existentialsex4

Well its my official day off on this media fast. For those of you who dont follow my blog regularly I have been going on what I call a media fast. I am intentionally trying to stay away from television, internet and other sources of the contemporary media (ie. Magazines, news papers etc). Within each week, however, I do get a day off the fast. I have to say this thing is challenging, yet in an odd way rewarding. I am so used to having a TV in the background as Im doing things like reading or being on the computer. I am also used to logging on the internet every half hour to see if things have changed. The entire time I was on the fast I had to keep reminding myself that I have made a commitment to do this because I would get the sudden urge to check facebook, or suicidegirls, or check to see whats going on in some of the blogs I regularly check.

This fast has also been challenging because I used to define what I did in a day and what things I found rewarding and fun strictly by the things that Im trying to stay away from. For example watching a tv show, or fooling around on the computer or video game was my typical fun day. These things are fun, but I admit I could be doing more creative things with my time. Before the fast I went to the book store and bought about six novels and Ive already read three within the past four or five days. That is about 1000+ pages so far. Three novels. Who knows how many words. So, I am certainly getting more reading done. In addition I am drawing a nude for my friend who is in a rehab situation. The drawing is slow going, but now that I have more time it will probably be done within this week.

So Ive been getting more done with my time and time does seem to pass slower. I have also had more time to reflect, on myself and philosophy. All of this is good. I have to say, I certainly am more aware of what information Im taking in now. Having the day off today and going through my regular routine that I would normally do every day has made me begin to question what sorts of things that Im taking in and how its affecting myself. While the information I am taking in isnt strictly bad, it did effect me in ways I never really noticed before. For example, there are often programs featuring casual comments about anothers fashion sense, their body, and other comments that almost seem to exclude those with very different body types from being beautiful or loveable. There are also prominent shows that have particular ideological spins on love, sex and how a great loving and sexual relationship should be like, what sex is, what sexual acts dont actually count as sexual acts etc. All of this I thought I was particularly immune to, I thought I had gotten so used to it, I was in a proper position to criticize it but not let me effect me in a particularly negative way. I guess I was a little bit wrong about it, while I suffered no serious psychological harm, it did affect me. So far the past week has been a challenge but Im interested to see how this next week is going to be, until next week peace out all.

P.S. I did cheat on Saturday after my sister went into labour, but that was mostly because I have a little niece now and she posted pics on facebook. So I admit I logged onto my computer to see that. Hehehe.