Stress, Sickness, Slumps, and other Stuff

Okay, so for the past couple of weeks Read Love has been virtually inactive. I've been dealing with the stress of working a new job with a shorthanded crew while battling sickness and taking antibiotics. While I managed to show up every morning with a smile on my face, I would come home drained and exhausted. I continued my reading, albeit very slowly at times.  All oft this meant I had little energy to give thought to writing and blogging.

I've got four titles still awaiting review, and I'm at a loss trying decide whether I will post reviews for them. Honestly, I feel like the time I would spend writing the reviews is time that I could instead spend turning the pages of a new book. The time I have to read is valuable, and while I enjoy writing and blogging at times, it has begun to feel like a chore. Blogging has become something I have had neither the inspiration nor the motivation to do. 

I feel like the book blogosphere is vast. While I respect those who dedicate much of their time to maintaining their blogs and making regular posts, I also feel that the majority of bloggers are looking only to their own self-interests and are concerned primarily with their own popularity. I have never felt any community. Maybe I've shot myself in the foot by choosing not to do things like "Follow Friday" or "In My Mailbox," and I'll not get into why. But I chose to try to do my blog in my own way. And I've tried to reach out to others to bring some community to my blog, but it has been to no avail.

Another thing I'd like to get back to doing is listening to music more often. I have numerous unopened CDs that have been waiting to be enjoyed. I'm not one who can read a book with music playing in the background. I prefer quiet reading time. Or if I'm going to play music, it has to be something I know so well that it can fade into the background. New music just demands my attention too much to be played while reading. I want to catch up with all the music I've bought. It sits wrapped and waiting, just like all the books sitting on the shelf clamoring to be read. Who knows what happiness might be waiting for me inside those shrink wrapped plastic boxes?!

I've discovered that Owl City is my current music of choice when I need to be cheered up. It's impossible to play Owl City and not walk away happier than I was coming into it. So, thank you, Mr. Adam Young. You are a dear!

I understand this is all completely random, and I am fully aware that no one may ever read this. And that's okay. I just had to say it. And I'll have to take some time to decide if blogging is an appropriate way to explore my love for reading. In the end, all I really want is to enjoy reading and try to read consistently and regularly. If blogging can help me, maybe I will continue. If blogging hinders my reading, perhaps I'll stop. Time will tell. For now I think I'll take a walk...