For two months I've had a terrible time getting through books. Part of the problem is that I'm trying to read five books and have another two waiting. I drift from one to another and that's no way for me to enjoy reading.

What's the big deal? I know people who don't read any books and they're fine.

I can't imagine how not reading works for people. Mostly I think they substitute a phone for reading and a phone is no substitute for a book. A screen and page are very different things. One sucks life from me. You can guess which one.

I don't want to give up on reading. I keep finding new books I want to read and from which I want to learn, but I can't get to them because I have these books hanging around my neck.

Just quit those books then. They must not be any good.

I would except each of them is pretty good. None of them are great, but they all still feel worth reading.

I don't know if it's a solution to all that has been ailing my reading, but today I chose the book in which I was farthest along and sat to read it. I'm still feeling the sickness I've had for a week, so it's not like I would go for a run or head out with friends drinking. I figured I might as well open a book and see what comes of it.

What came of it? One book finished. The first of 2020. That and this writing, a bit of self-help, a reminder that my best plan for a good life boils down to three words: do one thing.

I can't read five books at once. I can't even read a whole book at once. I can only open where I left off and start on the first word of the chapter. One word leads to another. Do one thing means really doing that one thing and not thinking about all the other things. Do one thing until it's done, then see what's next.

I finished my book. I wrote this piece. I revised it. Time to post it and update my reading list. After that, maybe another book, maybe something else. Whatever it turns out to be, I'll try to make sure it's just one thing.