I remember being in around 5-6th grade and my older brother and I decided to make a point about quality time spent as a family, so we constructed a graph of time spent watching TV daily by our parents.
TV has acted like a drug in the past, but honestly I am too busy to even turn on my TV most months.
Yes I turn my nose up at TV viewing most of the time. Probably because shows like 2 1/2 Men are still on the air when programs like Arrested Development are barely given a chance.
I do not want a cable box in my new apartment. We have free cable. It is more out of principal. TV puts you out of control and takes away your ability to create, interact, or even socialize. Advertising instructs you what to buy, enjoy, and even how you should feel about your own self worth.
I am sure most people hate watching TV with me because I am a chronic TV/movie talker. I feel like I am wasting time "visiting" with someone if the TV is on and there is no actual interaction.
"Oh no! Why did he do that?!?"
"This plot is terrible!"
"Really?!? REALLY!?! This editing sucks!"
And if it isn't completely rude, I will attempt to read on my iPad or check email.
Doing nothing is something that I am awful at.
Today I was stopping to think of all of the TV shows I have given a chance for James...All while asking nothing in return. Nothing.
I have a fear of suggesting movies. I practically refuse to choose the music that plays in my own car when others are with me. Fear of rejection I suppose.
James has still not seen 2 out of my 3 favorite movies. (Moulin Rouge and Rocky Horror) Although I will not subject any straight man to the former. (The other is Fight Club and we would not be together if he didn't like that before we started dating)
For someone who is so open, so blunt and overly honest...Why am I so afraid to share what is important to me? Yup, fear of rejection.
But as I said...I don't watch TV.
I read books, write, study, craft, cook, bake, walk the dog.
These activities are a bit more difficult to get ones partner involved in. I did teach James the proper way to cut an onion. I doubt he remembers.
Ok...So I still don't know why I bought a 32" flat screen and that will probably be craigslisted shortly. That would end the debate of "Should there be a TV in the bedroom?"
See: http://tvnz.co.nz/content/650268/2856650.html (yes the article is from New Zealand, and about people in Spain. Do you think TV addicted Americans would publish this let alone do research on it?)
So here it is...
My book selections (Of my all time favorites that changed the way I think and made me who I am today).
All I am asking for is one book. I own most of them, so just ask me nice and you can borrow one. The library? Did you know they have more than just DVDs?
-Jonathan Franzen: The Corrections, Freedom.
Both of these books changed the way I see the world in unspeakable ways. I read the last page of The Corrections about 10 times crying the whole time. It is unspeakably amazing.
Freedom combines my love of population control, the environmental concerns of mountaintop removal mining, folk rock music, frightening Republican neighbors, a liberal slant, and memoir writing. (Yes, it's THAT good ;-) REEEEAD IT!
-Mary Roach: Bonk or Stiff
All of her books are amazing, but her scientific takes on both sex and corpses (OK, not together. Necrophilia is not cool) are the most interesting. Stiff is not for the squeamish.
So yes, read Bonk. I tried to explain the book to James on our first date but just ended up making him turn bright red. It's that good.
In my words "A scientific look at sex and it's cultural/consumer driven impact on society". Did you know they make fake silicon testicles for neutered dogs for owners who are that macho? Well they do, and if you read the book your head will be filled with other useless facts.
-John Irving: Cider House Rules
I don't care if you are pro-life or choice, READ IT! Don't watch the movie, that's not the point of this list. It will change the way you look at woman's rights (and ether) forever. You will know more about how illegal abortions were preformed in the early 1900's than you ever cared to know, but there is so much more to this amazing novel.
-John Kennedy Toole: Confederacy of Dunces, Neon Bible
Bet you thought Arcade Fire came up with that title themselves?!
He died so tragically young, like most great authors, and only wrote these two books.
Confederacy of Dunces is like Catcher in the Rye, only takes place in New Orleans. Imagine if Holden left prep school, tried to write a novel moved in with his controlling mother and turned out to be a fat lazy 30 something who loves hotdogs.
Wally Lamb: She's Come Undone
An amazingly true to life book about a high school/college age woman dealing with mental illness/weight/identity issues. You want to "get me"? Save yourself from talking to me extensively and just read the book. It sounds like a young adult fluff book, but it is amazingly researched about mental health, coming of age in the 1970's, Polish Catholic culture and so well written.
SOOooo many others!
1984/Animal Farm (How are there still people that haven't read Orwell?)
Siddartha
Brave New World
Rabbit, Run (Anything by John Updike)
In Cold Blood (I love you Mr. Capote...But you gave me nightmares for weeks)
I devoured Pillars of the Earth, but I know that most people aren't willing to commit to a 1,000 page
book.
For the ladies! Hahaha
The Beauty Myth: How images of beauty are used against women
The Body Project (SOoooo good! Well if you are into feminist books on how culture and society makes young women hate themselves)
I also have a weak spot for anything Steven King, David Sedaris, Chuck Pahlaniuk, Charlaine Harris, Anne Rice, Franz Kafka, the poetry of William Blake and Paul Celan, Non-fiction books on feminist theory/woman's rights/woman's body image issues and the impact in society.
I really hope most of you were forced to read these books in high school or college, or better yet, have already picked them up on your own. So if you need a good book, perhaps one of these will interest you.
I have spent my entire life hiding from making suggestion. I just can't do it. I can tell you my opinion all day, but ask me what movie to watch and I just can't answer that. Hopefully this list will break that bad habit and perhaps you will pick one up and thank me.
<3 Emi
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