I was originally going to call this post "My Reculturification", and acknoweldge that this is both the best word to describe what I'm currently doing, and that it's completely made up.
However, I was discussing this very act with a friend and she referred to it as Sponging. As a hack journalist and admirer of words, I had no problem admitting that Sponging was the more accurate term.
You see, recently I've had both a lot of time on my hands and a renewed attention span. While writing hasn't come easily, I have been interested in augmenting my experiences with new culture I feel I've missed.
In the last couple of years, I've been so focussed on one type of media, the video game, that I ended up mostly shutting out all others. So right now I'm trying to absorb as many new experiences, thoughts and theories as I can lay my hands on.
And as an avid fan of movies, television and books, naturally my focus is there.
It's mostly an attempt to never use the phrase "nah, it's not my thing" ever again.
Which, consequently, means that some of the items on my list may seem out of place. It may be both surprising the movies I've not seen and books I've not read, or even that I've decided they're important enough to view.
But the point of this exercise is to expand my cultural knowledge in all directions, not just what others have deemed 'culturally significant'.
I'm trying, in effect, to remember every suggestion I ignored from friends and family previously and find inspiration for writing in new places.
So, with way too much introduction, here is the list of what I've watched and read in the last month. In future, I hope to continue to finish at least one book and one movie per week and keep track of it on this blog. I may also post my reading and watching lists (future consumption) later on.
Books:
- Slumdob Millionaire
- Eats, Shoots & Leaves
- Bloodletting and other miraculous cures
- The Nanny Diaries (don't judge me)
- Mother Night
- My Booky Wook (Russell Brand's autobiography)
- The Sirens of Titan
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- Dreamseller (Brandon Novak's autobiography)
Movies:
- Raging Bull
- Taxi Driver
- American Movie
- Sneakers
- Tron
- Fletch
- Troll 2
- Annie Hall
- UHF
- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
- Wall Street
- World's Greatest Dad
- A Few Good Men
- Bruno
- In The Loop
- Date Night
TV Shows:
- Top Chef Seasons 1-3
