Don't you hate it when you have a mental list of books that you want, until the minute you set foot into a bookstore and then you draw a complete blank? I happened to me again this week. My stack of unread books had dwindled to zero. I had about twenty minutes to kill before my haircut appointment yesterday, so I stopped into the Book Nook, a used bookstore near my workplace. I walk in, say "howdy" to the guys at the register, and stride purposefully to the science fiction section... and then instantly lose my focus. Can't think of anything that I want. *sigh* Why does that happen?
I ended up simply going with some old classics, mostly. Nothing newer than 1987, and some stuff dating back to the 50s. You can't really go wrong with Asimov and Bradbury. I also picked up a Haldeman, somebody else I had never heard of, and I loosened enough mental cobwebs to remember to get Seventh Son, which I wanted because PDM has the whole Alvin Maker series except that first one and I like to begin at the beginning. I probably would have fared better if I had not had a deadline. I can spend hours in a bookstore - used or new. Next time...
My absent-mindedness is growing to epic proportions. I do hope it is a temporary side effect of the "all work no play" (and no wine) regime. Last weekend PDM asked me where I wanted to go for dinner on Thursday night. I gave him a puzzled look and shrugged. Thursday night? WTF? We don't usually plan that far ahead. He laughed and told me to "quit being such a guy." And then it hit me -- our anniversary! It wasn't even on my radar. I'm glad he said something. Between work (with a big software upgrade looming for this weekend) and studying for the board exam, I hadn't even thought of this. There's no guarantee I would have remembered on my own. Yeesh!
12 comments:
Does wine really prevent Alzheimers?
WOW! I think this is proof positive that you are really way to hard in the "All work" and do need a break sometime soon so you can do a bit of playing then! Hope you celebrate in fine form though!
I go to the book nook too. But I don't forget shit.
Darn shame you don't have your PhD. Then I could call you the absent minded professor...
I too miss the days of an unclouded memory, but I'm sure you'll get through it just fine. As long as you can keep those cats from stealing your soul at night. :P
You definitely have too much going on in your head - it'll pass!
I have lost a lot of my focus over the past year. I'm not as quick at multi-tasking and I will just draw a blank some times.
I started a little excel file with author names/book names - each time I update it I sort it and put the latest copy in my purse. Since I often stop in at B&N when I'm over that way I always have a list of what I want.
Big Rick has a notebook with every book/author he's ever read. I suppose it's too late for you to start.
Happy Anniversary!
Wait...your pile of unread books was actually nonexistent? Wow. That's impressive - your self control in book-buying!
Sounds about right for your time and place.
But more wine can't be a bad thing. :)
dr s - possibly, based on an experiment with somewhat limited sample size.
jeni - only mini-breaks until 8/23.
wa11z - I used to have a brain and remembered stuff, but I lost it somewhere.
ll - I used to say I got out while I was still normal! And hey - leave the cats out of it. They are annoying at night, but as far as I know they have not collected a single soul.
dianne - I hope you're right. I used to keep a list in the back of my pocket calendar. Maybe I should start that again.
dave - way too late!
kat - only because it has been a months since my last online splurge and delivery.
tiff - yeah. I did have some wine with our fancy-assed dinner tonight. It was yummy. (The wine and the food.)
It is annoying when that happens and it happens to me all the time. I make up for it by buying books I never heard of that just look good. (I'm regretting one purchase right now though so... *shrugs*)
And if my cats don't stop bugging me at night it'll be their souls they have to worry about!
My book stash is at twelve and already I have that panicky feeling. I found a second hand store not far from me and I routinely go in a purchase books for 69 cents. Course on more than one occassion I have purchased books I have already read.
You just have too much mental garbage going on. Take some "Personal" time for yourself. Like a walk, a massage (ooooh that would be nice) etc. Clear the cobwebs so to say. you should have seen me when I first went back to school, there were days I couldn't even talk because I couldnt' remember how to say a complete sentence! Me, and Invert... imaginate that!
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