Unplugged

I do not remember a time when I couldn't read. Honestly, I feel like I have had a book in my hands, or on my bedside for every day of my life. Yes, there have been times that I have burned out, or been turned off my a particularly bad read ("Da Vinci Code," anyone?), taken a few days off, and only read short stories and magazines. However, even in those times, I have always had a book that I want to read in the back of my mind. Until now. I blame the Internet.

It used to be that I would come home from work, and read. I would just fall into a book and not come out until Ryan got home or the house lit on fire. It wouldn't matter how convoluted, or boring, a book was, I would dive in, and I would finish it. Now I don't do that though. If a book isn't working out, I put it down, pick up my computer, and search Buzz Feed for the latest inane website about sandwiches, or videos of kittens scaring babies. Today I finally gave up on reading "Blindness" by Saramago and instead looked at a website entitled "Awkward Boners." I don't think this is good for me.

For the next week I am going to limit my Internet consumption, and try to read things that are more than 140 characters long on a regular basis. I will, obviously, be online for work, and to blog, but other than that I am turning the computer off. I will use my Blackberry as a phone, but will limit Twitter, and avoid it totally when with other people. Oh, and I will pick up a book. Or maybe even two. After all, the Internet may be great, but I need to reconnect with my first love: Books.

I think this will not only be good for me, and the publishing industry, but also for the people who read this blog. Yes, all 7.2 million of you. Detaching myself from the Internet will give me time to find a new things to write about. Just imagine how many things are out there that would piss me off, but I don't know about them because I am too busy looking at videos of deer using cat doors, and reading blogs about people who hate cute animals.

Really, this will be great. If it isn't? There will be a week's worth of fresh Internet hell waiting for me at the end of it. And all of it will be consumed until my eyes bleed, and I forget the meaning of the word book.