Lately I’ve been using my lunchtime to hide from the office and get some reading done. I’ve developed some effective strategies for facilitating this activity. If I’m not really hungry, I skip lunch and find a comfortable chair at the Middle Tyger Library overlooking the rapids on the river below. If feeling a bit peckish, more planning is in order. However, not all food is ameneable to reading.
The trick is to leave one hand avaialble to handle the book. Sandwiches work best – burgers, clubs, etc. Those requiring two hands, such as pitas or oversized burgers, probably aren’t the best choice for lunch. Pad Thai works well, because all that is needed is a fork. KFC Chicken depends on how polite you want to be – fingers or fork? Of course, much of this is also dependent on how well your book stays open on its own.
Location is also important. A crowded location means frowns if a solitary diner is just taking up space reading. A frenatic pace doesn’t help, either. Neither does a witer who constantly interrupts. My iPod helps with some noise cancellation, but I prefer natural sounds.
Speaking of reading, I’m reaching the end of David Baldacci’s The Camel Club. This is one of the best thriller/adventures I’ve read in quite awhile. The characters are quirky and likeable, and I can see them coming back in future novels, similar to Martha Grimes or Tony Hillerman’s cast of characters. That is, assuming they survive this adventure.