@poppichew I'm really sorry you have to go through that. Yeah, people can be absolute dicks.

Me, I used to love reading, but I don't read nearly as much anymore because I have a degenerative eye condition (Retinitis Pigmentosa) that's starting to catch up with me as I get older, so my eyes get tired quickly and I read much slower than I used to.

Which sucks for me, because I used to read really fast. I used to devour books. Also, in Primary School, I used to win Eisteddfods for Unprepared Outloud Reading, which I can't do anymore because I'm losing my peripheral vision, which makes it difficult to read ahead (same reason I read so slowly in general). And you have to be able to read ahead in order to read out loud effectively.

But I'm making a point of getting back into it. Even if it's just for the six minutes at a time, as per my original post. Because I haven't done it in so long, I'm no longer "reading fit" as I alluded to earlier. And who cares if it now takes me three months to finish a book it used to take me a week to finish?

If I enjoy it and it enriches my life and it helps with stress relief, then I shouldn't feel guilty about being such a slow reader.

Same with you. Read your books. Read them everywhere you go. If you catch people looking at you funny, just flip them the bird and carry on.

Oh yeah, no worries! You kinda just get used to it. I think people just say whatever they want to say to you if they think they won't get in trouble for it. In a way, it's nicer than people having a filter? Cause like, then they're saying what they actually think instead of some fake-bs where they're like thinking one thing and then hiding it with a smile or some jam. You know? I think also people are just fucking weird with the way they are with gals in general. Like a lot of telling people what to do, when it's really none of anyone's business @_@!!!!

-but- (that's a subject for another possstttt)

Holy jam, a loved one I know has Retinitis Pigmentosa and it fucking SUCKSSSSS! Yeah, I hope you're wearing sunglasses all day every day that you're out in the sun. Just looking like a 90's action movie badass 24/7 outside. I have a little wimpy pain-body and sometimes I can feel that ish behind my eyeballs. I mean right behind my eyes. So while I don't have what you guys have, I do understand tired eyes. A suggestion I do to supersede it which might not work for you is to justify the content, flip it into columns (shred those margins to nothing) and boost the font so large that Jesus can read it from heaven =P! If you've got a e-reader that can read back to you, finding something you like (I usually choose the UK sounding woman because she's pretty much the best. She sounds so dour, but that might be because I also lower her tone quite a bit.) I don't really use it anymore, because I don't use my phone for anything but calling and texting the ones I love - but when I did I would punch that sucker on if I didn't have the will to read and BAM! Well of Loneliness was being read back to my face so that I could amplify any sad feels I had which lead to me not being able to physically read in the first place =P!

Okay, I am like super goofy tired. I just watched Santa Sangre two times in a row, and am so absolutely destroyed (once for myself, twice for my partner) that I need some comfy goofies to get to sleep.

Oh! I must tell you this. I have a friend who crushes books. I mean just like cans, just BAM - to the head. She decided though, one day, that she was done whizzing through books and instead was open to only reading a handful of really good books through out the year. She said 4-5 but I think she was being modest, because I think really she's still secretly crushing books albeit a bit slower. I think the idealism behind it was worth more than the actual act. Recognizing that it's not a race, even with yourself, and that you can read whatever you want however you want when you want. It's all good! I also have no problem throwing books into the depths of hell if I can't connect with them. I tried so many times to read Bury Your Gays and it's now cast into the shadows because I guess I will never bury my gays. Eh!

I think I currently live in a reader friendly space to be honest. I didn't a couple months prior though. I think it seriously depends on where you're at. Best of luck with your eyes. Please be kind to yourself, and never drive at night ;_;! Those were two separate thoughts smooshed together. Be well though, seriously!

@poppichew LOL

Thank you so much for all the kind words, and for understanding. I used to wear sunglasses every day outside, but my prescription pair broke, and I need to get a new one. :(

Yep, I set my line spacing and margins to almost nothing and use tight justification, it does help. Regarding the font size, yeah, that's actually the irony: the bigger the font, the easier it is to read the individual letters, but the harder it is to read the words, on account of no peripheral vision. I had cataract surgery in both eyes recently (lens replacements), and that has helped a bit because I've actually been able to set the font size *down* a bit. But as I say, irony, because as my field gets worse, I find myself needing a smaller font, but as my central vision gets worse, it's difficult to read the smaller font.... Ugh. :P

You're right. It's not a race. I used to belong to a very active reading group on Facebook, and the people there were constantly comparing themselves to each other, and posting their reading achievements each month (40-50 novels A MONTH, some of these people)... It's actually depressing. I guess it's the opposite problem to you, because on that group, you feel a bit attacked for not reading ENOUGH.

Driving at night, or any time, is not an issue. I was diagnosed very young, so I've never driven. Never really been able to enjoy clubbing either, because it's too dark. I've never seen a star, I can't go out and play games like Stalk the Lantern at night, that sort of thing.

Again, thanks for the encouragement! I'm blown away.

Yeah, you guys are so easy to smack into because you can't see anything past the "pea." I forgot! I was gunna say at one point it starts to get a bit too big and you actually do read slower. It happens to me too. I sweet spot that sob and take about three bigger/smaller swapsies until I find the right sized font. Kind of like a dog trying to get comfy or something =P!

Someone ELSE I love just got that surgery. Said it was like the light was off in the room, and suddenly it was turned back on and everything was bright again and the colors that you could see were out of this world. It's terrifying to hear about, but thankfully it seems to be a relatively easy surgery to recover from. Which is a blessing, because I think you might need it multiple times down the road @_@!! Genetics can be a cruel game. I was going to joke that I've got a box on the way right now, sounds like you might need an extra pair of clip ons for the road because seriously from me to you - you want to preserve what you've got as long as you can! If you're in Africa (I think?) exceptionally so! Lotta sun.

I actually have known two people with your disease, but one I sadly fell out with (just due to moving and what not). He was the smartest guy I've ever known, and sadly I watched as he had trouble driving at night. He had to stop at some point. When we'd go on night walks, sometimes he'd be unable to see people standing perhaps five-feet away because either they were off to his side or it was just too dark. I really hope old boy is doing fine, but he's got a lovely family and he's got a big juicy brain making big juicy money so he'll be fine.

As for clubbing, you saved yourself a lot of hearing damage. Don't even worry about it. True story, I don't club anymore but that sure as hell doesn't stop me from throwing a dance party for one/two when the mood strikes. Idk what your living situation is, but I hope some time soon you bust some moves out while jamming to some music you dig =)! I actually came out via the gay club scene and I constantly wished for better ways for gays to socialize because club life is so damn destructive. It's bad news!

I hope you're living somewhere where the no-drive club isn't an issue. It's a tough way to live, but only because the way we've designed this world. To be honest, I think it's the saner option. Genetics are a butt, yet again =<!

Have you tried reversing the font by the by? I have heard that it's harder for the elderly to read, not that you're elderly. I just think it's implied that it might be harder to pick out the shapes because of the contrast issues. To be honest with you though, dark mode is a lot nicer on my own eyes. Not AMOLED contrast, that's like...too much. But something kind of like this (piefed - idk what you're using). It's this greige-y black that is really comfy.

No worries, and sorry if I seemed like a butt. I just swear to you I have eaten so much shit for reading that it's actually naners. I'm over it though, and going to do what I want as I want =P!

The second most toxic thing I think that has come out of social media (the first being trolls) is humble-bragging. LinkedIn is a fine example of this, but you can kind of see the bits everywhere. I started turning a lot of stuff off because I would get those feelings too. Am I doing enough of ____? Could I make ____ if I tried!? It wasn't worth it, and honestly removing myself from as much of that stuff helped. But also you know, just kind of realizing you're you and you're gunna do whatever you do as you do it (yet again same as up there) really helps.

Mehehe! Go order those lens and have a beau-ti-ful day m'friend =)!