Monday, May 29, 2006

Deprivation


I am reading the book "The Artist's Way". Every Wednesday night I meet with a group- Kind of a support group as you go thru the chapters. We work thru one chapter a week. Last weeks chapter suggested we NOT READ anything- no books, no newspapers, magazines, NOTHING!!! I happened to be on a long weekend vacation and had brought a couple of books I'm in the middle of that I'm REALLY into. I absolutely refused the suggestion of not reading. I think I know what it might feel like for an alcoholic to be asked to stop drinking, or a crack user to hand over the crack pipe.

I expected that when I showed up to our meeting on Wedneday night that the whole group would be up in arms over this ridiculous request. I was prepared to be involved in the riot. Suprisingly, no one seemed to be freaking out on the same level I was. It wasn't even our main topic of discussion for the evening.

I think the point behind the week long reading deprivation is to get a little bored with yourself, and to stop filling your head with other people's words so that you will hear your own inner voice a little louder. I get that. I see the value. But must it be with reading???? I do plenty of other things that are a waste of time, and honestly, I don't lump reading into that catagory. But I really want to follow the suggestions in the book...to a degree.

So I have rationalized this particular assignment and have come to the conclusion that as an adult, I can make my own rules on this kind of thing. What I've decided is that instead of giving up reading, I will give up tv watching COMPLETELY this week. I feel pretty good about this, especially now that American Idol is over and most shows I watch are now in re-runs.

I am ashamed to admit that I probably waste about two hours daily watching tv. I'd be even more ashamed if I really tallied up all the hours I waste in a week. So, I think this is going to be a big week for me.

The "week" typically starts on Monday, but I "forgot" because it was Memorial Day and all- So, offically NO TV FOR KERRI week starts tomorrow.

2 comments:

Jack said...

Hey it was just a suggestion the author gave you, you can take it or leave it. Good luck to you for your no TV week.

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