Well, not that kind of celibacy. Don't really need to take a vow to avoid the unavailable. ;-)
No, I have decided to commit to two months without purchasing media in any form. No books, no magazines, no music -- not even a single iTunes download.
Inspired by a friend's pledge to formally forgo something in order to evolve beyond giving it so much emphasis in her life.
The thought occurred to me the other day that I have a difficult time simply enjoying music without acquiring it -- as if, by "owning" it, I can make it my own. (As a girl, I read that Louisa May Alcott started her writing career by copying, over and over, the words she admired by other writers, until her own style evolved. Didn't really happen for me. I wonder if a similar drive isn't at work here?)
So in part this is part of my attempt to stay in the moment ... to simply enjoy what I hear/read and not worry about whether/when I will want to hear/read it again.
Then there's the fact that despite all my whining about living in poverty, I easily drop $100 a month on books and music. Better spent on medical bills ... or -- think of it! -- dropped into my savings account.
Of course, there'll always be music and books that will speak to me strongly enough that I will indeed return to them again and again. A permanent moratorium this is not. In the meantime, I have plenty in my current collections to keep me occupied.
Next up: Can I possibly live without Internet at home? By dropping web/cable service, I'd save another $63 month ... and an infinite amount of free time, without the time-sucking addiction of looking up "just one more thing" ...
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Food for thought
That there's whatcha call a pun, people ...
New York Times: Rethinking the Meat Guzzler
An informative look at how consumption (our own over-, and our encouragement of it globally) is contributing substantially to climate change and other woes ...
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A weekend in quotes.
"Some people never go crazy,
What truly horrible lives they must live."
-- Charles Bukowski
"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey."
-- Kenji Miyazawa (via Miz K!)
"Every day above ground is good."
-- Shannon on facing up to troubled times
"If it's dangling, you can bitch about it."
-- Shannon on penises
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6 comments:
Do you have an exemption for gifts? Please. I wanted to share Sapelo with you yesterday, before I saw this post.
You could go hang out with Jill...I'm still paying for internet for her over there.
oh, quit your whining mr. m. i am living on one channel (CBS) and the slow version of the internet. it's your fault that i'm addicted to it, anyway.
love you!
and you too mz. becki. and yes, you are welcome over anytime to use my internet. just bring a bottle of wine or a couple of beers, and we'll make an evening of it!
hell...i have an idea. let the internet/cable go, spend that $63 on whatever media you want, and you'll still be saving $100 a month! yes, i am a genius. thank you.
celibacy/abstaining is empowering.
Podunk, Miz K ... thank you both so much for your generous gifts of music! Yes, I think bestowments fall outside the purview of my declaration.
And thanks to all of you for your friendship, support and encouragement ... the fight continues! More to come ...
We should put a movie-and-music exchange program together!
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