Thursday, November 29, 2012

Words are paint, your imagination the paintbrush

So I've been reading The Hobbit, to refresh myself before I go see the movie (yes I am finally going to see a movie in an actual theater) and it brings to mind the benefits and pleasures of reading...



I know from the popularity of tablets that there still exists readers out there, but are we instilling that in our children? We are such a technologically advanced society, with games, toys, computers, movies, and shows, that create amazing fantasy worlds for us to escape to. But part of me wonders what ever happened to letting your own imagination do that?  Where working out works the body, puzzles and many games work the mind, reading-especially fiction-works the imagination. A coworker told me when he saw me reading The Hobbit, that he doesn't read books before movies because it'll ruin them. For me, I prefer to read the book first, because I want my own imagination and soul to form and create the world the author was painting with words, not the director.  Plus, as is commonly mentioned, there is so much more depth within the book that the movies just cannot possibly portray on such a limited canvas.



If you look at toys from generations past, so much involved the children being creative, thinking and pretending. I remember when I was a child I would play outside for hours, creating all kinds of adventures within my mind. Or if stuck indoors, I would pretend my bed was a boat, and sail and fish to all kinds of worlds! Simple toys that go past even my childhood required the use of the imagination, but now toys are so advanced it requires little to no creativity at all.

As we have progressed and advanced within society, our ability to create on our own has diminished. Think of how many movies are just remakes or followups now, not their own works but another persons redone.  Nowadays, kids just come home and sit in front of the television either watching or playing something or other.  Now I'm not saying we shouldn't play games, or watch television or movies (obviously since I'll be going to the theater myself soon) I have my own games I enjoy, and I love my iPad, but how about trying on a good fiction novel (minus the movie cover-if offered) for once?



Or how about giving a book for the holidays? A nice paperback...and yes, I am serious. There is something with holding an actual book, the smell, and turning the pages that cannot be replaced. The only reason I honestly enjoy reading now is because my sister's boyfriend (now husband of 10+ years) gave me one of his fiction novels and told me he thought I'd enjoy it.  I hated the idea of reading honestly, but to be nice I gave it a try, and was hooked ever since!  My first, and favorite fiction novel?


Of course I'm a dork so now I own the hardback copy myself, along with the follow up book The Black House





Anyhoo, that's my book rant for the evening.  I write this because I forgot myself how much a good fiction novel can do for the soul, but a mistake I hopefully won't make again. That is a sad fact to admit seeing as I work in a library, but sometimes life, work, and stresses get in the way and we all forget the simple pleasures.

On other news, yesterday I did my last session for burpees! I hate those things so hopefully they won't be in the next phase's workouts! By the way her next bootcamp challenge (#4) will start on January 7th but will open for registration on December 3 until the 31st!  Getting past my complaints on the burpees (it's only because they work-which makes them hurt lol) I highly recommend it and it's not that expensive at all, only $25 for 8 weeks!

No comments:

Post a Comment