Weird Habit(s) on How I Read Book(s)

Remember that I once ranted about how much my interests in reading keep lower and lower these days and I feel sad about it. I mean, reading is one of my proudly bragged hobby (lol) and if I don't read, what will I be? Last year I possibly only succeed to read one book or two (Lame, no?). Think about it, I might have a lot of spare time and those time I mostly overuse it for (sigh), yeah, fixated on my cell phone - while I could have a lot of stuff added into my brain by reading my piling books. Well, most of them are fiction but I always believe that every book has its lesson and the worst thing in life in my opinion is when you fail to use the most of your resources - mubazir-ism heheh. So, not reading your purchased books is one deed of mubazir-ism and we don't want that to be happened again, do we?

So fortunately my reading-passion (forgive my bad naming for this lol) is actually increasing since early this month. Until today I've finished reading 6 books (yayyy): Jodoh Monica by Alberthiene Endah; 19+ by Boim Lebon; Wanita Muda Di Sebuah Hotel Mewah - Kumpulan Cerpen by Hamsad Rangkuti; Klub Solidaritas Suami Hilang - Kumpulan Cerpen Kompas 2013; Kau Sudah Mati by Jack Lance; The Ghost by Robert Harris. Not to mention about those half-read books piling beside my pillow on my bed. Yes, my copy of Pulang by Leila S. Chudori that has not finished yet, along with Kamu by Sabda Armandio that I've been lost interest to since I don't remember when. Such an achievement if you remember my laziness of reading last year.

My books are beside me.

Told you my hobbies are seasonal. I even haven't made drawing again since February :( And before my reading-hobby decided to dormant again, let me tell you about my reading habit and how it is difficult for me to pick where I left of when reading discontinuously. Oh, I forget to tell you that I need extra focus when I read and when I stop more than a week, I probably forget what I've been reading. Here's why.

First

I have to pick which book I have to read. This depends on my mood, tho. Like last week I want to read short story so I picked one (that Hamsad Rangkuti book). And this week I've been craving for thriller - darker, better - so I chose Jack Lance's. Etc.

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Second

I need to make time for reading. I am not a whenever-wherever type of reader so when I read, I can't even let any sound appear around me. I can't reading while eating or drinking or listening to music or even checking my cell phone from time to time. Yeah. Not a multi-tasking type, are we? So when I decide to read, I simply sit on my carpet (I have no chair in my rented room T_T) or laying on my bed. Try to be as relax as possible. And for my reading habit is bad (see the laying-on-my-bed part), please do not do that, pal. One day your eyes might suffer from myopia and we don't want that. *My eyes are still normal, thanks lol.

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Third

Once I open the first pages of the books, I'll start to assess the situation described in there. The mood, the location, etc. Who is the main character? Is it a boy or a girl? How old is he/ she? What does she/ he look like? This depends on the book type.

Okay, I'll give you an example from "Kau Sudah Mati" book. It's a translated book so I have to adjust my characters nationality. From the beginning of story, the character named Jason was described working in an office on a late night. I automatically choose a man on my character-library (it could be from anywhere, movies I've watched, magazines I've read, people in real life, etc.). My favorite actor played on my head is Ezra Miller but I've made it an actor on my Hex Hall trilogy so I'll have to choose another one. I stop reading and trying to pick one of my list - a rather young man is always a start. I choose Nat Wolff. Then the story progressed and the character described as a good looking man. Nat Wolff is good looking but IDK sometimes I want to switch role before everything gets too deep lol. Okay I changed my actor then. I picked Cole Sprouse (he's on Riverdale). The story keep progressing until I found out that he has a wife. Cole Sprouse is 24 yo so I think it won't be odd if he's married. Okay who's the wife now? The wife's name is Kayla. I choose Phoebe Tonkin for the role out of nowhere. Then after quite a lot of chapters, I realized that Jason and Kayla are 31 yo! Way too old for Cole and Phoebe to be the actors, right? But it was too late so I make several adjustments and keep both of them on my mind-made movie lol. Et cetera.

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So yeah. It's like that and quite ridiculous. Sometimes it confused me like, I remember them on a movie somewhere when in fact I cast them only on my mind lol. See now why I should read my books non stop before I forgot who's who.

Fourth

During the reading, I'll stop eating or drinking. Another bad habit, yes but actually I use so much energy and focus in doing what I love, one thing at a time. I often hold my pee because of this -_-. So to keep me alive, I spread my snacks and bottled water not too far from my reach (did you know? I also a lazy bone lol).

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Fifth

The enemy of my reading is: sleepy. I am weakened by the night. On 11 PM my eyes will start to heavy until I can't hold it anymore. If I need to read more I'll wash my face and read again. But if it doesn't work then I'll put the bookmark inside and go to sleep. Ah yes, I don't fold my papers because my books are my wealth lol so I don't want them to be folded, torn, or signed (except the name sign on the first page, just so you know who owns the book: me).

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Sixth

Say, I finally finished the book. After that I'll be filled with impressions, and somewhat lost. It's getting worst when the book is so good you wish you could read more of it. Then it's time for me to take a break. Probably make a review about it on my other blog before I start to read another book. You know, moving on from a book you like is difficult.

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Seventh

See this is the most fun part. After I finished the book I'll start to see if it has already or planned to be filmed. If the movie has out, I'll search for it and watch. If hasn't, I'll sit and wait, and find out who's the actors. You know it's always interesting, like having a right to decide who's fit to live your book lol. Like last year I read The Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins and in my mind the actor is Shailene Woodley (don't blame me, I've just watched Divergent before I read it lol) and turns out the real actor in the movie is: Emily Blunt! Ah why I haven't think of her and pick her already.

From The Girl on The Train.

Oh and I also search the book reviews on the internet. You know, just curious about their opinions (and to assess my appetite lol). A note! I don't search for the reviews before I finished reading especially for the book I already own (or start to read) because I hate spoilers and I hate to be influenced by them opinions.

***

Yeah, that's how I read. I'm sure you guys are also reading the way I read because if you don't, then I must be quite a weird person lol. Never mind. The next book I plan to read is Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey. I am actually tempted to see the reviews because it has a lot of endorses on its cover but well, let's find out myself. I hope this hobby will stay quite longer than usual (last January I played games a lot until I stopped on February) because I really need it while my life's (I'm a blogger whose work, I have no life!) on fire (negative fire). I need a distraction.

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