So Much to Read

I am overwhelmed at times with how much I have left unread. It's not just the words written on blogs. But the sheer forms of writing I want to read.

There are books, an unending list spread across many genres. I enjoy them all, and this form is the most engaging. Do I even elaborate more?

Then there are the weekly magazines I like to catch up on regularly. I do not follow the daily news feeds. So weekly magazines are the only way to keep up with what's happening worldwide. There was a time when newspapers had a place in my life to cover this need. It doesn't any more. It is too crowded with meaningless news. If news can't last a week, it's not news. A couple of magazines have me covered.

A side note. I don't generally comment on politics. But finding voices that are not at the extremes of the right-left divide is becoming challenging, even in magazines. As a workaround, I read both extremes and form my views. It's becoming increasingly different, though.

After books and magazines come the people I follow on the internet through their blogs and newsletters. I have been good at clearing the inboxes of these. But very few make me actively think, pause and express my opinion. Plus, I am growing apathy towards micro-posts, both writing and reading. Even posts with just images don't inspire me. All tells me I need to trim down my subscriptions.

It's not about following more people. It's about following diverse people.

So, with so much to read, I would love to spend time reading in that order -- more books, a few magazines and articles, essays and newsletters sprinkled in between. But the way things stand, I read a lot of mundane blog posts, some books sprinkled in between and hardly any magazines. Though I haven't arrived at the right solution yet, I am working on fixing this imbalance.

I read to be inspired -- unfortunately, I don't have time for anything that does not do that to me.