Image by henry… via Flickr
Books have taken over my life.
In The Artist’s Way (which, by the way, I have never managed to finish…discipline has fled the house!) Julia Cameron recommends a week of reading deprivation – she bans books, newspapers, magazines, everything – for at least one whole week. When I first read that, I balked at the very thought of it. And needless to say, didn’t follow through with the rest of the program.
But now, as I think about it, it makes a lot of sense – at least for me. It boggles the mind to think of the amount of time I would have to pursue other activities if I wasn’t compulsively stuck with my nose in a book every free second of every single day. I finish one book, sit back, inhale, and then wander over to my bookshelf to pull out the next book and start reading again.
Image by Josh Russell via Flickr
It’s starting to get freakish, this obsession I have with books. It starts in the morning – I curl up on the sofa with my cup of java to kick me awake and a book in my hand, reading at a feverish pace. I have to keep reminding myself that I need to move my butt and get ready for work. Once I’m back home in the evening, I rush through the chores (of changing and washing my face) and sit down to read. And read until well past bedtime, with mini breaks in between to welcome the husband home, squeeze in some small talk so he doesn’t think I’m insane, and during dinner.
Pathetic. Unhealthy. Irrational.
I’m beginning to see the sense in Julia Cameron’s approach. It’s time to bite the bullet. For someone as addicted it as me, it calls for serious measures. SO…reading deprivation for a month!
….
….
Wait! Did I just write that? Think that? What the hell is wrong with me? I’m never going to be able to stick with that! So…a compromise….How about…umm…a week? Every month? Reasonable enough, don’t you think?
But first, I have to finish the book I’m currently reading. And the one I’ve already decided to read after I finish this one. (I told you I was obsessive.) Then, a week of no reading. At all.
I’m freaking out already!
Pingback: Book review: The Storyteller of Marrakesh by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya | Modern Gypsy
I’ve also read the Artist’s Way – but I don’t think I could handle not reading for a week. And a *month*? I think I’d go completely bonkers!
Let us know what you decide after you finish that book you’re gonna read after the one you’re reading now 🙂
Errr….a month will be impossible for me too! But I’m going to try not reading fiction for one week every month…let’s see if I can manage it!
Goodness, I don’t think I could possibly manage a month! A week was bad enough! I did find it useful however – it helped me see which reading was actually life-enhancing and which was ‘junk food’.
Wow – what an interesting challenge. I don’t think I’d cope at all! But I can see the reasoning behind it. Lots of deep thought to be had if you’re not reading other people’s words.
Deep thought, plus lots of things could be done too! 😉
Haha, this is hilarious. I go through phases, I will read for a month non-stop (like the way you described it) then not want to pick up a book for a month, then repeat the cycle.
http://beingmama.com/
http://ohsoprettylife.blogspot.com/
Unfortunately those kinda cycles are very rare for me, maybe once a year.
That is so fun that I stumbled upon this post. I just finished my week of reading deprivation. I was really crap at it.
I have a sneaky feeling that I’m gonna suck at it too! :-/