one. It's a little weird. I'm not really into self help books, but it was on the sale rack and apparently spent a bunch of time on the bestsellers list. It's a little funky. I keep putting it down with thoughts of "bite me". Not very helpful.

The Pale Horseman - If you don't read Bernard Cornwell then you are a moron. There, I said it.