Top Ten Tuesday: Things Getting in the Way of Reading

This week's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is "things getting in the way of reading." Boy do I need this one because it feels like when you are a teacher and a mother there is no way to read in the month of May! This post should really be "what isn't getting in the way of my reading? But for me, June is coming and hopefully a lot of reading time for summer! Here is my list of things sucking up all my reading time right now though. If you identify with some of these let me know....it's nice to know I'm not the only one!

1. School-  When you are a teacher, April is testing month and May is all the things month....field trips, wrapping up the end of the year, etc. I'm tired and out of schedule as the days get a little unpredictable. There is barely time to eat lunch much less take a few minutes to catch up on a chapter or two in my latest book.

2. Baseball- Well this one might as well be labeled year round for my house. My son has been playing since he was 3 and now that he is almost 15 it is serious business. I am gone a lot and that will continue in June but at least I'll have my days free. And always bring that Kindle to the ballpark in case I get time between games!

3. Blogging- Oh the irony....blogging about books often keeps me from actually reading them. Any of my fellow bloggers agree? I absolutely love blogging, reading all my fellow bloggers latest posts, but am realizing all that time could be spent reading the books...it's a real problem.

4. Chores- this one is kind of boring but it's a daily issue. I am a neat freak and I have a really hard time sitting down to read a book when there are dishes in the sink and laundry in a chair. I feel guilty and can't concentrate. I want to ignore it all but it feels impossible. Unless the book is really, really good :)

5. Family time- I do not live in a house full of readers. At all. My boys are very good at school required reading, have never ever struggled in this area but with all the technology in today's world neither they nor my husband ever pick up a book. It kinda makes me sad....but they don't identify with me in this area. So they aren't exactly understanding that I might want to skip togetherness sometimes to see how my chapter ends.

6. Technology- This is one I'm trying so hard to work on! I do it to myself. Facebook, Twitter, etc. can suck away all your time and concentration if you aren't careful. Sometimes I just have to silence my phone and put it away or I'd never finish a book.

7. Looking for new books- I think this one is kind of funny. I can kill an evening surfing for new books. And I wasn't as much this way before I started blogging. It is so relaxing to just scroll through Amazon, Net Galley, or the Goodreads shelves looking at all the books I have yet to read. But it keeps me from actually reading them. So weird. 

8. Falling asleep- This one is a real problem during the week. I will be excited to finally have a few minutes at the end of the day to read and the next thing I know, I'm out. Like a light. And the next day I have to start over because I literally can't remember anything I've read. So annoying!

9. Texting friends- While it probably belongs with number 6, this is actually its own category. I might be able to shut off apps but I have a hard time shutting off my friends. I feel the need to respond to everything and have to remember they'd want me to take me time. So I'm trying to ignore and just enjoy my book some days.

10. The gym- I am not one of those people that hates to workout. It's totally the opposite in fact. I love going to the gym. But let's face it, it is time consuming and I've never been someone who can read while on the elliptical bouncing up and down. I'm sweating, out of breath, and trying to follow a plot line....it doesn't work for me. I end up watching Brit Box mysteries and that's fun...but it doesn't get my book read!

Usually when I finish a top ten list I'm running out of books or ideas. Not so with this post! I have a million things that take up my blissful reading time. When I was single in my nice, quiet apartment with only a cat to care for, I'd spend whole Saturdays plowing through books. I still love to read just as much but my life takes over now. I'm trying to remember to enjoy it all because my boys will be leaving me in the next 3-5 years, I'll retire from teaching, and I'll have lots of time to read....but then I'll be lonely for all the crazy!! And hey, I could be reading right now....so I think I'll stop this list and get to it.