The Anatomy Of A Good Reading Day

There is nothing like have a few hours to yourself to just read!  The vast majority of the time that is all I want to do, and unfortunately most of my reading is done on the fly so when I get a few solid hours to devote to reading, I want it make it as perfect as possible.  Here is my breakdown of a perfect day of reading.

The Book - Obviously the best part of a reading day is actually reading, so book selection is paramount.  I have found that I enjoy myself the most when my book matches the season/environment/current book craving.  For me this means reading certain books in certain seasons, or maybe gathering a couple of books to really make sure I have the exact right one. This is the most variable of components in a reading day.

The Environment - The next component in a great reading day is the environment.  I like a comfy place that has minimal distractions (I have a hard time reading if there is a tv on...I get too distracted) and a very comfy place to curl up.  This can be any number of places.  I love to read outside, especially int he fall and spring.  Summer time see's me at the pool or beach.  Cold days or tired days you can find me in my comfy reading chair.  I am also a huge fan of pillows/blankets/cushions to really ensure total comfort.  I regularly keep a zillion various cushy items to pad my chosen reading spot and am not above bringing a couple of pillows with me to the great outdoors.  I also really love a unique spot outside of my home zone.  This includes libraries, gardens, restaurants, boats, and well just about anywhere that inspires me.  On vacation my Hubbin has learned to build in at least a couple of hours for me to read in a new local spot.

Libations - I love having the perfect drink next to me while I read...I like it even better when somebody else makes it for me and keeps it full.  I am not horribly picky when it comes to my beverages, I sometimes like to match it to my book, and definitely the weather/environment play a role, but really that's about it.  My favorites include, coffee, tea, wine, Hubbin made cocktails, hot chocolate, cider (hot or cold), occasionally beer or a nice sipping whiskey...pretty much anything that is sippable and enhances the experience.

Snacks - For me it all depends on how I'm feeling as to whether or not snacks are necessary.  Sometimes a certain book will trigger a food craving, or if I'm snacky in general its nice to have some munchies.  My problem is food can get distracting, especially if it's messy, making me pause in my reading to eat.  For the most part any thing I can eat with out utensils or needing to use a napkin after every bite works the best.  I have found a nice box of gourmet chocolates hits the spot.  All that being said, I have on many occasion purposely gone out by myself for a meal at a restaurant with the sole purpose of eating and reading and I find my ebooks work really well for this type of reading day.

Technology - As a general rule, I usually try and banish all technology when I am doing some dedicated reading.  I turn off my phone, tv, computer, and any other distractions and just allow myself to get lost in my books.  The exceptions to this are obviously if I am reading an ebook or if I'm reading something that requires/inspires a quick bit of research...I'll use my phone for that.

If I can get all of these elements to come together at the same time I know I am in for some happy times.  I have spent a lot of time reading and am adept at quickly assembling all components of a perfect reading day anytime I find I have carved out some time.  On that note, it looks like I have a little bit of time now so off I go to brew some coffee and grab a blanket and book.  Happy Reading Everybody!