I discovered a way to continue reading a book even after it was returned to the library. My loan ended yesterday, but when I left my Kindle I just left the book open, so the book remained accessible. Consequently, when I revisited the book yesterday, I was able to finish reading it. I completed ‘Funny Story’ last night at Tommy’s hockey game while he was getting dressed for practice; I only had about 10% of the book left to go.
I enjoyed the book; it’s one of Emily Henry’s stronger works. While I appreciated it, I felt that some plotlines were a bit stretched out. The drama was concentrated toward the end, which was fine, and she wrapped everything up nicely. Her next book is set to be released at the end of April, and I hope it’s just as good.
I’m currently reading “The Paris Apartment,” which I believe is a mystery novel—though I’m still uncertain about its exact genre. I prefer not to read reviews before diving into a book, but the beginning certainly has a mystery-like feel. I managed to get some reading done last night before my Kindle’s battery died. Am I interested in exploring a mystery novel? Maybe, and I think my anxiety levels will be manageable. I’m cautious about content that might trigger my anxiety, so I’m approaching this book with some wariness. However, I do enjoy stories set in Paris, and I’ve read several books that take place there, so I’m hopeful this one captures that Parisian atmosphere.
I feel the need to accelerate my reading pace. My Goodreads challenge for the year is to read 20 books, and so far, I’ve completed just two. I’ve been reflecting on the reasons for my slow reading progress.
Books are inherently personal and require intentional effort. Reading demands that you engage with the material actively; it’s a solitary pursuit that often feels like work. Unlike gaming, where rewards are immediate and tangible, the benefits of reading are less obvious. It involves greater cognitive effort, including decoding letters, interpreting sentences, and visualizing scenes. In contrast, with television or movies, a cast of characters delivers the story while you passively absorb the content. Even when listening to an audiobook, you must concentrate more intensely on the narration to fully grasp the story. Ultimately, you need to have the desire to read purely for its own sake. Aside from school assignments, no one is going to compel you to pick up a book. Marketing efforts are geared more toward promoting TV shows or movies, whereas book promotion often relies on what is shared on social media.
Sometimes when I’m coding, I find myself needing to read quite a bit. However, with the latest book I’ve picked up, I often feel too fatigued to continue. Perhaps it’s reading fatigue?
Books can be isolating; they’re not a collaborative endeavor. Unless you’re part of a book club, you’re essentially reading alone. In today’s world, people crave connection and want to stay informed about what’s happening around them. Books can create a barrier to the outside world. While that may sound appealing at times, we’re inherently wired to engage with those around us. In contrast, movies and TV shows provide the opportunity to enjoy content with friends, while your phone keeps you connected to social media and current events. Additionally, books require a significant commitment—you might have to read through 500 pages before reaching the (hopefully) thrilling conclusion.
In the end, I truly enjoy reading. It does require more time compared to watching a movie. You can finish a movie in about two hours, whereas two hours of reading might only get you a few chapters into a book.
Speaking of time, I haven’t yet recounted my weekend. It was fairly uneventful but enjoyable, especially with the nice weather. Unfortunately, we didn’t manage to get to my desk. Spring has been unpredictable lately, and next weekend’s forecast suggests temperatures in the 50s and 60s. I’m unsure if that’s warm enough to stain wood.
On Saturday, Tommy and I worked out in the morning before heading to the city to pick up Alex’s new phone. Our local T-Mobile store doesn’t have a wide selection, so we had to go down to the city. After that, we visited Target and a gaming store. On our way back to our town, we stopped by the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner.
On Sunday morning, I worked out while Tommy skipped his workout since he had a hockey game later in the day, which is a workout in its own right. For dinner, Tommy made a delicious roast. I spent some time on the computer and watched YouTube before fitting in a bit of reading. Later, Tommy and I went back to the city for his hockey game. It was nice that it was an early game, allowing us to return home at a reasonable hour.
Today in coding, I’m still trying to figure out how to write a method called .myBind() that mimics JavaScript’s built-in .bind() method. The skeleton code will look like this:
Function.prototype.myBind = function (context, ...args) {
// Code here
}
This line, you’re adding a method to all functions by putting it on Function.prototype. So now any function can call .myBind().
Inside this function:
- ‘this’ refers to the function you’re binding (e.g. greet, sayHello, etc).
- context is the object you want this to refer to when the function runs.
- …args are any initial arguments you want to “lock in” ahead of time.
I’m still uncertain about the proper code for this function. Speaking of reading, that’s what I’m currently focused on.
I’m gradually making progress. However, I spent half an hour delving into the history of the Palace of Versailles, and now I’m back to coding. For dinner tonight, we’re having ranch chicken, which has been marinating for a while. Once Tommy gets home, we’re planning to go for a walk to get some exercise. In the meantime, I’m going to prepare some matcha tea.
