Use the appropriate glasses

I've been thinking about how I enter into a new book or movie or even magazine for that matter. I like to change my expectations depending upon what I'm about to start. If I'm going to go see Transformers or Fast and the Furious then I'm not going to go with the mentality that I'll be seeing an Oscar-worthy production. I like to get my popcorn, settle into my seat and wait for some action. I'm ready to be entertained. I don't expect award-winning action but I do expect lots of special effects and action sequences that wouldn't happen in real life. And when I approach these big budget, low acting movies like this, then I'm usually satisfied. 

If I were to go into Fast and the Furious and say 'Gosh I really hope Paul Walker wins is Academy Award off this movie' I  would be let down. But luckily I know Paul Walker is not going to win an Academy Award but he'll always be nice to look at and this is the mental state I enter all of his movies with.

As far as literature goes, I use my same mental evaluation when picking something to read. I think 'Do I want to be mentally stimulated?' or 'Do I want to lose myself in a story and be entertained?' ( Not saying that you can't get both from a book *The Kite Runner anyone?*) I usually prefer one experience or the other when I'm reading. Having majored in literature I've read some really heavy stuff (heard of Zola?) and now I usually just like to curl up with some chick lit and laugh my cares away. Becky Bloomwood can do this for me (Shopaholic books for those not well versed in the world of chick lit and shame on you if you are in that category!)

While reading a book about Ms. Becky Bloomwood, I don't start the book thinking 'Gosh I better be enlightened here!' No I think 'What situation is Becky going to find herself in today!?' and when I think like this, I'm always happy. 

So where is this rambling going (besides to please Rachel and have another blog post for her to read while she's stuck at work?) I think to say I'm tired of reading reviews for movies like Transformers where the reviewer has his 'award-winning' glasses on and gives it a crappy review because the acting is bad, the plot is bad and gosh it was loud! But my gosh those special effects were awesome!!! 

I just think people would enjoy life more if they approach each event (or movie/book) with the appropriate glasses and stop comparing things to something completely unrelated. Everything doesn't have to be compared. If you want to watch The Reader or read Germinal (Yes that's Zola) then great but don't expect Transformers or Confessions of a Shopaholic to be on the same page.