Reading and Working Out: Nostradamus: The Good News

Pic courtesy Rakka, Flickr

Finally seated, at night, in secret study

At rest and alone over the bronze stool

A slender flame emerges from the wilderness

Unbelievable deeds are uttered from the wasteland

-Quatrain 1/1, Nostradamus

Mario Reading's second book on the French foreteller was a fascinating insight into the more positive predictions made by the 16^th century alchemist. I read it cover-to-cover whilst seated- not on a bronze stool, but on the exercise bike.

The book took a little longer to read than I expected. It's a good 2cm thick, but with fairly spaced-out text. It wasn't quite as spaced-out as I'd expected, and I basically lost track of time on the bike. The gym instructor said I put “a good two and a half hours” in. My stopwatch went full-circle, suggesting I did 100 mins followed by a futher 82. That's over 3 hours. Is this possible? I still didn't finish it as the gym was closing by the time I was about 5/6ths the way through.

It was a HARD task- Reading's translations of Nostradamus' quatrains are concise and fascinating, and his grasp of etymology is masterful, but Goddamn, it's heavy stuff when you're pedalling away. It's more a history lesson than anything, with additional prophecies that have yet to occur (expect an island to be created after an underwater volcanic eruption in 2021). An interesting read.

Here's some advice for if you want to try this kind of exercise:

1. Make a note of what time you start, if you're as forgetful as I am
2. Pedal slowly. It's all too easy to burn yourself out.
3. Remember to focus on what you're reading. It's also easy to tune out and find yourself “reading for words” when you're exerting physically as well as mentally.
4. Drink lots of water. Bring a big bottle-full.
5. Bring a bookmark. Reading takes two hands. Frequently, so does opening the cap on a water bottle.
6. Pick a bike situated away from the gym's Hi-Fi speakers if possible.
7. Don't hold the book directly under your nose, unless you want to drip sweat on it.
8. Stretch off afterwards.

I'm not quite the “slender flame” I once was, but with this day's 92 minutes fat-burning, it won't be long before I am.