April 9, 2007
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Escapism.
I used to read a book a day. I would consume everything I could find, Romance, mystery, science fiction, fantasy… You name it I would read it. Janet Evonovich and Sue Grafton, Stuart Woods and John Grisham, J.K. Rowling and E.B.Baker, John Irving and Amy Tan, Peirs Anthony and Robert Jordan. The list of authors goes on and on and on.
If I could open a book I was in another world and I was happy.
WHY?
I mean what do I have to escape from. I have a great family. I like my life.
The idea of being somewhere else, someone else, some when else… well it is just too inviting to resist.
My reading has slacked off a bit, I do a book a week now. I have found a different form of escapism… this one caters a bit to the voyeur in me allowing me to peek into others lives, dreams, wishes…
Of course you all know it well… XANGA… Yes, you share this dirty little habit.
I found myself wondering this weekend though; Where do we draw the line between enjoying our escapism and becoming slaves to it?
Comments (27)
I draw the line when other areas of my life start to suffer…if that makes any sense.
i draw the line…
around you
damn its been so long Angie.
I think meezer makes a good point. I don’t think there is any thing wrong with escapism and certainly there a far worse ways to escape than reading. Even a wonderful has stress and reading and writing can help someone decompress.
Hey lady~ My son won’t let me online long enough to let it interfere…..LOL~
wow- you’re the first person ive “met” that used to read a book a day too… people always give me weird looks when i mention that :- when im home during the summer i go back into it
i dunno the answer to your question though- i think im probably a slave to all of my escapist activities… makes life happier
i cant. im addicted to myspace and xanga…………
i dont know yet….
Hey, no peeking! I’m not decent! Er…well..you know what I mean.
I wish I had the time to get in a book a week…I’m averaging about three weeks per book. I try to read everyday at lunch, it helps to shelve the stress of work for 45 minutes.
Well first of all I love John Irving… that being said, I also love Xanga… I don’t know what I am escaping for, I think I am reaching out, more than escaping.
Hugs, Tricia
Enjoying it = Logging on when you have a spare moment to check your Xanga
Slave to it = Sitting in the bathroom pooping, while reading blogs on your laptop
That’s just my interpretation though….
I think it’s a fine line…
Wow, I hear ya. I’ve been thinking about that lately too. My hubby sometimes comments that I always expect everyday to be extraordinary and wonderful, and maybe I should be okay with some days just being ‘fine’, or just run of the mill. I thought about that for awhile – am I just constantly seeking distraction and excitement or something new? Well, in a way, yes. I like doing spontaneous things to shake it all up and make me feel alive. I think it’s because always in the back of my mind I have the image of that unconscious suburban existance that I am determined never to fall into. So this goes with my reading too – I often look to art and literature as ways to really feel like I’m engaging life - to find a story that just affects me, a story that I can just sink into and look at everything differently for awhile. So I’ve decided that I’m not trying to escape my life through books, art, going out to coffeeshops late at night, writing, I’m just trying to feel fresh and alive, to expand and enjoy my life, not escape it.
oh i wish I can escape now.. but only the school part. hehe…
I know I have days when every 2 seconds of down time I have I’m logging on and checking up on people. Since 99% of this is done while I’m at work, I really need to get a hold on it before it gets me in trouble! Responsible for me is to read my subs and write an entry in the AM, then wait to check again until early PM. (Yeah, like it ever happens that way!)
So in other words……..I have a problem???……lol…..Are you calling me an Addict??…No, thats not true…..I can just shut down my computer anytime…But maybe I just dont want to….haha……
I guess I waited too long to draw the line and now besides the greenhouse work,the rest of it needs to be sorted out,I have done so much better but now I feel like I cheat the people who comment me out of comments..I am gona post without a place for comments!!
I dunno, interesting one Ang! I guess for me my escape is actually to come to work – lol! Serious though, its my only time when I am an individual with a purpose and meaning other than a mommy, wife, cleaning lady, cook etc – lol! I mean, don’t get me wrong……a mommy and a wife are important jobs – but there’s just something about doing something that makes you feel like a WOMAN! LOL!
I used to read a book a day too – where have the good old days gone!
I Xanga at work too, and I know I spend way too much time reading blogs - I do think it’s rather addictive, it’s like reading a good book, you just can’t put it down! but I figure I could have way worse habits….I keep my work caught up..well kinda of ….. mostly….Oh Hell…..now I feel quilty….I should get busy…I’m going to… but first I need to check on shellisland….Have a great day ang
i love reading books too!!! i read three while the internet was out LOL.
Holy crap..I am a slave to it!!!!!! I can honestly say that I have lurked for hours reading people’s blogs. Sad, I know.
You are welcome at my site anytime! Fair warning though…for the most part, I am quite boring! It only takes a few minutes to get on here and get updated so I don’t feel guilty about it. On the other hand – if I have a good book you might as well forget about it. I can’t put it down. My solution for that is to stay away from the library when I know I have things that must be done. My sister (mlbncsga) and I both always check out the used book section of the second hand stores because there are some real treasures there sometimes! My latest find – “Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico” copyright 1977. It takes all kinds doesn’t it? Peace
Not a slave as much as addicted to it. I love reading other’s blogs and make ones of my own when I feel the urge. I can live without it but it would take some time to get over the jonesing.
I don’t know but I sure am a slave to my xanga addiction.. I mean, I never read anymore, I just write all the time, and read other’s blogs… I need to get back to books… it makes you smarter!
I used to be horrid with the computer..I finally weaned off and now read about the same as you..a book a week if possible. USED to be a book every three days..But working full time now has stopped that too.
Happy Tuesday Ang!
The robin looks so cold.
I used to read a lot more than I did before we got our Blockbuster subscription. And I’m so worn out after a day with the kids (who never let me just sit and read without asking me to read to them) I’ve taken to listening to downloadable audio books from my library. It takes longer to finish a book this way, but (depending on who reads it) it’s a great way to get into the book. It’s also differnet enough that I can have two books (on paper an on the MP3) going at once. Oh yeah, I need all the escaps I can get.
I think reading makes us better people
xanga more addictive than crack, but not as skinny.
: )