A change of mind. Or heart. One of those organs.

in Random Crap

I used to think that that it was a small sin to waste time rereading silly books you’ve already read, or watching shows about robots with hearts, and time travel, and impossible things, but then I grew up and realized that those things were the only things that mattered.  So instead of giving up on Alice and Wonderland and Lost in Space I’ve decided to give up on thinking.  Or at least, to give up on thinking that it’s a waste of time to simmer in the beauty of things you can’t always explain with words.  I’ve decided to give up on caring about wasting time and, in doing that, I’ve suddenly saved so much time I would have spent hating myself for reading The Princess Bride for the 89th time.  And now I can spend that time I’d allotted for self-doubt locked in a TARDIS or vanishing in a phantom tollbooth.

There’s room in here for you, if you like.  Leave your self-doubt outside though.  It’ll still be there when we get back.

If you still want it, that is.

258 thoughts on “A change of mind. Or heart. One of those organs.”

Read comments below or add one.

  1. I’m with you. Certain things, I can lose myself in again each time, regardless of if I know the ending already. Sometimes I want to spend my “me time” with the loved and familiar, other times the new and exciting. Neither one are a waste in the end.

  3. I’m in that sweet spot right now where I can relive those things with my son & daughter … and couch it not as me wanting to watch the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy or re-read the entire “Harry Potter” series for my own benefit, but because I’m being a good dad.

  4. It’s bigger in the inside, right?

    I’m catching on to this whole tardis thing.

    I am all for wasting time. I’m at work and reading your blog. Although, I wouldn’t call that a time waste.

  6. A-freakin-men woman, a-freakin-men. Can you pick me up after work? Or possibly provide a clone to do my work for me and just pick me up now?

  7. I decided long ago (college, I think. Pharmacy school SUCKED!!!) that if it makes me happy that it’s not wasting time. Others see it as wasting time, but fuck them. 🙂 Fortunately my hubby is not one of those. He knows a happy Erin is a happy hubby. He’s a smart man.

    In other words, I would be more than happy to read The Princess Bride with you or any Neil Gaiman book. Ever read Robert A Heinlein? Sci Fi, but thought provoking in a good way, I think. 😀

  8. This reminds me, I need to watch the Princess Bride again.

    I’m getting to an age where I’m afraid I won’t see things I love JUST ONE MORE TIME.
    It’s making me crazy. Crazier.

  11. I KNOW this was just one paragraph…but damn…what a freeing idea.

    I am giving up on thinking, too. Who cares about the auditors. I wanna read books instead.

  12. I have several books and movies that I re-read/re-watch. My husband doesn’t get it. My house has been covered in books for so long – I’m in the process of decluttering by getting rid of the books I KNOW I won’t read again. Which means that I still have boxes of books that I’m keeping.

  13. The Princess Bride, love the book even more than the movie. Need to go find it, somewhere on my crowded bookshelf.

  14. There is nothing I love more that reading stories that hold a piece of my heart. The Princess Bride is an amazing book. I’ve reread the Harry Potter series more times than is probably healthy. I couldn’t probably recite Pride and Prejudice by heart. Sometimes I wonder if the time spent reading books I’ve already read could be used to read and discover new book. New stories, lands, people, adventures. And I do, I read the new as well. But I never give up on the old. I will love my old favorites. Always.

  15. Some people don’t understand why I reread books, but I always did it for two reasons: first off, it’s a comfort zone kind of thing. Reading about your favorite characters all over again is just like meeting up with old friends and telling all those stories you’ve heard a thousand times. Also sometimes when I reread a story I pick up on things I missed the first time around. But mostly it’s that old friends thing.

  16. I like your new outlook – not a waste of time to relax. On occasion, I’ll feel a little guilty for not getting enough stuff done throughout the day or something lame like that, but then I realize that really is lame so I try to ditch the guilt, move on.

  17. It’s not wasting time – it’s like my meds. I have to take them every day, and I also have to “play” every day. Something I enjoy, just for me, whether it’s reading or writing or taking an hour long bath or coloring in my daughter’s coloring books. I’m writing every one of you a prescription for sanity breaks, with no guilt. Take your medicine, bitches, I’m a *doctor.

    *crazy person who wishes she had a prescription pad.

  18. I usually don’t re-read books, but you can always discover new things in the best books each time you re-visit it. Why feel guilty about that?
    Also, I read your book and then listened to the audio version. No regrets whatsoever.

  19. Wasting time, what a strange idea. Anthropologists who studied hunter-gatherers were shocked at how much time people spent sitting around talking or just basking. Basking, can you imagine? It’s no wonder we didn’t get around to plundering the earth for a good 90,000 years.

  20. When I turned 30, I thought I had to put away all my “childish” thoughts and things. I thought I was simplifying my life and making mature choices. At 36, we adopted our sons and I found out that my “childish” thoughts and things were training wheels for being a parent. I dusted off those experiences, embraced the fantastical and never looked back. I’m rushing headlong toward 50 and still enjoying the stories, worlds and imaginary friends of my recaptured youth.

  21. I’ve come to believe that the time I “waste” is the time I in which I gain the most insight. And that, it seems to me, is a good thing. So I’m all about lollygagging and frittering.

  23. I was once told “its not a waste of time if you enjoy it or get something out of it” – and yes, I enjoy The Princess Bride every freakin time !

  26. Yes! It’s like comfort food. If I’m allowed (encouraged… ) to eat chocolate chip cookies and drink tea when I NEED those things, why can’t I read Summer Sisters and watch Hackers for the ten thousandth time!? Yes lady. Absolutely yes. (And now I, too, have to go find The Princess Bride for a re-read.)

  28. I’m of the opinion that falling back into a book is comforting, like seeing an old friend. It’s the same words, but the story changes as you do.

  30. I am pretty self motivated and guilt out when I “waste time.” For me, that is spent reading blogs like yours. I’m ready to board the Tardis!

  31. I think I’ve hit that point as well. I don’t particularly care what other people think of me anymore. I just need to be able to live each day in a way that doesn’t make me feel worse than I already do. Thank you for putting into words what I cannot.

  32. I picked up a rather simply written fantasy series when I was in HIGH SCHOOl (a lot of years ago) – and every few years I’ll pick up the whole series and start it all over again. I must have read through the whole thing (about a dozen books) 5 times by now. New is exciting, familiar is comfortable….and I catch myself finding something new each time I read it- and the same thing happens whenever I watch a movie for the 30th time. I like to think its because I’m viewing it differently because its familiar…and not just I wasn’t very observant the first time. Or 6 times.

  34. “Give up on thinking that it’s a waste of time to simmer in the beauty of things you can’t always explain with words” – I want this quote to be turned into one of those pinterest-y quote/picture things so I can hang it on my wall and be inspired every day. This is my favorite post that you have ever written.

  36. Now I have to go read the Phantom Tollbooth again! That’s my favorite book and it’s been awhile since I’ve read it.

  37. Amen, sister! I re-re-re-read Terry Pratchett. I want to be Granny Weatherwax when I grow up.

  38. Oh man, I still have entire shelves of books from when I was a kid and I constantly re-read them while taking a bubble bath and wearing a tiara. Never even thought to have self-doubt or loathing. The things you loved as a child and an adult should always be re-experienced. Why only feel that love once?

  39. Very timely for me today! I took a vacation day today because it’s -13 degrees below zero here and my furnace doesn’t work and the portable heaters are not quite enough to make it warm enough to work (I work from home). I’m sitting here, feeling guilty and scared because my brain is telling me “I shouldn’t have done that and I’m going to get in trouble”. Talk about self-doubt!!!

    I’m coming in with you folks. Can we pretend we’re on a nice, warm island with sunshine and blue waters?

  40. The older I get, and I just turned 64, the more I realize that these really are the important things. I recently spent three week unemployed and enjoyed every minute of that time. It happened over Christmas and New year so I got lots of special family and grand-girl time that I wouldn’t have had if I was working. I watched an entire season of Bones and everything Alton Brown has on Food Network. I watched movies, went to the day spa, took walks, slept late and drank wine when I wanted to (with friends, of course, it tastes better that way). Although I am again employed and at a much better place (a day spa!), I have started to refocus on those things that bring me joy. I hope to never give them short shrift again.

  43. I find that the silly things I like (Star Trek, for example) have in common one very not silly thing: the people involved have heart, and seem to truly care for one another.

    And that trumps choppy dialogue and white gorillas with horns.

  44. I’ve learned that one of the upside to re-reading/re-watching faves is that I can do work at the same time and be as productive if not more than when I have nothing on “in the background.” I’ve got 5 or 6 movies, television shows, and audiobooks that I reward myself with while I work. It’s a great incentive to get to tasks I’d rather not do.

  45. A really good book is like an old friend.

    I find, the older I get, the more layers I discover in some of the stuff I read as a kid. Calvin & Hobbes, for example. My parents owned every book ever put out. I read and re-read them from the age of 8 or so. Initially it was just fun because it was an imaginative boy and his tiger.

    Now the philosophy of them runs deep in my unconscious.

    Clever parenting.

  48. Years ago, I started collecting all of my favorite books and TV shows from my childhood. At the time, I told myself that I was preparing to give my future kids the whimsical childhood that I’d had (not to mention something decent to watch on TV – Duck Tales, anyone?), but deep down I knew I was really doing it for myself. There’s nothing like getting lost in all of the things that gave you joy as a child. I love searching the children’s section of used book stores, hoping to come across that one little gem that I’d completely forgotten about until I see the cover again. Even if I never have kids, I’ll have the best darn library around! Besides, “adulthood” is really just a trap for those with no sense of humor or memory of blissful “wasted” moments. I want to be a Fraggle and read Shel Silverstein all day! That’s allowed, right?

  49. The Princess Bride is one of the best books of all time….I am reading it to my 6th graders right now….so many love it, that they watched the movie over their holiday break!

  50. This is the way to go. You have let yourself do the things you love, you have to make YOU happy. (Unless you’re the kind of person who gets happy from killing, you just need to stop that) This is your life and it’s the only one this version of you gets, enjoy it!

  51. I don’t enjoy rereading books unless I’ve forgotten a lot of it, because the element of surprise is what I really gets me most of the time when I read. But I’ve been reading free Kindle books that have no thought-provoking value, that, in fact, probably would be considered “trashy,” and damn it, I refuse to be ashamed. It might be candy for my brain, but it’s not giving me any cavities. And I love it.

  52. As a friend of mine once said, it’s time to stop pretending that these things don’t make you insanely happy. Find your joy where you can, and keep it all the year.

  55. I used to think that too, but then I realized those things made me happy, and why give that up?? I’ll re-read Harry Potter (all of em) until I can’t read anymore, and then I’ll listen to them on tape, and forget it, I’ll re-watch tv shows on a yearly basis – Veronica Mars series, I’m looking at you!

  56. It is the comfort and hope that I find in reading Celia Garth again or watching Anne of Green Gables again. Wishing for a time of life being simple. It is either that or keep stuffing cupcakes in my mouth and drinking coffee and wine.

    If this looks too big….it is my phones fault.

  57. Wallowing in the beauty you find around you is NEVER a waste of time, no matter what anyone says! I still love to read YA novels and children’s books that I enjoyed as a child/teen. I still like children’s movies (watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on Sunday. By myself.) Whatever helps you find the pure, unsullied joy of being a child, before you realized that most of the world was working to take that joy…every time you do it, you are saying, “So there! Take THAT big, bad world! Neener, neener, neener!”

  58. I have a couple of books and series that are my lifesavers in bad times. When I’m feeling depressed. When I’m sick. When I have to make a big decision and I’m hesitating. Or when I need to draw but can’t concentrate and need something to push me though it.

  61. I have a perm. seat reserved for not thinking and doing what makes me feel happy and doesn’t hurt anyone! nice to have you aboard, bring friends.

  62. I have a perm. seat reserved for not thinking and doing what makes me feel happy and doesn’t hurt anyone! nice to have you aboard, bring friends

  63. I have books on my kindle I’ve 10+ times. I love rereading. I almost always find or realize something I missed.

  64. My constant reread is Jane Eyre.

    (Me too. I have a copy hidden in almost every room in the house. Also, The Stranger, although I don’t understand it completely. I find it really comforting to read though for some reason. ~ Jenny)

  66. I know this feeling. Since the advent of (shush) torrenting, and websites like ereaderiq.com where you can get dozens of free or cheap books PER DAY, I keep telling myself – no re-reading. No re-watching. Too much new to explore. But sometimes, at the end of a long day, I just want to watch Snape brew some potions. Some times, when life is especially crappy, I just want to bawl my eyes out, not with self hate, but because David Tennant made sad-puppy eyes and didn’t want to go. I think expanding your horizons, broadening your palate, or whatever, is great but sometimes, you want the books and shows that are the intellectual equivalent of sweat pants and the ex’s oversized t-shirt. Idiotic (and probably make you look dumb as hell) but oh so comfortable and familiar. I think that’s a special kind of awesome all its own.

  68. Gah! Re-reading or re-watching stuff is never a waste of time. In our house, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is practically on loop and when it’s not, there’s a quote for every rhyme or reason from that movie that applies to real life. Or Firefly, or Tangled, and the covers are getting thin on the copies of the books I wrote because I can’t keep my hands off them because I want to live with those characters.

    Anyway, I figure you can always find out something you didn’t notice the first time around, or learn something you missed if you enjoy multiple times.

  70. It is never a waste to enjoy something that lightens your heart. If books weren’t meant to be read over and over again, they would not be made as durable as they are. If movies were not meant to be watched over and over, there wouldn’t be DVDs….or reruns on TV. Embrace what brings you joy, Jenny. <3

  71. I’ve never re-read a book.. figured I’d move on to the next one. But this makes me think that I should go back and re-read a few of my favorite books.. to re-ignite my love of reading. I’ve been in a slump. Thanks Jenny!

  72. Funny you should mention phantom tollbooth……my son is reading that in his class. He described the story to me yesterday and now I HAVE to read it – thanks!

  74. Re-reading books feels like coming home, to me. And I find the best books give you something new to take away each time you read them.

  75. Re-reading old favorite books is like visiting an old friend. I may have a mile-high stack of books to read, but I’ll always make time to re-read certain books.

    The other day, someone asked me if I wasn’t a little too old to be reading so much Harry Potter fanfiction. Your post basically answered it for me.

  76. Odd you should mention this. My last blog post was about discovering/rediscovering old classics. I introduced my kids to He-Man and they love it now. (To the point that my 6 year old has reassembled all of his Lego minifigures to make “He-Man figures.”) I’ve also been reading Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. (A series I always meant to read but never found the time for.)

    Of course, on the re-watching front, I recently won the Doctor Who complete set from GeekDad so I can rewatch those from start to finish as I await Series 8 to start.

  77. I LOVE that you are a Princess Bride fan, too! When I first read it I wanted so badly to find the unabridged version and read it for myself 🙂 I am now the proud owner of a first edition; now to find William Goldman and have him sign it for me… BTW, you have some catching up to do. I am pretty sure I have read it over 100 times by now.

  79. There’s way too much serious in this world. Now that I’m grown (but not necessarily an adult), I get way more enjoyment out of the crazy, fun, lighthearted stuff that kids grow up with — Disney/Pixar movies, Scooby-Doo cartoons, YA novels, etc. And I’m not the least bit embarassed about walking into a movie theatre with my 20-year-old daughter in the middle of an afternoon to see Frozen. Because that just rocks.

  81. There is way too much serious in this world. Now that I’m grown up (but not necessarily an adult), I get way more enjoyment out of the crazy, silly, impossible stuff that kids grow up with : Disney/Pixar movies, Scooby-Doo cartoons, YA novels. And I’m not the least bit embarassed to walk into a movie theatre in the middle of the afternoon with my 20-year-old daughter to see Frozen. Because animated movies rock.

  82. “wasting” time is the only way I stay sane. I have a couple of authors’ collections which I re-read annually because it’s like visiting old friends. I always find something new in the narrative, I’m never disappointed, and I have the same emotional reactions. It’s both entertaining and cathartic.

    I suppose it could be considered strange that one such series is a dark fantasy where the main heroes are Daemon, Satan and Lucivar…but you know, whatever works for each of us. 🙂

  85. As long as I don’t have to walk Michelle’s dog I’m totally down with whatever.

    Anything worth reading is worth reading repeatedly.

  86. If it makes you happy, no matter if it is books, movies, your hobby of choice… it is not time wasted. It took me far too many years to come to terms with that simple fact.

  87. Delighted to hear that somebody else actually READ the Princess Bride. It was a masterful book, and complemented the movie quite well. Even if the theme was different.

  88. Sometimes it takes someone to remind us that “wasting time” isn’t wasting time so quit worrying about it. Thank you for being that person to remind me of that liberating fact.

  91. Yes! Oh, I so needed this reminder. I’ve been trying to make myself read new things right now, but the truth is, I am sad and I need the comfort of characters I know and love and a world I feel comfortable in. Thank you thank you thank you.

  92. Repetition isn’t a waste of time, it’s how we learn. It’s a chance to discover, understand and internalize all the layers of meaning and beauty that gets missed the first time. Every good story deserves to be read at least three times: once to know what happens, twice to appreciate the writing, and third to deeply understand. I’ve only recently applied this to movies and television and it’s a better use of time than seeing it only once.

  93. A favorite book (Lord of the Rings, Outlander series-yes the whole damn series, The Little Prince, The Phantom Tollbooth etc.) or silly movie (Moonstruck, Grease, Notting Hill etc.) can be like visiting an old friend who knows all about you and loves you anyways – a salve for the body and soul. Never give it up. Now get thee into thy Tardis!

  94. EXACTLY! I always say don’t judge what a person reads (or re-reads) just be glad that READ! And tv shows/movies are a great outlet for getting away from the stresses of real life–so why WOULDN’T you watch (and re-watch) the greatness that is Dr. Who or Buffy or Star Trek?

  96. It is IMPOSSIBLE to waste time. According to science, time is either relative (see time dilation… explaining why clocks on space shuttles are slower than earth, and GPS faster), or it doesn’t exist at all and just something our minds created (see http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2014/01/time-illusion-former-astronaut-blows-mind.html)… Either way, time is not wasted in either scenario. It’s just part of the equation. It equals out on the other side.

  97. OMGosh there is NOTHING better than reading a really good book over again. I read Jane Austen’s Persuasion at LEAST once a year and eat every word like it’s chocolate!!

  99. I need to read Princess Bride again! It’s been ages! And maybe Phantom Tollbooth, too — I loved that book as a kid!

  100. None of those things are a waste of time. If they are, my whole blog is a waste, and I don’t think it is.

  102. Can I go in the tardis is with you??? It would be a fun way to get to know the new incarnation!! And to sneak rides on daleks….and try to reactivate handles….

  103. Needed some “comfort food” TV last night, so spent an hour and a half hopping from episode to episode watching my favorite Doctor Who scenes. Eased my mind, drowned my worries and I slept like a baby.

  104. The ability to reread and rewatch things is what makes the first round of reading and watching so great–you can let go and just enjoy the ride, knowing you can always absorb the existential details and metaphors and shit later on. Never regret it!

  105. Don’t forget Buffy – that Scooby Gang is my family. I am compelled to curl up and watch my DVDs – all 7 seasons! – on a regular basis. Plus movies like Groundhog Day and Overboard. Spending time with our fantasy families is NEVER wasted time!

  106. I spent part of my morning reading quotes from The Princess Bride. And Raising Arizona.

  107. This sounds like an excellent plan to me. If it is something you enjoy and it makes yours life a little easier to live, then by all means do whatever it is till your hearts content 🙂

  108. In my case it’s watching The Princess Bride every time it is on television. Just can’t resist! As you wish…….
    Also loved The Phantom Tollbooth.

  110. I think it’s great sometimes to exert myself, stretching my mind to new and more difficult ideas, but sometimes I just need to rest and enjoy the ideas I’ve already grasped.

  111. OMG…the Phantom Tolbooth!! “Don’t say there’s nothing to do in the Doldrums…” I think I’m going to reread something awesome!

  112. My husband has never understood why I will read a book I’ve already read before more than once. But there are some books that are just so good, it doesn’t matter how many times you read them, they suck you in every single time!

  114. I used to think re-reading some of the books I loved as a kid was a waste of time (because I had such a long list of books I hadn’t read yet and wanted to). So I started reading them with my kids, and they’re even better than I remembered. Not a waste of time at all!

    And my husband would say the same of movies (particularly the Princess Bride).

  115. This is perfect as I read the Dresden Files series for the fifth or sixth time. Thanks. I feel so much better now.

  116. I will never NOT reread LAMB by Christopher Moore or The Phantom Tollbooth. If I’m having a bad time and need a smile that book and a nice long bath with a glass of wine will set all right in the world. Also, the benefit of rereading books is that you might come to like some of the ones you thought were “boring” or “meh” when you first read them (see: Phantom Tollbooth). 😀

  117. The Discworld books make my soul sing. Granny Weatherwax is my role model.

  118. Interesting concept…I also often worry that I am wasting my time, and that I should somehow be doing something “better” with it, whatever that means.
    But you’re right – it’s all the icky guilt feelings that are the waste. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

  119. Welcome Aboard! Mind your step and watch out for Cpt. Hook (That dude’s ALL hands)
    I came to this years ago at the gentle coaching of a grandmother who figured this out well before many. She taught me that dreaming isn’t wasted time, nor is enjoying “frivolous” things.
    Those bits of frivolity were once someone’s artistic baby. That person sweated and struggled and wept to bring that “frivolity” to life. I can think of much worse ways to spend my time than by honoring that labor.

  121. I love to watch Steel Magnolias, Auntie Mame, Giant and The Searchers. I do not care how many times I have seen them, I will watch again and again. I generally don’t re-read books because there are too many that I haven’t read yet – I must move forward in my literature!!!!! I have accepted my ability to quote movie lines as a pleasant, eccentric quirk, and not care if others think it is the beginnings of my walk down the psychotic highway.

  122. Beautiful. Comfort reading, comfort movies, comfort TV. Every time you re-read or re-watch, you get another layer, or at least another memory. Not a waste at all.

  125. I’m such a nerd that when I first read the Princess Bride, I sent a letter into the address provided for the “lawyer” Kermit—something. And I got a response. Apparently, the publisher kept a mailbox open for awhile, with a group of letters and documents to send back to weirdos like me.

  126. Welcome home Milady!

    I’m late 50’s and, as I type, listening to the Goon Show on the steam powered wireless. Age is no reason for giving up silliness. And if you told that to the young people today…..they wouldn’t believe you!

  127. One of the greatest books of all time. My copy of The Princess Bride is falling apart.

  128. Agree! Whatever makes us happy and forget the world around us is good. As long as it doesn’t involve hurting someone. I love my Harry Potter & Wheel of Time books to forget the world. I’ve also been re-watching the Star Trek TV series/movies from the 1960s and 1980s. So what?? No need to feel ashamed. I’ll join you in the Tardis and I’m going to bring my cat!

  129. thinking is way overrated. isn’t that why people pay gazillions of dollars to go to those retreats and learn NOT to think? and amen to princess bride. my husband and i still ‘play’ the wine game (kind of like mexican/liars dice, you learn a lot about who lies best which is invaluable in a healthy relationship).

  131. My five year old son has decided he likes the show “Call the Midwife.” As a result of discussing the time period, he’s now also interested in “All Creatures Great and Small.” Postwar urban England vs prewar rial England. This should be fun.

    I think he’s also now ready for me to start reading him some of the James Herriot books. Are the Herriot books silly? They quite often are. Have I read them all multiple times? Yes. Will I thoroughly enjoy reading them to my son? Yes.

  132. re-reading books is like visiting an old friend. sometimes you tell the same old stories, and sometimes, it’s entirely new. but it’s always worth the visit.

  133. I think re-reading a great book or re-watching a favourite movie is like have a conversation with an old friend; the kind where every second sentence starts with “remember when”. I always leave those conversations feeling happy.
    I’m totally in for the TARDIS ride just let me go pick up my copy of Clan of the Cave Bear.

  134. Sometimes it is in the smallest things, like re reading a favorite book, that we find the most joy. I don’t think there is a thing wrong with that.

  135. Well it’s better then watching reruns of ‘in cold blood’ and other real crime tv shows. We just watched three straight days while snowed in. By the fourth day my husband started sharpening the hatchet (he claims his intentions were only to make a better fire with smaller pieces of wood) and I started thinking “well at least it will be quick.” We have switched to ‘Nanny 911’ I’m not sure this will be an improvement but at least I know where a sharp hatchet is.

  137. My search for the meaning of life is over. All blind alleys. My horizontal couch is my sweet spot

  138. Why do we often refer to the things we like “guilty” pleasures? Because maybe it’s not high-brow intellectual stuff? Life is too short to fill it with stuff I think I should be reading/watching. I’ll stick with what I like, and I won’t feel guilty about it. I don’t care if rereading/rewatching stuff doesn’t broaden my horizons or increase my knowledge. What I read/watch is part of who I am and I LIKE ME.

  139. Oh yes. Since hanging up my bakery business and coming home to work only one job, (running my husband’s business with him), I find myself with every DAY at home, allll to myself. I have had to give myself permission and realize that it’s OK IF I WANT TO JUST READ OR KNIT. ALL DAY. Or sleep in and laze around in bed til 10. Or watch 80s movies that everyone forgot about, while browsing blogs on my laptop, under a blanket, in the middle of the day.

    Believe it or not–I’m also checking more stuff off my life’s ‘to-do list’ than I ever did before. The laundry is caught up, filing is done, and the house is always clean, too. Odd.

    It’s amazing what happens when you leave the self-prescribed guilt at the door and give yourself permission to get lost in the wonder of Narnia sometimes. 😀

  140. As an unapologetic and inveterate re-reader, I approve this message. Might have to have some subtraction soup for lunch…gotta make room for dinner, after all!

  141. There are so many tv shows, movies, and books I haven’t enjoyed yet that sometimes I get frustrated with myself re-reading/re-watching old favorites. But the way I see it, not revisiting old faves is like meeting someone and having a great conversation, or going on a really fun date, then saying, “Sorry, we can’t be friends or hang out any more (date, get married, whatever), ’cause we’ve already done that and had fun.” I will always come back to some books, tv, and movies to immerse myself in them again.

    (Also when my depression & anxiety are less well-managed, I don’t have the spoons to engage with new stuff, but the same shows I’ve watched a dozen times or more are exactly what I need.)

  142. Can not exactly say how many times I have read Lord of the Rings, because I don’t always finish all three books. Sometimes I just like spending time with old friends.

  143. I’ve never been a believer in the concept of a “guilty pleasure.” Why would I feel guilty about watching a TV show I enjoy or reading a book that makes me happy? I’m with you.

  145. Re-reading an old book is like visiting an old friend again. It makes me very happy to see they’re all still there and up to the same old tricks. Never a waste of time to visit an old friend.

  147. I always feel like I’ve wasted time when I do either. It would be easier to just let that feeling go and embrace it. There it goes…did you see that? I released the guilt. Ahhh…I’m going to go watch something. Thank you!

  148. Every summer since I’ve been 11, I’ve read LoTR. And it never gets old. I also refuse to be apologetic for the countless times I’ve watched the original Japanese Gojira. Just as I don’t think visiting with old friends is a waste of time, I don’t think revisiting books and movies again and again is either.

  149. My mom was worried about moving to a new apartment. I told her don’t worry because we will handle all of the details. Then she said, “But, I will still worry.” I told her, “Go watch TV instead.”

  150. I’ve never thought rereading books was a waste of time. I’ve been a rereader for my whole life. I enjoyed my first trip to Hogwarts with Harry Potter and I’ve enjoyed my tenth trip along with him. I feel like good books are like good friends we love to see them again and again. I’ve never felt guilty about rereading books or rewatching t.v. shows or movies. Although I don’t rewatch as much as reread I don’t feel it is a waste of time.

  151. This was awesome! I would like to hug you and all your readers, but that would be awkward, time-consuming, presumptuous, impractical, and tiring. So instead I’m just gonna say “I Love Hardcore Casual* Readers!” [My new term for people who read a lot but don’t force themselves to just read Tolstoy and Angelou and other deep authors. Besides The Phantom Tollbooth flipped a curiosity switch in my head as a child that has never flipped back off. Not counting the deep funks.]

    (* – Not that there’s anything casual about my love of Discworld of The Princess Bride, or Douglas Adams, or…)

  152. I don’t re-read many books. Some books lose their luster after the first go around, and I have to put some space between us so I can forget it a bit. Movies are the same way. I’ve always been a believer in enjoying what life has to offer, including media. Even crap television shows and cotton candy for my brain books. When I’m stressed/overwhelmed, or sick nothing says loving to my overwrought brain like laying on the couch and watching a marathon of some crap television.

  154. I work at Barnes & Noble and during our morning meetings, we discuss what books we are reading so we can hand sell these books to more customers. I am always given a hard time when I tell them that I am reading Harry Potter for the millionth time or Little Women or any Jane Austen or Let’s Pretend This Never Happened or Chronicles of Narnia.. I do read plenty of current best sellers, too, but I spend just as much time “going home” again.

  155. I have numerous books I re-read, I NEED to re-read, when life and the world becomes too much. I also have special movies and TV series that play the same role, sort of like a 2-hour quick and dirty therapy session. I’m one of these sensitive types, easily bruised by the words and actions of others, even my own thoughts. Sometimes I need a place to hide, even from myself.

  156. I just had my 39th birthday….it sucked. Not because it’s my 39th, but all the shitty things that happened over the weekend. I’m so ready to stop caring about all the stupid expectations I put on my life. I’m doing more things that just make me happy…thanks for the very much needed and timely advice. Lots of love to you.

  157. I just finished re-reading the “Anne of Green Gables” books, and just found my “Little House” books. I know “Finding Nemo” by heart. There is so much joy in the fantastic and in the mundane. (I will say it — one of my FAVORITE MOVIES OF ALL TIME is the awful, horrible, delightful “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band.” Cannot reach the end of that movie without smiling.)

  159. Watching Harold and Maude and Tank Girl. And pretty much reading anything. You gotta have me time or you can’t really give good time to others.

  162. Time enjoyed is never time wasted. Be it with others or by yourself, time spent doing something just because it is enjoyable is necessary to being healthy. Besides that, The Princess Bride is awesome, and should be required reading at least once a year

  163. When it comes to spending time with family or friends, you basically know what they are going to say and do. But you spend time with them anyway. Same for re-reading or re-watching. Sometimes you want to visit old friends.

  164. Books and movies have layers and levels. You see them differently at various stages, you forget parts, you are suddenly enlightened or delighted again by sub plots you missed, or a phrase that passed you by, or you just want to recapture something precious. Reading Jane Eyre at 12 and again at 22 and and 32 (or thereabouts) was rich and intriguing and I could remember the younger me and smile at her naivety or wonder at her kind or cruel thoughts towards the characters.

    Life is so short and so, especially for that reason, time spent doing something you love is never time wasted (to paraphrase someone or other).

  166. I love re-reading certain books! It’s like meeting old friends again! When I’m feeling blue I curl up with Stardust, Rivers of London, Phantom Tollbooth, Harry Potter, the Moomins or whatever and am transported to a far away place where everything is wonderful (though maybe a little surreal…). One of my favourites at the moment is Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and, I’ll be frank, I have no idea how many times I’ve read the Tiffany Aching books…. I’ve flung away self doubt, don’t let the TARDIS go without meeeeeeee!

  167. You wrote this at exactly the time I needed to read it. Last week, it occurred to me that I was thinking of every moment I didn’t spend working on the novel that’s been banging around in my head or reading prose that I saw as required reading for prepping my novel or watching movies or TV shows that I considered required prep was time I was wasting. And every time I “wasted time,” I hated myself a little more and felt like more and more of a failure. So I decided to just say “fuck it” to the novel. Wasn’t it more of a waste of time pushing myself to do something that just made me feel like shit? I decided a better use of time would be to read or reread whatever I felt like reading, watching or rewatching whatever I felt like watching, and writing whatever I felt like writing, even if it was fragments of prose or poetry that would never be fit to be shared with anyone.

    Thank you for writing this and helping me accept that I’ve made the right call.

  168. Thinking is okay, until it becomes worry. As my mother says, “Worrying is the absence of faith.”

    I hate when that bitch is right…

  170. Michelle (post #11) – I is The Auditors, and I’d much rather be reading too. So let’s make a pact – I won’t tell if you don’t.

    And now I am off to re-read the entire set of Betsy / Tacy in High School and the ones that came after that when Betsy got married and stuff.

  171. i reread books so many times the spines break. particularly ‘the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy’ collection and harry potter and chick lit that allows me to disengage my brain. i also watch the same movies over and over again, like the 1952 animated disney’s ‘alice in wonderland’, ‘the rocky horror picture show’, ‘monty python’s the holy grail’… i think there’s something comforting about knowing what comes next, and as much as i like the surprise of discovering a new story, i like the ability to dig deeper. when you already know the main storyline, it frees you up to discover the tiny nuances.

  172. I used to only say I liked “smart” shows or “educational” books. Now I tell the world about my nerdiness. About the fact that I have watched ‘silence in the library’ at least 20 times. Just the thought of it makes me smile. You don’t like that? Oh well. I’m not pretending to be smart just for you.

  173. When my daughter was going through a particularly bad patch, she would say, “I’m going to visit Jamie and Claire now,” and go climb into bed with Outlander for the umpteenth time.

  174. If you love it, you should spend as much time with it as possible. If something’s brilliant, it is as good multiple times around as it was the first time.

  175. Beautiful. Perfect. I love this! I’ve spent too much time in my life trying to analyze everything instead of just following my heart. Now I do whatever I fracking want, which involves a few of the amazingly creative and entertaining references from your post, plus spending a lot of time with Legos, and most importantly being happy.

  176. One can never read Alice too many times. It’s just not possible. it’s like visiting family or old friends. My British grandmother used to tell us, “When you read, there are no walls or ceilings. You can be where you need to be. You can see the world through different eyes. You can learn things that will never be written on a chalkboard. To get it all, you must always read right to the end.”

  178. If something comforts you or makes you happy, then spending time on it (even if you’ve done it a thousand times before) isn’t a sin; it’s a gift to yourself. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice more times than I can count, and I don’t consider it sinful. Now, my thoughts about Mr. Darcy are a different matter altogether though….

  180. The Phantom Tollbooth does have some things in common with the TARDIS. How did I NOT notice this sooner?

  181. THIS. Just…..THIS.
    This is why we are a tribe.
    YOU GET US.
    Thank you for giving me permission to flop down, hug a cat, and pick up a book.
    And to not feel bad for doing it.
    Thanks Jenny.
    I needed that today.

    PS-It’s “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”….I’m a Neil Gaiman virgin. So this also means you just helped deflower me. I hope it was good for you. Cigarette?

  182. Never a waste, to do something you love. A waste of time to me is housework, and cooking, now those are a waste of time! Kzspot

  183. I am most proud of the LOVE of books I have instilled into my son, at 13 he is constantly reading. We re-read all the good books as well as new ones…. mostly all the books listed in the comments above including Terry Pratchett, Princess Bride, Harry Dresden, David Eddings (and Leigh)….
    ahhhh to be curled up on the couch reading now, instead of sitting in front of spreadsheets.

  184. I guess I don’t understand the guilt of ‘re-reading or watching things we enjoy. People don’t listen to a song they enjoy once. Watch a sunset/sunrise, kiss someone they love, dance or sing only once. We are programmed as humans to repeat things we enjoy. I will read and read again “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” and “To kill a Mockingbird” because I love them. I will read “Hidden Fires” because I read it until the cover fell off and I found it again on Amazon. I will watch “Demolition Man” and wonder about the three shells until I’m in the ground. Because I love these things and that makes them a place I want to visit again and again.

  185. I reread and rewatch things all the time…never feel like I am wasting time though. As far as I am concerned, any time spent reading a book is good time spent…now the boob tube is another matter but a lot of times I put on a favorite movie to have it in the background so I can do other things around the house and not feel like I am missing something.

  187. If you like The Princess Bride, try reading One For The Morning Glory. It is slightly darker but very reminiscent of it and a great fairy tale of a story.

  188. I’ve just passed my copy of The Princess Bride on to one of my nieces, who is 13 with fantastic taste because she loved it. SHE HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE. I also recently introduced my 5 and 3 year olds to the original Star Wars movies… was that maybe too young? They are ok now but there was a bit of “He can’t do that! He can’t cut Luke’s hand off!” Trauma builds character. All of these stories are fantastical and wonderful and essential for everyone and never a waste of time!!

  189. Once you look past the eccentricities and funny phrasing (although honestly why would you ever want to) you really do say the most beautiful things.

    You help me be my most unfiltered self, and I love you for it. 🙂

  190. I LOVE THE PRINCESS BRIDE!!! So does my Hubby. We themed our wedding reception around it. 🙂 Our fur baby is named Inigo Montoya!

    Everything that keeps the imagination going is a gift. Don’t worry about wasting time on Wonder. So many people need it in this world.

  191. I’m a dreamer so I’m with you all the way. No matter how many times I watch My Best Friends Wedding he still isn’t going to pick Julia Roberts.

  192. I find thinking of nothing a relaxing hobby. You should try it. It’s hard at the begining, but you just start taking the universe apart bit by tiny bit until you end up with nothing. It’s hard to describe nothing.

  193. I have friends who think I’m crazy for having books that I re-read every single year. I think they’re crazy for only experiencing a book once.

  194. This is wonderful! My childhood didn’t start until I was 22, and so I need to remind myself so often it’s ok to have one now. x

  196. Thank you for this!
    I re read ‘The children of Green Knowe’ every Christmas , and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ as often as possible, and there’s a familiarity and comfort in every re read of every book. Not to mention I gain something new from every reading, because who I am at every reading is very slightly different.

  198. Well, I spent the whole weekend re-reading Dracula; this weekend the Teen and I are going all out on a Buffy-fest. My excuse is that she’s never seen them before, but now I realise I don’t need an excuse. Huzzah!

  199. I’m with you. Self-doubt can suck it.

    And I think most of “self-doubt” stems from a hurtful judgment or side-eye glance from someone questioning the choice to chase silly things to begin with. Silly things matter. Like gargoyles. Who the hell thought sculpting stone gargoyles and attaching them to buildings was a serious, life-changing matter… but you see them all over, someone spent their talent creating them, and people like them. So, yeah, I went out on a limb there, but my defense is based upon gargoyles.

  200. I read all sorts of books about serial killers and murderers and people think I am mad but think about it the bad guys ALWAYS gets caught – there is part of me that goes ‘Ha – take that sucker, not that clever after all are you?’ I wonder if this is one of the reasons that my family and friends think I am a bit of a freak?

    I do love reading books I can escape with though – so alongside the murder and mayhem books are books by laurell k hamilton who writes about vampire hunters and werewolves so there is a happy medium between fantasy and murder for you guys.

    Then I will go and read things like The Hunger Games and get completely lost in a totally different world and see what is being described as I read. Fantastic.

    I don’t spend time worrying about some people who consider me with distain for reading books written for teenagers; not anymore. I am who I am, like it or don’t – I’m happy in my own little world. Life is for living and not worrying about others and time that is wasted doing things you enjoy over and over again. Just enjoy it all Jenny.

  201. Move over, Jenny, The Hook is coming in!
    It sounds creepy, I know, but… whatever, you get the point, right?

    I love to simmer in the beauty of things I can’t explain with words. It makes me feel like a kid again – but you know, without the fear of girls and the urge to masturbate every five seconds. (Being a boy is a wild ride, Jenny.)

  202. THe Phantom Tollbooth! That is a GREAT book. While I did not get exposed to it as a kid, I have to say that it is interesting enough and deals with issues that connect with the adult so it was a great read when I DID discover it.

  203. Back when my parents left home, my silly 19-year-old self got rid of a whole lot of books he was “too gwown up for”. He was so wrong. At least I now have the pleasure of tracking down old Doctor Who novelisations….

  204. YES! I love re-reading my favorite books. I’m on my 3rd read through of your book now. I love losing myself in a book or movie. Why is that wrong? It is great for our mental and emotional health. I think it helps my depression, too. And that has to be a good thing.

  205. A TARDIS consisting solely of The Bloggess community… there is simply nothing more beautiful than how that sounds. We would make the best companions EVER…

    runs off to write a letter of suggestion to Steven Moffat

  206. I knew I was a fan, but it just tripled! I think you listed most of my favorite literary escapes but then you touched on my favorite of all: The Princess Bride. Like you, I always felt like I had to turn my grown-up mind to “more important” things. I grew up, studied science, but felt I wasn’t making a big enough difference in the world. So I became a science teacher in an urban school. Now I just want to crawl back in my book fort and never come out. I think I’m going to teach high school literature next year. First book on the summer reading list: The Princess Bride.

  209. When I was 7 or 8, I got to read a marvelous book called “The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet.” When I was 18, and getting ready to leave my hometown for college, I happened upon a copy of it in a local library, and took a little while to sit down and read it again. Both were time well spent.

  210. 89 times is still not nearly enough to absorb all the wonderfullness from The Princess Bride! I must have re-read Silverlock at least that many times and will hopefully repeat the experience another 89 times before I shuffle off this moral coil.

  211. That is so wonderful to hear because I have been dying to read the newer version of your book with the extra chapter while curled up in my awesome papasan chair with a bottle of wine which I drink out of my extra large glass. He fits an entire bottle of wine, I call him Henry, he’s lovely. I just have to fight to keep my cat off my lap, she likes to chew on books.

  212. I think too many people turn away from the things that have given them joy and strength in the past because they are worried they are somehow no longer appropriate – that they’ll be judged for liking them or that they are in some way childish for wanting to reread an old favorite that has been branded “kid’s stuff” by some poor, cramped person. On that note, I’m sure everybody’s bumped into this quote before but I thought I’d put it here anyway:

    “Critics who treat ‘adult’ as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.” – C.S. Lewis

    Oh, and while I was looking up the quote (because I’m a bit OCD and because it is so much easier to copy-and-paste), I also found this even more appropriate one:

    “I can’t imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.” – C.S. Lewis

  214. Welcome back to the happy fold Jenny!! There is never EVER shame in continuing to enjoy something that you have always loved. If I could I would buy you a whole box of silly delightful books to indulge in.

    Psitticine chose some excellent quotes to share with you. C.S. Lewis is brilliant!

  215. True story – I made out with Wesley when he was in my hometown filming a movie when I was in my mid-20s. (I’m now in my 40’s to give you perspective)

  216. I keep coming back to this post and I think there’s a Tshirt in here. Text of this post laid out in tiny type, arranged to be an image… maybe a castle… and a frame around it made up of titles and authors and cultural references of our variety.
    If I make it, can I send it to you somehow?

  217. PS My rereads include JRRTolkien’s LOTR, Tamora Pierce’s Circle of Magic, Garth Nix’s Sabriel, Janet Kagan’s Mirabile, Connie Willis’s Oxford Time Travel books (which led me to add Jerome K. Jerome), Elizabeth Moon’s Paksenarrion, John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice, Edna St.-Vincent Millay’s Collected Verse, and Konigsburg’s Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.
    And more, those are just the ones that come to mind today.

    I love being able to pick up a book that matches my mood — or that will bring my mood around to a happier point.

  218. You say so many things that I think, only you say them so much better than I could. Never lose the magic!

  219. I’m sorry. I’d join you, but there are Alliance jerks running around in Azeroth bothering me and I need to give them a good stabbing. And my Minecraft compound isn’t going to build itself.

  220. Life’s too short not to reread (or rewatch) your favorites. If someone thinks less of me because I occasionally pick up The Westing Game, that tells me something important about them: they’re dumb. And boring.

    And there is no such thing as too much Princess Bride- either the book or the movie. It’s a scientific fact.

  221. Agreed! And I’ll add that you haven’t fully experienced The Princess Bride until you watch it under a beautiful summer Colorado sky at Red Rocks amphitheater. With 10,000 other people quoting along with you. You should come next year!

    I think I need to leave work early and go watch Love, Actually for the ??? time. Yes, yes, that’s a fabulous idea!

  223. Why are we all so critical of ourselves? I just got done rereading Watership Down.

  224. I don’t usually re-read books as well b/c I feel it’s a waste of time. I have yet to re-read one yet – but am thinking about re-reading the hunger games b/c the movies are taking too long to be made. But what I have re-read is your blog about Beyonce & how she came to be. Just to let you know, our office has read it & we have a travelling chicken that ends up on our desks when somebody is having a bad day. Seems like lately she’s been travelling a lot!!

  225. That’s one of the best things about being a parent. We can do this stuff over and over again and claim it’s for the children. I’m selfless when it comes to the kids. Such a giver!

  226. Eventually my 13 year old is going to grow up and move out and then … what excuse will I have for watching Harry Potter movies for the 1 billionth time? Or, something I only just now considered, what if she takes those DVDs with her? Well, I’ll have to buy a new set b/c you know, teenagers lose everything, especially in college. May as well prepare ahead of time.

  228. Every year I re-read “A Year in Provence.”. Not due to any francophillic bent but it was the first time I’d ever read anyone express that doing nothing is actually doing something. His high powered friends expressed disbelief that he wasn’t bored ‘doing nothing’ and Peter Mayle would wonder how going to town to buy bread, eating lunch, walking the dogs and taking a nap could be considered “doing nothing”.

  229. I don’t even know how many times I’ve read Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, and my family has a couple movies we watch as kind of a weird tribal ritual thing. Anything that makes you happy is worth your time. <3

  231. I am with you!! I spent 4 months last year worrying myself sick, SICK I tell you about a layoff that I knew was coming for my husband. 2 weeks before the layoff, he was offered another job. How much influence did my worrying have on this event? ZERO.
    All I gained was a frown line on my forehead.

  232. I really loved this post. What a beautiful thing it is to waste time, if you’re fully enjoying it. Bravo.

  233. @Nothing to see… are we talking young Wil, or Cary Elwes? Inquiring minds and all that.

  234. I don’t reread books because I sometimes start to get worried (like, kept awake at night worrying about it worried) about how I’ll never have time to read all of the good books in the world. But reading new ones always makes me happy, and I’ve decided it doesn’t matter how “good” a book is, because it’s the enjoyment I get from reading it that is the important thing, not getting to brag about having read great literature. Now I just have to work on being ok with stopping a book half way if I don’t really want to finish it, haha.

  235. Funny you should mention this. I’m currently re-reading your book. I loved it the first time. I was reading it in bed and laughed so hard, I woke up the husband. I really needed a good laugh this week. For the record, it’s just as funny the second time.

  236. Would we say once we’ve seen and appreciated a painting or some other work of art that we no longer need to look again? Of course not. I feel the same way about all kinds of art…books and TV/movies included. If it brings you joy, the rest of the world can shut the hell up.

  237. I have a few books and movies that I go back to time after time. They are comforting. Princess Bride (the movie) is one of them. Alice in Wonderland, and the Labyrinth too. Also… oddly enough, one that few people know or have watched: Barbarella. It’s just so cheesy, and I love it.

  238. I was thinking today, along those lines, how excited I am for the Super Bowl because I realized this year that I really like watching football, because I like to manufacture reasons to be happy and excited, and that feeling of suspense, while not being in any kind of traumatic way.
    And then I was thinking of all those people who constantly bitch about other people being excited about things that don’t interest them, and I both feel sorry for those people, and kinda resent them for sucking the joy out of people by complaining when people are just trying to be joyful.
    I wish more people acknowledged that they are kinda trying to kill people’s joy when they complain about having to see whatever it is they are bitching about, and they would just find something to love and be excited about, instead of complaining that I am excited and therefore talking about the Super Bowl.

  239. Gah, where is my copy of The Princess Bride? Because now I NEED TO KNOW what the first sentence in page 45 is…

  240. I cannot live without rereading my favorites. While there are good books being written continually, I am always going back to my favorites. For non-fiction, I generally prefer new books, but for fiction, I often turn to my favorite classics, Lewis Carroll’s Alice books, Terry Pratchett, The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge, Tamora Pierce, Ellen Raskin’s Westing Game and Tattooed Potato, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials, J. K. Rowling, Daniel Manus Pinkwater, Diana Wynne Jones, Kenneth Grahame, Lois McMaster Bujold (wow, I finally recall another one that is not written for children) and of course the Princess Bride and . . .

  241. Sometimes re-reading a well beloved story is the only way I can get to sleep! Would love to join you if you don’t mind me randomly quoting obscure movies at the drop of a hat.

  242. I spent years re-reading Agatha Christie and Jane Austen until I knew them by heart (almost). Am currently on my third re-read of the Harry Potter series!

  244. I do believe that you had to read enough first to realize that you should reread the books you treasure. I just told 12 year that she is not allowed to reread her favorite series for the 5th time until she has done more reading first. Then I told her where I posted my reading list. But yes, I need to read the Hyperion Series again, and travel through space and time.

  246. Like the million and one times I’ve reread Mists of Avalon. Sigh. I think another rereading is necessary.

  247. I think it’s good to have comfort books or movies. When I have a crappy day I come home and watch some movie Ioved as a child or better yet, re-read a favorite book from my childhood (which I stole from my parents when I moved out). I especially liked anything by Graham Base and Nancy Farmer. But I’ve probably read Island of the Blue Dolphins 10 times.

  248. I often find myself telling my kids to do something constructive rather than playing video games. The other day, my 8-year-old son caught me playing “Dots” on my phone, which I was sort of embarrassed about, and I admitted to him that I probably should have been doing something more important. He asked me why I was playing it, and I answered, “It’s kind of relaxing.” Wise little boy said, “Well, that’s important, right?”

  249. Just having The Doctor, Harry Potter or Big Bang Theory on the television makes me feel less anxious. I don’t even have to actually watch it. Also, I get so excited when I convince someone to watch Harry Potter if they’ve never seen them. I just want everyone to love those stories like I do.

  250. Those things are founded in belief, possibility, and love. When those powers combine, they make something better than Captain Planet– they make hope. Remember how Hope stood against all the bad in the world when it was in little Pandora’s box? It’s all we need.

  253. I love that you said “Tardis” and I actually know what your referring to! My 12 year daughter is totally engrossed in Doctor Who. It is one of the few means of communication that I actually have with her right now. She’s basically a plugged in electronic….sigh.

  255. You’ve read the book! Hardly anyone has read the book. In fact, most people say something like, “There’s a book???” I think you just gained about three degrees of amazingness.

  257. This blog needs to be a bookmark. What better item to put in a well-worn book – than this blog…which justifies the well-worn book.

  258. You should never feel bad/guilty/or like you have wasted time if you spend it doing something you love. Even if you are doing it for the 100th time, and especially if it is reading a book 🙂

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Flourish in Progress: (T)hug Life: Part hood. Part good.

Pregnancy Calendar at Alpha Mom: Amalah’s week-by-week guide to the miracle of pregnancy and all the various indignities that come with it.

The Mack Files: Digesting life in bite-sized pieces through the lens of clichés, quotes & “truisms”.  Often irreverent, always honest.

Barking at the Moon: If your dog is your furry child, you will laugh out loud at Tracy Beckerman’s book about her family & a one-dog wrecking ball named Riley.

Kieran’s Humor: Not suitable for children, the sensitive or those hoping to get into heaven.

Go Doc Yourself Podcast: When a good doc ends, the klatch begins… Join hosts, scientists, and friends, Erin McCourt and Erin McCartt in weekly documentary dissection.

Welcome to xanaru: A mostly funny blog about the quest for happiness through authenticity, Great Danes and indiscriminate swearing. Plus hand-painted, custom artwork on bags, jackets, backpacks & more.

How the Hell Did I Not Know That?: Humorist Lucie Frost shares daily Instagram reels with learnings of the day—words, music, whatever–with plenty of laughs and all the curse words.

Beautiful Writers book: Writers! This coming-of-career memoir (w/ the BEST advice from celeb authors, real shit you haven’t heard) is life. A page-turning beach read doubling as how-to. #Magic

The Dating Days of Marta O: When I told my sister I was building a blog she said: “Do people still read blogs?” I do not know, but if YOU want to read it, here it is. Keep in mind, my stories about dating after 40 are for the brave.

Where Do I Belong? A memoir of Sarah Carrington: The unbelievable story of growing up in a religious cult in the mountains of Northern British Columbia. What happens to you in life doesn’t make you strong; rising above it does.

CONNECTED: A Personal Journal for Ketamine Therapy Created by writer & patient Katherine Davis for this powerful clinical treatment. If considering ketamine for major depression, check out this essential tool.

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh: SO GOOD.

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