Can Reading Be Passive?

Being an avid reader, I spend a lot of time thinking about books. Not only do I daydream about them but I also chat about them lots. Luckily many of my friends and colleagues are almost as obsessed with literature as I am.

My work mates are always recommending or slating books. Word of mouth is so valuable and I can see how authors benefit from people telling their friends about the novels that left a mark on them.

Whatever reading is, it definitely isn’t passive. Books are immersive experiences and it would be difficult to pick up a well written story without getting absorbed into the narrative.

Here are my three reasons why I believe that reading is an active sport.

1) Sucked In

When I read a good book, I soon become immersed in the pages. My mind wonders to the locations that are described and I lose touch with my surroundings. Not only that, but I usually lose track of time as well.

Getting sucked into the narrative is a complement to any writer. It shows that they are entertaining, intriguing and weaving a tale that distracts the reader from the monotony of their daily lives.

2) Talking Points

When people read novels and short stories that they like, they tend to want to talk about them. My friends often come in and excitedly proclaim how amazing their latest read is.

Enthusiasm is infectious. If I see someone being excited by a good book, I know that I have to read that book and fond out why it is so special.

3) Investments

If you were passively reading a book then you would not begin to empathise with the characters. This is hard to do. I certainly become invested in Joanne Harris and Liane Moriarty books and love when sequels come out.

When you are invested in storybook worlds, you cannot help but care about the main characters and want to discover what happened next in their fabricated lives.

Final Thoughts

If you love books as much as I do (and let’s face it – books are a multibillion dollar industry these days) then you will identify with the reasons I gave above.

It is impossible to passively read books because they are thought-provoking and, when written well, immerse you in their fictional landscapes, making you want to love or hate their characters.

Have you ever been sucked into a good book?

Has a character ever enraged you?

Do you think that reading can be passive?

Check out a recent review I wrote about Truly Madly Guilty by Liana Moriarty. Please also follow my blog for more book, TV and film reviews as well as climate change articles.

Could Your Life Be A TV Series?

Sometimes I daydream about all sorts of things. When I say sometimes, I mean nearly all of the time. You may remember that recently I wrote an article about having a soundtrack for your life. That was one example of what I often think about, especially when I daydream.

Here it is, if you missed it the first time.

Anyway, the other day I was imagining that my life was a TV series. I actually had ‘Succession’ in mind originally but then I drifted off into other possibilities.

Have you ever imagined your life as a TV series or movie?

TV Shows That Remind Me Of Me

Now, it may seem unlikely but I was watching the new ‘Sex and the City’ spinoff – ‘And Just Like That’ last night and thinking about how some of their midlife dilemmas resonate with 45-year-old me.

Even though they are seriously rich and I am not, I get how they feel about certain situations. Carrie is learning to not cling to the past and to move forward. I have recently made many changes to my home and decluttered a lot of things that contain important memories. And just like her, I felt a need to freshen things up.

Going back to Succession, I don’t have any siblings but have witnessed some very messy family fallouts, been involved in awkward relationships, and lost a lot of money in an online gambling binge in my twenties.

I chuckle a lot when watching Stranger Things as I remember all of the 1980s nostalgia that they signpost. My childhood was a 1980s geek fest of Star Wars toys, mountain bike races, and playing basketball on my best friend’s driveway.

I have never had the Upside Down experience of ‘Stranger Things’ but I definitely can relate to the old fashioned TV sets, magical board games and acting out of Dungeons and Dragons.

Final Thoughts

For me, the idea of trying to match TV shows to my life is lots of fun. I can imagine how some programmes link to my life now, my university days, and my teenage years. Part of me wishes that my life was more like that of Spiderman back then.

Anyway, my TV series would be about a guy who is obsessed with movies and theatre, spends a lot of time acting like an agony uncle for his friends, and is incredibly close to his rather grumpy nan.

Have you ever compared a TV series to your own life?

Is there one that mirrors your experiences?

Maybe you are a combination of shows or perhaps yours is still several pilot episodes waiting to launch into an Emmy-winning long-running series.

For another of my articles about TV shows, check out Two TV Shows I Am Enjoying. Perhaps also consider following my blog for similar future content.

That Weekend Feeling

A short poem

As it is finally the weekend, I thought it would be fun to write a poem about how it makes me feel. This week has been particularly taxing and so this weekend couldn’t come quickly enough for me.

The trouble with weekends is that they go by too quickly and I spend a lot of time just getting ready for work, cleaning the house and catching up on lost sleep. I dream about the day when I can work two days a week and have a five day weekend. Maybe my blog will one day allow me to do this. I can but hope.

My Poem

You know it’s the weekend

When there is no alarm.

When you wake up whenever

And you feel very calm.

You know it’s the weekend

When you sit in your pants.

Watching Netflix TV shows,

Laughing loud at the bants.

You know it’s the weekend

When the weather turns bad.

After sunshine filled work days,

Rain and wind may seem sad.

You know it’s the weekend

When you prep for the week.

When you wash clothes and iron

Monday morning seems bleak.

In A Nutshell

Sometimes it feels like the weekend is just catching up on jobs time and preparation for the new working week time.

How do you know when it’s the weekend?

For a previous poem of mine, check out Heating Up – a poem about climate change. Perhaps also follow my blog for similar future articles.