Not reading has shown me how much time I spend reading other people's blogs and their Facebook posts. At least I don't think I'm reading crap (she said defensively). I'm not reading about Kardashians or new video games or reality shows. My blog reading is confined to art blogs, life improvement blogs, inspirational material, etc.
Not reading has encouraged me to watch more television. This is bad. My TV-watching has always been limited to a half-hour art show at noon on OPB, maybe a cooking show after that, and then maybe part of a basketball game or "Jeopardy" at night. But now, because I'm not reading, I'm tending to spend more time on the couch, watching TV, when I would really RATHER be reading!
I AM getting more collage work done. I'm making a book (I think) and can work on it for about 30 minutes before my neck gives out. So yeah, I'm doing more physical art because I'm not reading.
Bottom line, what this means is that, this evening, I'm thinking about simply restructuring my life to include reading, physical collage art, photography, photomontage-making, and exercising. What's different? Well, more reading = less TV. Setting a time limit on reading = more time making physical collages. Setting a time limit on physical collage = a herniating disk I can live with.
I'm going to let this simmer overnight, but my gut feeling is that this exercise isn't for me. If not reading is designed to give me a "jump start" on my art, I don't need it. I always have dips and slumps, but I never stop creating. I never stop shooting. Never stop looking at other work for inspiration, never stop experimenting.
Chris tells me the Lakers are playing the Spurs right now (oh, yeah, like THAT'S going to be an exciting matchup), but it's time to push away from the computer, and to read or not to read . . . that's the question.
©Carol Leigh
