What are you reading right now?

[Ratboy Genius]

Why not play audiobooks on your phone? You don't have to look at the screen, you know. Put on your BT headphones, press play and forget about the phone.

Because I'm hella easily distracted. You gotta look at the screen to press start/rewind/etc. All it takes is 1 second for me to get distracted and boom I'm on my phone for an hour. That's why.

 

[Rustle]

Because I'm hella easily distracted. You gotta look at the screen to press start/rewind/etc. All it takes is 1 second for me to get distracted and boom I'm on my phone for an hour. That's why.

What about an mp3 player/DAP? https://shorturl.at/GEE9I this is what I use: "HiBy R3 II 2025"

Might be a bit expensive but im sure you could find used ones at thriftstores maybe? There would definitely be cheaper options.

 

[Fig Kommandant]

All it takes is 1 second for me to get distracted and boom I'm on my phone for an hour. That's why.

I feel like the screen isn't the issue here. If you had a cassette player, the distraction would come from something else.

 

[LordOfZhbagva]

The overall series I found fun but I remember feeling the descriptions of Ciri's developing sexuality uncomfortable. Idk I can never shake from my head the knowledge that an adult man is writing the story so it just always comes across like a fetish post to me.

Entirely agree, but doesn't bother me much.

I don't remember why since it was 5 years ago but I remember thinking Yennefer was just an awful selection for a gf by Geralt.

Because she is. Yennifer is a manipulative nymphomaniac thot, yet by the end, I grew to like her (mostly when she started caring about people other than herself).
But Triss is best girl.

Doesn't Yennefer hypnotize him to make him kill some of her enemies?

Yup, one of their first interactions.

Let's also not forget that sorceresses use illusion to make themselves look much younger and more attractive.

She was canonically born a hunchback.

 

[Hentai-Semitism]

She was canonically born a hunchback.

Right! It was even in the TV show, I forgot. It was funny when the good looking actress had to make silly faces to make herself look uglier.

 

[Susanna]

Triss is best girl.

Not really, she tried to sell Ciri to the Lodge to be effectively a sex slave. It’s presented less unfavourably in the books because medieval setting but it ought to make Triss a fair deal less sympathetic to a modern audience. Yeah she’s woeful about what she’s doing and claims she’s being forced to by Philippa, but it’s really just a case of her being spineless.

 

[Ratboy Genius]

I feel like the screen isn't the issue here. If you had a cassette player, the distraction would come from something else.

Wrong, stalker. The screen (read: phone, computer, whatever) is most definitely the issue I fear. Because it has a billion more little potential distractions which are all too tempting, and which would be much more consequential if I were to entertain them. Consequential in terms of the amount of time I spend on them. Also there's the whole blue light issue.
At least that's my theory... Idk man maybe I need to just go live in the forest amongst the squirrels and the ants.

 

[Fig Kommandant]

Idk man maybe I need to just go live in the forest amongst the squirrels and the ants.

The issue isn't screens, it's your lack of self-control. I'd recommend meditation. Light a candle, watch the flame and "focus" on not thinking about anything, bring back your mind to clearness everytime you have a stray train of thought. Do that for 5-10-15 minutes a day and it'll help with your actual issue.

 

[Ratboy Genius]

The issue isn't screens, it's your lack of self-control. I'd recommend meditation. Light a candle, watch the flame and "focus" on not thinking about anything, bring back your mind to clearness everytime you have a stray train of thought. Do that for 5-10-15 minutes a day and it'll help with your actual issue.

Fwiw I've tried meditation many many times, different lengths and settings, group and solo, guided and unguided, it's always the same result... Brain no shut up I have OCD and ADHD Inattentive Type to be clear. Also I get intrusive thoughts watching fire like that...
I fear I'm derailing the thread. As thread tax: I turned in some library books today. Had to pay a 30 cent late fee. Oof

 

[Womble of Wimbledon]

Currently reading Trip City by Trevor Miller, a kind of pulp-y crime novel from the London rave scene of the late 80s. It helps if you are into that kind of music and it was originally released with a Guy Called Gerald cassette which is awesome. Pretty good, very snappy punchy writing, but it does seem a little bit self-consciously trying to be cool. Still, a neat time capsule and an entertaining read.

 

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

She clearly uses him to her own ends. I would always pick Triss over her in the games because that was my takeaway from the books. I don't care if it's "canon" or not. Doesn't Yennefer hypnotize him to make him kill some of her enemies? Let's also not forget that sorceresses use illusion to make themselves look much younger and more attractive

I picked Triss because she was a redhead and I seem to recall had bigger tits

 

[Old King Koaleamos]

• Finished Spillane's "I, The Jury". Good book.
  • It's the first Mike Hammer Novel. The entire thing is a hell of a visceral read. The mystery itself is pretty straightforward. However, you're here for a ride. It's pulpy and violent noir with a hell of an anti-heroic private dick. Mike Hammer has transcended into pop culture as one of the iconic hardboiled detectives. The entire narrative is tight, gutsy, visceral, and very testosterone charged. Mike's not an angel, but he's also not a bad guy. He's got a code of honor, but dislikes being bound by bureaucracy and procedure. He's kind to the infirm and mentally disabled. But, the entire story is centered on his quest for revenge. Along the way, he hitches up with a beautiful psychiatrist that seems to conveniently give him insight. But. . . well. . . I'm not spoiling anything here. The entire thing is about 150 pages of tightly written '50s noir. You can easily find this novel, Spillane's eternally present in used bookstores.
• 60% of the way through "The Best of Henry Kuttner" and I'm beginning to think this guy could have been an A-lister if he'd lived. He's still notable and appreciated. His ability to tell engaging stories of so many tones and genres is fun.
• 70% of the way through Vance's Eyes of the Overworld. Cugel's a fun protagonist but I feel like a lot of the magic of this is lost on me due to exposure to a lot of the tropes here. I can appreciate it as it is. It's great science fantasy and S&S. Vance is a fine writer.

After Spillane, it's on to Dan Simmons' "Song of Kali".

 

[VisceraNexus]

I've been reading two books recently, both pretty interesting.

The first, which I'm almost finished with, is "Cruel Deception" by Gregg Olsen. True crime book about Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy or Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another. I'm not great at summarizing things succinctly, but it's basically about a mother who loses her daughter to suspected SIDS following a series of breath holding spells or apnea. The mother doesn't fall under major suspicion for causing the death until her newborn son then starts presenting the same issues that killed his sister. Drags in places and gets a bit repetitive, but it's a good look into this type of case and its perpetrator.

Second book is "Dying To Be Ill" by Dr. Marc Feldman. Completely fascinating but clinical look at Munchausen Syndrome or Factitious Disorder. Dr. Feldman seems to be the leading expert on factitious disorder and has innumerable case studies he reflects on. Very educational and enlightening. Munchies are a personal interest of mine because of my work and recently I've had some personal experiences with someone I suspect had it, so I've really been diving deep. Definitely recommend this one if you have an interest in the subject.

 

[Argos]

Wave Without A Shore by C.J. Cherryh. A world colonized by people who take "You can create your own reality" literally, to the point they refuse to acknowledge the alien species they share the planet with. Philosophy run amok.

 

[Rungle]

Bought the king in yellow after Wendigoon's video.
Im trying to read more.

 

[Shakira Flabbergasted]

Because I'm hella easily distracted. You gotta look at the screen to press start/rewind/etc. All it takes is 1 second for me to get distracted and boom I'm on my phone for an hour. That's why.

I solved this issue by getting an mp3 player and pirating audiobooks. Cheap and easy. I spent 12 hours deep cleaning my house the other day, while listening to Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. You should try what that other person said about meditation to address the root cause of the issue, but if you're actually addicted to your phone, putting it away for a long while might be a good idea.

Anyway, I'm reading The Lost World now and it isn't as good as the first book, but it doesn't have Lex in it, which is great. I have no idea why Crichton made her so annoying.

 

[Ratboy Genius]

I solved this issue by getting an mp3 player and pirating audiobooks. Cheap and easy. I spent 12 hours deep cleaning my house the other day, while listening to Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. You should try what that other person said about meditation to address the root cause of the issue, but if you're actually addicted to your phone, putting it away for a long while might be a good idea.

Anyway, I'm reading The Lost World now and it isn't as good as the first book, but it doesn't have Lex in it, which is great. I have no idea why Crichton made her so annoying.

Ahhh I started reading Jurassic Park once and didn't finish it. Been trying to decide on a novel suitable for listening like that. I may take a page out of your book (umm...pun not intended) and try Jurassic Park first. What resource(s) do you use to pirate audiobooks if I may ask?
Also...I must not have properly communicated the fact that meditation has never worked for me no matter what I tried. Power level but...we did a loooooot of meditating in group therapy I attended, and I grew to hate it. At the time I felt that the verbal lessons and discussions were much more useful and helpful for me personally. Maybe...just maybe...meditation isn't the best approach for every individual (at least at first). But what do I know, I'm nobody.
In any case, it's not just my phone, it's my computer too. Which I am using right this very second to read the Farms.

 

[Old King Koaleamos]

picked up James M. Cain's Mildred Pierce, Ford Maddox Ford's The Good SOldier, Italo Calvin's Invisible Cities, and some other stuff like Butler's Erewhon and Henry James' Turn of the Screw.

Anyways, onto reading more. WIsh there was a really good "Best of" volume for William Hope Hodgson. I wanna read more, but I don't always have my kindle/ereader and the best Hodgson options seem to be the 5 volume set from Night Shade Books. At least Machen and Blackwood have those Oxford editions with their best stories.

Been thinking of getting a clark ashton smith collection of some sort. Thinking about the Penguin one because the Night Shade Books set is 5 volumes and chronologically ordered, the Hippocampus Press ones are nice and themed but also a little expensive, and the Arkham House (Rendezvous in Averoigne)/Gollancz Masterworks (Emperor of Dreams) volumes are nice but expensive.

I just want a good smattering of his short fiction.

Also, the best Frank Belknap Long collections available now are the ones from Wildside Press for 99 cents a piece. Seems they have all of his stuff. Otherwise, I'll have to look for the SFBC book "The Early Long" (which has his own commentary iirc) or the Centipede Press volume that's 100% not something I'm too interested in yet.

Trying to look up what other Lovecraftian writers I can easily pick up. Lovecraft and Howard I have in droves. CL Moore/Kuttner I got. I think I've seen CHaosium put out tons of paperbacks and pdfs of classic lovecraftian writers and etc. except for Derleth and the Wandrei Bros. Weird.

 

[Shakira Flabbergasted]

Ahhh I started reading Jurassic Park once and didn't finish it. Been trying to decide on a novel suitable for listening like that. I may take a page out of your book (umm...pun not intended) and try Jurassic Park first. What resource(s) do you use to pirate audiobooks if I may ask?

For Jurassic Park, I just found the audiobook on YouTube, downloaded the videos, and stripped the audio. If you need me to, I could possibly make a tutorial for you. There's also r/piracy on Reddit. The megathread has a few sites for audiobooks.

Also...I must not have properly communicated the fact that meditation has never worked for me no matter what I tried.

Don't worry, everyone's different. I agree that it doesn't work for everyone and shouldn't be expected to. Some people do better with talking it out, or exercise, or whatever else you've found that helps you have a clear head. What's important is to keep trying new stuff until you find things that work.

In any case, it's not just my phone, it's my computer too. Which I am using right this very second to read the Farms.

Lol at least the computer stays in one place and can't come into the bathroom or the bed with you. Unless it's a laptop, in which case that sucks.

 

[Zhores Medvedev]

I am almost done The the Brothers Karamazov, what a wonderful book