I used to read a lot when I was younger. From 1998 through to 2010, I went through books like a coke-head goes through crack. However, when my stupid sister first started listening to her shitty rap music back in 2010 -- turning the volume up as loud as physically possible from the time she woke up to the time she went to bed -- she completely destroyed my ability to read in this house. Whereas I used to be able to read comfortably with a bunch of noise going on around me -- be from a TV, a conversation, or whatever -- now I can only read late at night when everyone else is asleep.

She doesn't play her garbage pseudo-music like that anymore, but the damage has been done and I can't concentrate on a book during daylight hours in this house. I guess it's psychosomatic -- I don't have nearly as much trouble reading when I'm on a bus or in public areas with large numbers of people.