Books. Great few lines from the first few pages of a book recently bought. Only read the first two pages to get its measure.

‘ Lately I can’t read a whole page of a book. It is frictionless, this sliding of attention. I thought it would resolve once the lockdowns ended, but it did not. It’s as if some kind of lubrication has been applied to my choices. I intend to do one thing, but my unconscious shunts me discreetly away’. From Enchantment by Katherine May.

Currently reading ‘A bright moon for fools’ by Jasper Gibson. Have been reading it for a month now. Katherine May’s description above is extremely apt and accurate.

What words resonate are ‘once the lockdowns ended’. Provokes thoughts to whether lockdowns impacted psychologically. Indeed, it was never a problem to pick up the paperbacks and hard covers inherent of the wonderful sound of slap of wood pulp pages, with a plethora of words printed on hundreds to thousands of those pages and simply suck them into the mind. Exciting fiction, wonderful autobiographical fandom subjects or very dry educating facts. Read, put down pick up the next one.

Still working on the questions ‘Why? What’s changed? When did it start this stopping of the reading habit?’ when, actually, there is no need to question and analyse. Analysis can go live somewhere else for my liking. I don’t want to understand why even the most thought provoking lines read don’t whet the appetite to explore the next pages anymore. Mind does indeed feel as if it is, as Paul Simon sang ‘Slip sliding away’. Start listening to getting to the ‘Bookends’ mindset.

Today? It is mind over matter day. Pages 215 to 347 of the Jasper Gibson will be read. End of what has been an entertaining read. A month spent on an author’s contribution to decent literature is a crime for myself. Okay, petty crime, but one that is committed and leaves you red faced nonetheless.

However, yes, since this those lockdowns. Realising that, in the work situation finding oneself in, the education had to continue. But not in book form. Finding yourself hitting the ground running in a complex situation of different demands on the hospital ward and faced with an extraordinary situation of lack of knowledge. No books read for those couple of years. It was literature off the internet that frightened the mind to core levels. No books of lighter subject read! Impossible! Actually, that’s not true. There was a couple of weeks of needing to escape the worldwide turmoil. It simply happened to be J K Rowling who was picked up and the whole series read in about two weeks in a holiday break. A need to escape non-normality and live in a magical world.

Next up? On the subject of magical, Katherine May’s ‘Enchantment’ sounds like it gives some great insights. Maybe some answers.