Does anyone else have problems reading??

[.Maleficus.]

What's going on is no disorder or anything. It's simply a lack of focus. Here's an example.

I'm reading an A+ book too. However, since I know most of what's in it, I'm skimming what I know and reading word-for-word what I don't. Some of it is interesting, MOST IS NOT. The way textbooks and reference books are written is very to-the-point and dry. Now, I have a great book that tells why your brain doesn't learn that, and that would be "Head First: Java". Java isn't a fun subject to learn by reading. I read 20 pages of Sun's Online Tutorial and learned NOTHING. The first chapter of Head First: Java explains why.

Your brain doesn't take to things it thinks aren't important. You may think it's important, and really want to learn it, but your brain thinks differently. If you had to fight a tiger, your brain would remember what you did. If you read a chapter in your A+ book, your brain would leave the space for something more important. Head First: Java counters this by making things fun, interesting, and giving stories for examples that help things stick. Since the A+ book doesn't, it just means you'll need to reread, do the quizes at the end of the chapters, and reread again. Simple as that. My suggestion is read before you go to sleep; science has proven this to help you remember better. It's what I'm doing with both books, and trust me, it works.

[xRyokenx]

Right now one of the things I'm having a problem with is doing stuff I know is important. I know that doing this writing project is real important, but I can't figure out how in hell to write good... at least not in the same way as the class requires it. My instructor said to write it as if I'm saying it. The problem is, I don't talk much, I don't know how I say things. So yeah, I'm in a bind... that and on this contrast paper I should've done a couple things I really know: video games, not contrasting a couple restaurants... oh well. I haven't been playing any games at all lately as I'm bored with what I have.

[Blebbz]

From what you've all said I think that I might have ADD aswell. If there's something that I'm really interested in I can learn about it really quickly, but when it coems to something that I completely hate, I can't concentrate for a single minute on it. A lot of the time it feels like not a word has sunken in, but I seem to get good grades. That glare is really annoying, anything distracts me, I always get into trouble for talking at school and it's reallly annoying. I hate noises what people make, like when they're eating or something, or if I see a little mark on a fork or something, I can't eat from it. I have to read To Kill a Mockingbird for school and I just can't. Reading in bed helps, but I fall asleep aswell. I know how it feels.

oh well. I haven't been playing any games at all lately as I'm bored with what I have.

same here

[xRyokenx]

That and the one game I want to play won't [Censored for jd's sake]ing play because Steam is made by Nazis that want me to go insane. Stupid Dark Messiah won't run at all. I'd start a thread about it but I'm too tired, hungry, and near insane to care. I'd reinstall it but it took six hours to download the updates before I could play, so screw that. I miss my mad 1337 ability to sneak around and take those guys out by throwing a shovel at them... ah well.

I find music helps while doing work, I listen to music and ignore everything else around me. It's quite helpful until people decide my odd musical tastes are too much for their little walnut sized brains.

[Blebbz]

Classical music is supposed to help people concentrate, but normal music helps me a bit. Not tried classical though, the closest I've ever come to classical is the Halo soundtrack.

Also I hate MSN, but love it at the same time, I don't know if that's a problem for anyone else

[xRyokenx]

Classical is nice and all, but I prefer the metal and whatever else I listen to... I enjoy it more.

I think I'm turning this into an IM chat... lol. I don't like MSN much, it's too limited. I use Pidgin for my IM needs, all-in-one clients ftw!

[Dilphat]

yeah i have the same problem. i just tend to put on some sound dampening headphones or ear buds and blast up some classical music and then read on a hammock(is that how you spell it?) outside. but then again sometimes i tend to fall asleep and wake up with a book on my face or on my chest.

[slytherock]

Greco, I just reed your first post, but don remember anything of it...
Seriously, for myself, I always try to build some cartoons in my head. It help me figure out what I'm reading (specially in english) and you always remember cartoons...

[Greco101]

Mal, that was an interesting bit of information. Perhaps that's why I think I'm not concentrating? I test myself as I read and see if I can repeat what I just read and I usually can't so I reread it.

...and reread it.

I really wish they would make a video instead of a book. I would 3x more for an instructional DVD that covers everything in the A+ book just because I know I'd remember it all. I can watch an episode of south park or family guy and have it down verbatim by the 2nd time around (which sucks because I can only watch a movie or show 1 or 2 times).

I don't think the music will help make me concentrate but I'm going to try reading at night and visualizing the text as cartoons. I'm also going to try the rectangle cutout too.

Thanks guys

[Greco101]

Right now one of the things I'm having a problem with is doing stuff I know is important. I know that doing this writing project is real important, but I can't figure out how in hell to write good... at least not in the same way as the class requires it.

I was the same way throughout school. I was always in advanced math from 1st grade, up, but when it came to writing I was always on the "re-do chart." Part of it I'm pretty sure was because the teachers hated me because I was a little **** in school until later in HS because they'd always give me a 2+ instead of a 3- which was needed to pass lol. 9th and 10th I was constantly failing at writing then for whatever reason 11th I was typically the highest in the class, or tied with someone else. I'd have to say the thing that helped me with writing most was having a more open structure. In earlier years of HS they'd MAKE YOU stick to a certain outline... If you had more than 5 sentences in a paragraph, you fail.(Is this what you meant by, "at least not in the same way as the class requires.")? It was ridiculous...

on a side note... my spelling has always sucked.


Blebbz

I'm not going to encourage cheating or taking shortcuts, but there is a movie if you need help recapping after you've read. Be warned that you can not substitute one for the other though because the tests will definitely be based on questions from details that were in the book only. Don't do the whole sparknotes thing either. I was constantly trying to find shortcuts through school and to be 100% honest, I regret every one of them.