If you read my last blog (go on read it then this one will make sense), you know that I decided to deprive myself of reading, TV and social media for a week. It's suggested to stop reading for one week when you're going through The Artists Way, and I decided to go all the way and try it, along with the support of my group. The thing I found most interesting is that I didn't miss social media. The week fell upon one where I was busy and working a lot so I didn't have time to be endlessly swiping the brain rot (my new favourite way to describe it). However, when I was finished at work, I would normally have indulged in some swiping. Instead, I spent time learning Italian or Danish on Duolingo, or carried on with my knitting. The first Friday I did have to resist the urge to tell everyone about the Aurora and to share the photos I took of it. I'll share mine here instead, hilariously I managed to take these and because it was dark, and my phone on low light settings, I took these and thought there was nothing there - it was only when I got home and looked in brighter settings that I could see the colours!
My family chats and WhatsApp with friends increased over the week as I didn't "share" things on social media, it meant I was intentionally contacting people to tell them things, rather than assuming they would see them on my stories and I liked that a lot.
It seems like such a silly thing to say, but in this world we live in now, I think we can, in some ways, lose direct and more intimate contact with people we love because we share so much with so many people, and expect the ones we hold close to see it and assume that it's for them.
A long weekend became an even longer weekend with no Instagram/TV to fill the space. There was aurora hunting, Sutton Hoo visiting, and elaborate meals made. I did have an itch to watch TV on Sunday evening but instead spent some time knitting on the sofa. The thing that was hardest above all was no reading. I usually read every evening before I fall asleep, and though I was busy and maybe didn't have the time to do that, I noticed the lack of it by my desire to read anything - newspaper articles, signs in the street, adverts on the tube. I noticed at one point I was halfway through reading a manual for something - not because I needed to read it, but seemingly because I just wanted to take in the words on the page.
I'm not sure what this means, the desire I seemingly have to absorb so much information through words. I mainly think in sentences and when I've done a play I tend to find that phrases run through my head like song lyrics - I also love lyrics too. I adore words - there is a word for someone who loves words - a logophile, and I am most definitely one.
Last night I had the chance to read my book for the first time after deprivation week, and it felt so delicious to get into bed early and know I was going to read. It was so nice I allowed myself to do it again whilst I ate breakfast this morning.
Comments