I read on the toilet

I read on the toilet.

I know that a lot of people do, but I find that it relaxes me.  And that is an important consideration, particularly these days.  I have always had a problem with constipation.  I read an awful lot, of course, and most of the stuff that I'm doing online is reading.  Reading email, reading articles, reading social media posts; but, generally speaking, most of that type of reading; reading emails, reading articles, and even the social media posts; is something that may require a response.  So I am reading with the expectation that *what* I am reading may trigger something that I need to do.  Something that I may need to react to.  Something that may require me to do some research, or write an article, or post a possibly demanding response.  So reading anything on line is not relaxing.  Reading anything on a device is not relaxing, because most of what I might read, say, on social media, may possibly generate a need for a response.  So even reading, say, an eBook on a device, I don't find particularly relaxing.  Partly that's just the association with "device" and not a book.  But even reviewing a book I find it easier to do when it's an actual book where I can flip pages back and forth when I need to refer to something.

So, yes.  There is an awful lot of stuff that I read that is *not* particularly relaxing.  But books are.  I suppose it may possibly be partly, an association of books with recreational reading, which I do for enjoyment.  And even when it's reviewing books, I tend to find some enjoyment in reading.  Even when it was books that I was reviewing, I enjoy learning, too.  So books that I am reading because I need to know this material, can also be somewhat enjoyable.

Of course, it's not *too* enjoyable if the book is a real turkey, where it's badly written, and incorrect, and has questionable information.  I certainly found an awful lot of books that weren't particularly good when I was doing reviews.  But the real absolute turkeys were few and far between, so, yes.  For the most part, any association with actual books is somewhat enjoyable.

But my reading on the toilet is *not* my actual recreational reading.  Actual recreational reading, these days, tends to be confined to the times that I get to soak in the tub.  Again, there may be an association between having a book in the bathtub, and having a book in the bathroom, and the pleasure of a hot bath, and so to simply having a book in the bathroom, even if I'm reading it on the toilet, may have an association with pleasure and therefore relaxation.

But the fact remains that reading on the toilet relaxes me and helps address the constipation that has been a kind of constant and life-long battle.

Too much information?