Sobriquet 52.8

I have been having a difficult time focusing on my dissertation lately. Although I have continued to make progress, it has taken me longer than I regard as normal to complete some of the tasks I have set out for myself. I had intended to use this evening to read some of the philosophy I'd begun reviewing yesterday but, as minutes stretched into hours, I found myself reading the same passages over and over, absorbing little (though, when I did absorb what I read, I felt the great wheels upstairs begin to creak) and frustrating myself pretty consistently.

Aside from struggling with myself in terms of work, I am considering adding yet another rereading of Disgrace to my schedule. Although it has only been a couple of months since I last read the book, I would like to re-immerse myself in Coetzee's text and develop an even more intimate familiarity with the stories and ideas contained in the novel. I'll have to see, though, if I have the time to revisit the book. It'd be fun, though. I wouldn't have to scrutinize the text for underlineable quotations, having so recently done so. I could, for the first time in a while, just read the book for the experience of reading it. We'll see what I do with that option, though I am inclined to assign that sort of reading on days when I work long hours or have a substantial amount of grading or administrative work to do.

For tomorrow: Read or write.