it's not just that it takes time. lots of things take time. it's not even that it requires intense concentration--I'm better with that than I used to be and don't knock myself out to understand things that are poorly written. I just say "I have no idea what you are trying to say here" and leave it at that. well usually I am a little more diplomatic than that.
there are other things I'd rather be doing of course but it's not like I'm going to go do them. I'm going to sit here and berate myself for not doing what I should be doing. why is this preferable to actually doing, I wonder? because really, that is the alternative: work or fret. why is fretting less painful than working?
screw this. I'm going to do some response papers.