Reading Rainbow

 A while ago I mentioned Dan Brown's new book 'Secret of Secrets.'  I bought it and started reading it and paused until now.  I have this quirk of denying myself enjoyable things out of guilt that I should be doing something else or, that I am not worthy of the experience or, that I want the experience to last by not completing it.  It's a conflicted state of mind and it happens a lot.  With doing enjoyable activities like seeing movies, reading, listening to music, etc.

Being out of a job, it was a splurge to buy the book back in September or October.  I read that the book basically chronicles 2.5 days of the adventurous life of Robert Langdon.  I spent all this money for a 2.5 day romp through Prague that would be over in less than a week.  I stopped reading.  

The premise of the book is fascinating as it has to do with the science of consciousness.  If you read the Davinci Code you know Dan Brown can write a page ripper.  I didn't want to the story to end so quickly because I splurged on the experience.

I picked it up again - and wow!  It's a ripper and such a good ride.  At times a bit confusing because the chapters jump around different geography and segments of time that are occurring simultaneously as well as flashbacks.  Anyway - I'm going to rip through this in preparation of my next read and I'll list the book for sale for the same price as can by used locally without having to support a business.

Since dumping the facebook, I've started watching videos on youtube.  I get impatient with the vocal cadence of the content I typically consume.  THey talk too slow.  It feels leisure.  I want to laser through it and get to the point.  I started listening to the videos first at 1.5x speed and now at 2x speed.  My kids sometimes hear what I'm doing and ask me if I can understand what I'm hearing.  I can.  If the brain can parse different languages, it can be trained to parse it's native language more quickly.  It makes consumption more efficient, if you will.  They think it's weird.  I tell them they should try it.

Now I'm able to read more quickly because my brain is used to quicker exposure to and parsing of words.  Quicker auditory processing of the words. It's made reading more enjoyable as I am able to read, write and listen at roughly the same pace.  Streamlined production and streamlined consumption.  

I think it's pretty neat you can increase the efficiency of your brain through training.  Mental exercise.  How cool is that?