When you're at the end of something good, do you speed up or slow down?

I tend to speed up if I can. Sticking with the Netflix example: the last time I watched a show online, I found out about 75% of the way through that the whole series wasn’t actually available yet and that the last few episodes were being put up at a rate of one a week. Once I caught up, I was watching each one almost as soon as it was uploaded and wished they would be uploaded sooner (the whole thing had already been broadcast in another country).

I do the same with books. I might read the first few in a series in a leisurely way and then read the last few in a flurry of reading. Maybe it’s just because things tend to get rather fast paced near the end, which makes me eager to get through it all. Early installations tend to wrap up most of the loose ends (while leaving a few sequel hooks, of course), whereas later installations tend to leave things open as a way of driving towards the finale.

When it comes to television shows, I speed up.

When it comes to books, I nearly come to a grinding halt. I hate finishing a good book. I’ll cruise through most of the book in a few hours. And drag out the last chapter—sometimes for weeks! It wasn’t unusual for me to have several books on the shelf with just the last chapter unread.

When it comes to food, I’ll slow down. But not necessarily just at the end. I’m just slower in general.

It depends on what it is but in general I guess I’d have to say that I slow down.

When I am really enjoying my food I have to consciously slow down because I tend to be a fast eater. When I see that my plate is half empty I force myself to really taste every little bite so that I can make it last. This weekend I did that with a sushi pizza. (This was the first time I’d had sushi pizza, but it won’t be the last!) I saw that my pizza was half gone in no time, but then I slowed down to savor it more.

When it’s a good book and I’m near the end I don’t really slow down but I set aside a quiet special time to savor the last few pages. I tend to read in fits and starts. It can take me a long time to finish a book unless it’s a real page turner. So when I get to the end I don’t want to read it squashed into a seat on the train or in a noisy place. I want to be comfortable and rested and really drink in every word. When I finish it I want to sit and think about it or talk with someone about it.

At the end of a good vacation….well, I try to keep my mind off the fact that the end of the vacation is near, so anything that keeps me occupied is all to the good. A leisurely meal and a walk around town or along the seashore, or a rowdy gypsy jazz concert or Octoberfest celebration, whatever is available to enjoy. Pack in as many good memories as possible and try to remember every beautiful sight, sound, smell and taste! I am a real sensualist at heart.

I used to speed up. Now I slow it down.

Neither. I let it take me to where it is planned to.

TV I usually speed up.

Food I stay on pace or slow down and I make sure the final bites will be the best.

Enjoying the scenery I slow it down as much as possible during the experience. Time can stand still. When the time is nearing that I have to leave I am ready to go. At that point I don’t dwell, I kind of rip it off like a bandaid. It’s over.

Slow down, definitely. I still haven’t watched one episode of House. That show got me through a very bad time, and I’m keeping this one episode – just in case.

With books, I definitely speed up. I want to know what happens. I’ve started re-reading books (which I have never done before) so that it can speed read to get the story then re-read to savour the writing. I’m now beginning to worry that there are too many books and not enough time left in my life to read them all.