She's a little slow

I once took a speed reading course. Well, actually I began to take a speed reading course, but when I realized it flew in the face of one of my most deliberate habits, I abandoned it. The fact is, with speed reading one skims each page, focusing on the middle words and allowing the eyes to merely peripherally take in the words on either side of the page. What fun is that? The way I read is to say each word in my head as I read. I realize be admitting this I am immediately labeled as a slow reader ( perhaps not quite as bright as my parents had hoped). But I love reading; it is one of my favorite hobbies. I can get caught up in a well-told story with the best of them. To spoil the experience by rushing through is like eating a good piece of chocolate without thinking about it. Okay, I admit I have eaten one or two or ten pieces of chocolate without really thinking about it, but you get the picture.
I wonder if there really are people out there who like to read by speeding over the pages, never formulating a word in their heads. How does that work, anyway? Are they just getting the idea, not the specifics? How could you appreciate a well-written sentence if all you read were the 4 words in the middle? I say why ruin a happy past-time by turning it into work? Not me! This is one habit I will never abandon. You may go off and formulate your negative opinions of me now...