11 April 2011

Simple Entertainments

I've recently come to the conclusion that people don't have enough simple pleasures in their lives.

When I say simple, I mean simple.  The other day I was just driving and being amused with a hair tie I had wrapped around my thumb like a ring.  I was just playing with it and twisting it around, and I found that I was more calm, relaxed and efficient as a driver. 

When I came home, I continued playing with the hair tie and I didn't get bored for another hour.

I think we may depend too much on technology for entertainment.  I remember being a kid and playing with my stuffed animals for HOURS on end.  Just making up stories. 

Now I have to admit that I'm a bit of a video game whore.  I've been playing a lot of video games lately.  Mostly survival-horror because that is my bag, but some fantasy RPGs too (a la Final Fantasy.)

I've been trying to read more too.  That's a nice simple pleasure that I want to enjoy more often, just laying on my bed, or on the couch, maybe with some music in the background.  Sometimes having the house completely quiet is just wonderful while I do this too, but the dogs like having something on in the background.  Just reading.  I remember reading a book recently (probably one of the best books I've ever read in my entire life The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss) and remarking on how nice the paper was.  It was such an obscure, minor detail but I couldn't stop marveling at the quality of the paper haha.  It made me happy that I wasn't so overloaded with other crap that I could notice that.

We need to slow down a little I think.   We always hear how we were happiest when we were children, so maybe we need to think like kids again.  Find something simple.  Go get a stick and pretend you're sword fighting some bad ass knight for a few minutes.  I can almost guarantee you'll get the giggles because you're letting out some of those pent up emotions and energies.  Put on some rocking music while you're cooking or brushing your teeth and just bump and grind around, feeling like you're either the prima ballerina or a chick in a music video.  It's fun, I promise.

I really think that everyone would be a lot happier if they took the opportunity to just be silly for at least a few minutes a day.  Everyone can find five minutes for yourselves to remember that you don't wanna grow up cause you're a Toys R Us kid. 

That's your assignment for the week.  Be silly, have fun.  I want to hear about what you've done in the comments :)  Happy trails

4 comments:

  1. Good post! Part of the reason we've lost interest in simple pleasures as a society is that we've largely forgotten what imagination is and how to use it. We have screens for that. :P

    As a side note, I NEED TO READ THE WISE MAN'S FEAR! GAH! I've been waiting for it to come out since I finished Name of the Wind years ago, and now that it's here, I find that I'm quite without the funds to buy it. :(

    On a happier note, I'm glad to have found your blog! If you don't mind terribly much, I think I'll follow you.

    Direchihuahua

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  2. Please do!! I welcome anyone who wants to read my crap lol. I need to write another post today, just not sure what I feel like writing about.

    Imagination is something we don't even want kids to have anymore. Have you noticed that? Then they're diagnosed with ADD or not down to earth.

    I won't spoil anything in the book for you, but I'm just going to reiterate that it's probably the best book I've ever read in my entire life. I loved it. It made me cry and I was genuinely angry when the book ended. I'm sorry!! Have you tried looking online? If you have an e-reader, I could send you an e-copy of the book to tide you over until you have your own "flesh and blood" copy.

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  3. Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm gonna wait. Anything from Pat Rothfuss is worth earning. :P Speaking of which, I just got a friend of mine hooked on the series...hehehe. I feel halfway evil about it because she's got a lot on her plate right now that isn't getting done.

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  4. I know exactly how it feels to do that.

    That's what happened when I first read it, I couldn't put it down!

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