So, for week 4 in
The Artist's Way I was supposed to impose a reading ban on myself. I have many issues with this, of course. I never have time to read in the first place and really miss it.
I had several concerns with the reading ban as outlined in the book. First, Julia Cameron says that artists are addicted to words and reading too much keeps us from getting in touch with our inner self. Well, in the modern world we could say the same about television, the internet or any other electronic entertainment device.
I can see reading as a form of escapism because when I was young I read all of the time. Back then I would say that a reading ban might have done me some good but I am no longer 14 with my nose constantly stuck in a book. I am 41 and I hardly get to my books. I do have to read a lot at work -- students come in and hand me papers that I have to discuss with them right then and there. In
The Artist's Way Julia Cameron cheekily says that artists are “creative” in getting out of what they don't want to do and so we can rely on those skills to get out of the reading we need to do for the week, even if it involves work. Um, no. I would get fired. Plus, I think that is an inappropriate attitude for people trying to improve themselves, as they must surely be when they are using
The Artist's Way.
The reading ban is one of the things in the book that makes me think it is a one-size-fits-all program. I would rather think about what would work for me and then try that. Especially since in week 3 she asks us to examine our use of time and identify unnecessary time consuming habits. My most outstanding time-consuming unnecessary habit is Farmville.
Yes, you laugh. I'm glad this blog is anonymous. On my regular Facebook page I set up filters so my non-Farmville playing friends won't know about my terrible habit of begging for logs, wrenches, animal feed, watering cans and horse tiaras. I also set up 2 other Facebook pages with the purpose of playing against myself and having more room to "farm". Every morning I get up, make coffee, and spend the first hour of the day with Farmville. When I am home doing other work on the computer, I keep going back and forth to Farmville. I can't stay away from it. Also, many of my Facebook friends gave it up but one friend is chronically ill and often housebound. She plays ALL DAY LONG and her enthusiasm often sweeps me up. It gives me a little bit of a way to connect with her, I guess, even if it is in a dysfunctional way.
A couple of weeks ago I decided it would be easiest to start the Farmville ban when I went to the beach because I would be without easy internet access for a few days. That is not so simple because when I went in August I was in the middle of one of the quests and went to the local free wifi spot to work on my farms. This time, even though I had my netbook, I only used it to work on exercises from The Artist's Way or other constructive writing things.
I felt victorious when I got home the last night of the trip and did not turn on my computer in the middle of the night, as I would have done in the past.
After that it seemed smoother sailing. It was a busy work week and I had no time for unnecessary things. I am proud of myself because I didn't even look at Farmville for 8 days. My higher power sent me some writing work and some other constructive things to do.
I did try Farmville over the days after that but it now seems very irritating, time consuming and useless. And, my housebound friend is so sick of the elaborate quests that she wants to give it up too. So, there. I can say I got infinitely more out of that than the reading deprivation.
