Musing Mondays

This week’s musing asks…

Can you read amidst distractions? (tv, others talking, sporting events, etc)

Musing Mondays is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading

The design of my parents' house had a very open floor plan. It's beautiful, but because of it noise is always around. Growing up, you'd have Mom in the kitchen - talking to my Dad in the living room - TV is on in the living room - and my brother playing guitar in his room with the door open. I got used to tuning out the noise that was not a part of what I was doing.

As a result, I can read pretty much anywhere. The only exception to this rule is music. I find it too distracting. I go through a page and realize my eyes were simply moving over the words without actually reading them. I start listening to the music. It's not a problem when I write - only when I read.

For example - I'm currently posting from a dorm room on the UNH campus. I'm teaching at a music camp for the next 3 weeks. The girl next door is practicing her violin (she sounds great!) and it's not bothering me one bit. Because I'm writing. When I was reading 10 minutes ago - I was distracted. I think it's because I'm a musician. I start following the song, or piece of music.

What about you?

Comments

  1. For me, it depends on the book and the distraction! I'm pretty good at tuning my kids out until they get really insistent. But I have definitely found that the older I get, the more trouble I have with focusing on more than one thing at a time. Pretty soon I'm going to have to lock myself in my closet to read.

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  2. I prefer the quiet. But, I will listen to soft music via headphones, to help me focus on the book more if there is alot of noise around. Here's mine.

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  3. I can't read with music either! My brain focuses on the music rather than the reading and I find myself having to go back to reread.

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  4. If the book is wonderful, I can read anywhere with anything going on, but I prefer a quiet place, with sunlight rather than lamp light.

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