I woke up this morning feeling bad. Stressed out and like something was wrong. I was also tired, if you must know. However, I decided to get up anyway given that I'm always tired and if I keep using "I'm tired" to not get up and exercise then I'm never going to get up. I started to do my stretches and got less tired. I rode my bike and started to feel awake and good. Then I put down my book and went upstairs to get ready for the day. And. felt. stressed. out.
Instead of throwing back my head and wailing to the gods, "WHY? WHY!" I asked myself (silently) "why?" It comes down to this: I slept okay (read: no blanket wars, snoring, or visits from Grace. Although, strangely enough, I found my hand-held solitaire game on my bed stand. Weird, considering I haven't played it in ages -nothing to procrastinate right now- and Justin said he didn't play it either. Where did it come from?? Inquiring minds...)
Back to the list of why I would NOT be feeling bad: sleeping okay, didn't over eat last night (I know, right? totally awesome and unusual -I told you things are changing for the better around here), Grace and I are good and she's even wanting to read Dragon Slippers, which I loved and wanted her to read -this has never happened before; Justin and I are fabulous; I'm missing my fam but that's old news.
Again, why. And then I figured it out: Scott Westerfeld. Yep. I'm stressed out because things are not going well for Tally and Zane; nor David, for that matter. I wish I could say it's not so but I'm totally not kidding. I'm stressed out because of a book. Well, three books actually, things are getting complicated. I NEED to know how this turns out so I can go back to being perfectly content with my life. Until the next book.
Who else does this? Get so involved in a book, carrying the characters around in one's head to the point of distraction. And, more importantly, why do I mostly do it with silly stories? It's not like I'm contemplating the Prophet Muhammad or Alma the Younger** (that's where I'm at right now) all day. No. I'm thinking about Tally Youngblood and her problems. Sad, but true.
Is it because I don't have enough drama in my own life? Is it because I wish I were [insert any book situation: a witch, a girl in love with a vampire, a seamstress, or a handmaid (not really -definitely not), or a little kid looking for Arthur Spiderwick's field guide]? Not so much. But maybe? I have no answers.
I love stories and characters and plots. I love getting involved in the drama and totally buying into an impossible situation. Great entertainment. Great escape. And now that I've shared my stress with the internets I feel so much better.
*see here for the reference, and go read the book. It's fun.
** more on these later
8 comments:
I totally do this, I stress about books that I'm reading. I've even had dreams about the characters in the books (I do know that I'm not normal okay!)
Sometimes the only way to get over the stress is to finish the book. But sometimes that only makes it worse. I just finished the last of the Narnia books and I was rather unsatisfied with the ending, I was bothered by how suddenly it was over. It has bothered me for a couple of days now. And then I heard a rather bad review of Prince Caspian (for it's violence) and I'm afraid that if I go watch the movie looking for some kind of closure that I'll just come away frustrated again. What is the deal I thought that books were supposed to help us escape, not add more stress to our lives.
I do the same thing too!! Books just seem so real. When I was reading New Moon, I got totally depressed and felt like I had actually broken up a boyfriend or something. I couldn't eat-I think I lost a couple pounds during that book (maybe I need to read it several more times Ü) But I hate that yucky feeling that lingers with you in certain books, that's why I'm a whimp and don't read anything that I know is too heart-wrenching.
Moddy-I'm curious how Narnia ends-I totally loved Prince Caspian the movie. Yes, it was a little violent-I wouldn't let my little kids see this-maybe age 8 or older, but I was totally engrossed!! I couldn't stop thinking about it for days after I saw it. The end left me wanting more and a little sad, so I hope they do another movie!!!
Yay! I'm just like you guys!
I totally have to space the heart-wrenching books in with the fluff or it gets to be too much.
Okay, I totally would have responded sooner but I was sucked in to Extras. Oops! I know what you mean; I think that is why I can't leave Twilight alone. I think with the Uglies series it was that the books leave you hanging on every other page. You have to know what is going to happen. I let myself get sucked in all too often which is why I spend so much time reading, I just can't look away.
Hi Justin and Kitti,
I love your blog and can't believe how much Grace has grown! I wanted to introduce the extended family to my boyfriend (soon to be fiance) Kevin, so we just started a blog of our own.
http://kevypooandjeebers.blogspot.com/
Love you!
No worries, I do it all the time! I was just so wrapped up in a book a couple of weeks ago that I got a bit of a stomach ache worrying about it; whatever! But truly, it is fun to have something not real to worry about sometimes, something that has nothing to do with you, and all you have to do to make things better is read on. So read on Kitty, read on.
Sorry Kitti, I really do know how to spell your name!
wow i thought i was the only crazy one! i don't stress, but i dream about the characters. or i'll stay up all night to finish a book (who could leave harry in the middle of a war or bella with crazy vampires after her?!) OR i'll incorporate them into my own little reality and they become "real" people. i have a friend who does this too - wait, that was a fictional character from a book...
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