AIIEEEEEEEEEE I AM FREE
We say escapism sometimes in the same way you might describe a mediocre sandwich — like it’s this half-thing, something that’s, ennh, fine, but not really recommended. We have better things to consume, after all, than escapist fiction. Deeper into that is the connotation that we should not endeavor to escape. Rather, we should stare our world and our problems right in the face, hawk up a hard loogey, and spit our gnarly phlegm right in reality’s eye. HRRRK. PTOO.
Yeah, no, fuck that.
Escapism has never been more necessary. I am staring at the news daily (hourly, minutely, secondly) and each time it’s like finding Sauron’s gaze fixed directly upon you — as such, I am looking for any opportunity at all to wince away for a time, just to be reminded that other things exist beyond that UNBLINKING SATANIC STARE. That’s not to say you should remain staring in the other direction, or that you cannot also read fiction or embrace material that is more serious and complicated. But at the same time, man, whoo. We gotta find the equivalent of emotional comfort food in a room full of happy goddamn pillows.
The other night, I posted a list on Twitter (which you can find here) of things that were essentially keeping me sane in this decidedly cuckoopants timeline.
So, I’m opening the comments here for you to do exactly the same thing.
Drop into the comments at least one (but not limited to one!) thing you’ve been using as an outlet for escape. Books, movies, games, comics, foods, people, something, anything, whatever.
JD says:
My dog.
February 1, 2017 — 11:37 AM
Andrew Butters says:
People. The good news is you don’t have to look very far to find a good person. I am going out of my way to find decent, interesting people to talk to and to learn from. I spoke for half an hour with this new mother while we nibbled on toast at breakfast in the hotel. We talked about kids, parenting, vacations. Fun things. Real life joys. I’m not looking to people to escape the horrors of the reality that faces us in these uncertain times, I’m interacting with people to expose the fantastic reality that still exists and begs for more of us to be a part of.
February 1, 2017 — 11:39 AM
mannixk says:
I love this. An extremely important reminder of the goodness of humans.
February 1, 2017 — 12:43 PM
AJ Rose says:
Knitting (pussy hats, even though the march is over. Never know when another march will happen), Twitter, the actual work of writing books, and listening to audio books. Also, watching White Collar on Netflix.
February 1, 2017 — 11:46 AM
kirizar says:
I have to wonder if there is a similar crochet project out there for men–the ones who want to look like literal dick heads?
February 2, 2017 — 2:34 PM
Aislynn d'Merricksson says:
Focusing on my review work.
Nesting with my kittycat
Watching Sherlock and wishing there was a Mycroft to deal with the orange assclown.
Quality time with my family
Snuggling with Jonas
Playing Star Trek Timelines
Watching mindless cryptid and ghost shows
I haven’t found the desire to write since Nov, but I did start a short last night. I think that part of me is waking up finally.
February 1, 2017 — 11:56 AM
Tabitha Huizinga says:
Here’s my list:
1. Girls’ nights/ brunch
2. Watching Captain America/ Indiana Jones/ Star Wars/ Brooklyn Nine-Nine/ Parks & Rec/ Top Chef/ Great British Bake-off
3. Trying new recipes (this week it’s chile-cumin lamb meatballs and Peruvian-style pot roast!)
4. Going to the library — my favorite recent reads are Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo, As Always, Julia (Julia Child and Avis DeVoto’s letters – reading about McCarthy was oddly comforting because they made it through that BS! NB there is occasional homophobia) and Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho. I’m a sucker for regency-era fantasy and STC was so good that I went out and bought it afterwards!
5. Using my essential oil diffuser/ candles
6. I’ve fallen off the yoga bandwagon, but I need to get back in the habit
7. Doing inexpensive “frivolous” things just cause
8. Hanging out with my husband and cat
I love seeing everyone else’s lists!
February 1, 2017 — 11:57 AM
Eldonna Edwards says:
1. Live-streaming video alternating between NASA footage and a room full of foster kittens.
2. Getting massages to sooth my jangled nerves from too much much. Every. Single. Week.
3. Limiting my political reading/engagement to before 9:00 a.m. so I can focus on writing and living.
4. Chocolate.
February 1, 2017 — 12:00 PM
churnage says:
Bingeing on the TV show – Parenthood. Also diving into Sneaky Pete on Amazon. Finishing up Born to Run, Springsteen’s autobiography. Really good, really hopeful.
February 1, 2017 — 12:12 PM
E. Peterman says:
– Weekly episodes of the hilarious “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”
– Comics. Favorites are the current “Wonder Woman” run and the new or rebooted Archie stuff.
– Jogging, which I never want to do but always makes my head a happier place
– Good fiction. Most recently “You Know Me Well” by David Levithan and Nina LaCour
– Watching old movies with my daughter — at least, movies that are old to a 7th-grader
– Music, including lots of Beck, Kehlani, Troye Sivan, Coldplay, Tom Odell and (absolutely no shame) the late One Direction
– Writing. Always writing.
February 1, 2017 — 12:13 PM
killerpuppytails says:
The pup. She’s such a relief. Also, during walks, there are egrets and herons and turtles and I squee like a tween and take tons of terrible photos. There’s a tree I hug on the regular. I watch Once Upon A Time as a constant reminder that Good Always Wins (but goes through hell along the way).
I find reading fiction very difficult these days. I think there’s a lot of “I refuse to feel too deeply” going on.
February 1, 2017 — 12:19 PM
David Lewis says:
-Reading Alan Moore’s huge Jerusalem, which is about as escapist as you can get.
-Swimming to clear the mind
-Writing sci-fi that totally isn’t about the state of modern Britain but might actually be if you look close enough
February 1, 2017 — 12:25 PM
annerallen says:
I love all these suggestions. I’m reading all those cozy mysteries I loaded onto my Kindle whenever and forgot about. Also watching British mysteries on Netflix. They always catch the bad guy. Order is restored. Classical music is good too. Like Eldonna Edwards, I have to limit FB and I delete a lot of political emails. And yes, chocolate helps.
And then I write. And kill people on the page.
February 1, 2017 — 12:32 PM
Patti Kurtz says:
My dogs. Since they seriously are always happy. My writing– I get to escape into my own worlds when I write. And reading–lots of reading since I teach two lit courses this semester, young adult and childrens lit. And the Puppy Bowl this weekend. Great alternate viewing.
February 1, 2017 — 12:37 PM
Lily says:
Swimming. Lots and lots of swimming. I find it almost a form of meditation as I glide quietly through the water and afterwards I’m totally exhausted plus it’s a great workout in general.
When not in the water binge watching some old sci-fi like Farscape, Firefly, Stargate: Atlantis and the original Stargate (which, oddly, I never watched before so it’s like new to me).
For some reason ever since the election I’ve not been reading as much but I am currently reading “The Visitors” by Simon Sylvester. Scottish writer and I’m finding it fun to look up their (slang) words I (as an American) have never heard and marvel that we speak the same language supposedly haha.
February 1, 2017 — 12:39 PM
Leslie says:
1. Birds. I live with two parrots who know nothing of what’s going on but do know that they need to be the center of attention either way <3 Also wildbirds/birdwatching because fuckyeah! Birds.
2. My follow-dog, Kuma
3. Star Wars: The Old Republic
4. Painting
5. Reading (finally started "The Black Prism")
6. Anxiously awaiting" River of Teeth"
7. Playing "Magic" and "Borderlands 2" with my husband
February 1, 2017 — 12:58 PM
writteningeek says:
Right now? Family, Sherlock and writing.
February 1, 2017 — 1:08 PM
dpatneaude says:
Hard indeed to pull one’s self away from watching and listening to and reading about the train wreck that is our political “leadership” these days, hard indeed not to imagine what’s gonna happen when the next train comes around the bend. But lately I’ve been trying to distract myself by climbing on the Stairmaster at the Y and reading Timothy Egan’s The Worst Hard Time. For me, reading about a worse time (Hoover’s incompetent presidency, the Great Depression, the dust bowl, the rise of unfettered fascism in Europe, the specter of world war) in this country’s history seems to help a bit. We made it through that, right? Maybe we can do it again.
February 1, 2017 — 1:13 PM
Ellen M. Gregg says:
Aside from avoiding nightly news broadcasts, removing Facebook from my phone so I can only access it when my desktop is powered up (daytime hours only, 99.9% of the time), and also music. Today, I just had to listen to “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python’s Life of Brian, and I totally guffawed. Yep, guffawed.
Here’s the link, if you’re interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQ
February 1, 2017 — 1:26 PM
Grace says:
1) Lord of the Rings Online.
2) Savannah Smiles Girl Scout cookies ( have three boxes with me)
3) (and this is weird), organizing my day planner and making pages for it.
4) Walking my rat-mutt of a dog (when my back behaves).
5) My own writing. Re-reading it and, for the first time in months, actually writing again. (like 650 words, but that’s 650 very hard-won words)
February 1, 2017 — 1:28 PM
T.K. Eldridge says:
I decided to do something different. Bought a Tai Chi dvd and started doing that. If I’m too pissypants to do Tai Chi, I log on to an MMO and kill ALL the things. A binge-watch of something I have on my Netflix list. They all work for escaping – but since I first held a book and understood words – reading has been my number-one go-to for getting away from it all. My average was 5 books a week before Jan 20. I’m up to 9 a week now.
February 1, 2017 — 1:33 PM
Elaina Roberts says:
Books have always been my escape. Mysteries, romance, sci fi/fantasy…as long as it’s good (to me, a measure which is subjective, I know), then I fall in and live there for a while. This year has already been such that I’ve jumped into books a bit harder than usual, having read 22 this month alone. If nothing else, by the end of the year, a lot of authors will have a few more coins in their pockets and that makes me happy as well.
February 1, 2017 — 1:36 PM
Mark J. Higgs says:
Sunless Sea. It’s a subterranean nautical choose-your-own adventure narrative-focused game. It’s like a book and a game, all in one. And it’s fucking incredible.
February 1, 2017 — 2:01 PM
Leslie says:
Just looked this up and it sounds really cool. Thanks for mentioning it!
February 1, 2017 — 7:00 PM
Mankoi says:
Also check out Fallen London if you’re interested. Sunless Sea is a spinoff of that (though you don’t need Fallen London to enjoy Sunless Sea. I got into Fallen London because I enjoyed Sunless Sea so much). It’s a browser game, and, like Sunless Sea, it’s largely text based. It’s also free! (Though there is optional paid stuff). It can be a little grindy, and you only get 20 actions at a time (and it takes 10 minutes to recharge a new action). That being said, if you need to take a five-ten minute break from something, it works really well, and the writing is really clever.
February 1, 2017 — 9:36 PM
Jeff W says:
Writing a novel is generally good escapism, although… it’s not always easy to lock out real world themes. At least my villains are not orange narcissists. For now.
February 1, 2017 — 2:03 PM
Karen Hull says:
A weekly get together to play tabletop games.
Planning a road trip to celebrate the 50th of a good friend.
And I just subscribed to Netflix which should keep my mind occupied for a while.
February 1, 2017 — 2:13 PM
AnonymouseMouse says:
Writing. I’ve got a novel to edit!
February 1, 2017 — 2:17 PM
Denise McInerney says:
1. Daily “visits” to favorite live-streaming webcams in places like Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, UK, etc. especially the ones with sound. Love this website: https://www.skylinewebcams.com.
2. Long morning walks with two best friends and our collective pack of five dogs.
3. Reading, of course. Latest three: Trevor Noah’s Born A Crime (great read!), The Perfect Horse (the U.S. mission to rescue Lippizaners from Nazis during WWII,) and my favorite fiction-as-escape-from-real-world, Alexander McCall Smith’s #1 Ladies Detective Agency Series (#16, Ladies Who Walk In Sunshine.) He writes in a lyrical style I find particularly soothing, especially when my world has turned upside down.
4. Watching re-runs of Stargate Atlantis. And also the 3 most recent Star Trek Movies (2009, 2013, 2016.)
5. Working on my latest fiction WIP. I’ve made some changes this past month that are helping feed my battered soul (take that, you thuggish villain!) And also doing some fiction copyediting/line editing–takes 100% of my concentration when I’m deep in an edit.
6. Smiling and saying hello/talking to strangers I meet. Waving cars to go ahead and cut in front of me in traffic. Holding doors open for men/women, any little kindnesses I can extend that might make someone smile–my own tiny way of fighting back against the dark.
February 1, 2017 — 2:17 PM
Tsara Shelton says:
Music: I’ve been taking the time to learn how to listen to music digitally, on my phone. I’ve gotten Spotify and iHeart radio apps (free versions), learned how to discover music I loved as a teenager (The Pogues, The Smiths, Chopin!) and learned how to find newer music I love, and learned how to discover new music entirely, and even how to create playlists.
Outside: I’ve been actively discovering and comfortably enjoying nature in the tiny patch of woods behind my house. I’ve also done more walking – the the post office, the store, the park – while singing to myself, chatting with strangers, or listening to my new playlist.
Stories: Writing a story for your Flash Fiction Challenge a few weeks ago (Hope in the Face of Hopelessness) opened a wonderful flood of necessary feelings for me. I not only remembered the value of writing more for discovery and less with a desire to be “timely” but I also found myself seeking stories to read with more purpose. My usual mode of book finding is to visit libraries and garage sales and thrift stores, and to invite books to call out to me. I’ve discovered some of my favorite books and authors that way! But lately I’ve been more willing to look for specific books and specific stories. Ones I’ve wanted to read for years and years (like Moby-Dick) or books I’ve only recently learned about (like A Thousand Splendid Suns). It’s been fantastic!
February 1, 2017 — 3:26 PM
Sharon M Hart says:
I read, write, crochet, and work on jigsaw puzzles. I also make several trips a day into “that vast and perilous estate” of my being.
February 1, 2017 — 4:38 PM
bookzombieblog says:
As well as the depressing politics, my family’s self-destruction continues and I’m job hunting, so I need all the cheering up I can get. So:
1. Books, of course! Specifically, I’ve just finished the latest Ben Aaronovitch book (The Hanging Tree), which was great. I’m also working my way through the St. Mary’s novels by Jodi Taylor – if you haven’t come across them their about the mis-adventures of a time-travelling history department in an English university. Not without their problems (very white and heteronormative) but enormous fun when you need a boost.
2. We’ve just started binge-watching season 3 of Brooklyn 99 on Netflix. Such clever writing. The CW Superhero shoes have just started up again in the UK ,so that’s always fun.
3. My podcast! A group of us have just started a fortnightly D&D podcast (I won’t abuse the site by putting the link here, but if anyone’s interested, let me know!) I’m also planning the first episode of another discussion podcast.
4. Cataloguing! I know it sounds weird but I’ve spend some time getting my books database up-to-date and I’m ‘auditing’ my music collection to make sure I’m not missed ripping anything.
February 1, 2017 — 4:52 PM
Alejandro De La Garza says:
Writing – specifically writing in my journal. I’m also trying to finish another novel, but I’ve reached a plateau with it. But I realized long ago that writing in my journal flattens all of my problems and disillusionments with life; even if only for a short time.
February 1, 2017 — 5:03 PM
Christine Lashinski says:
Books and movies.
February 1, 2017 — 5:10 PM
Deborah Makarios says:
Tolkien said it better than I could: “If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”
Personally, I like knitting while listening to my husband read, and re-reading detective novels by the Queens of the Golden Age.
February 1, 2017 — 5:16 PM
Tonya Cross says:
I’ve been spending a lot of time listening to podcasts and visiting related Facebook groups. The two groups where I spend most of my time share two rules: “No Politics” and “Be Nice.” (The fact that one is related to a true crime podcast may seem weird, but there are some very supportive and funny people there.)
February 1, 2017 — 5:20 PM
Michelle says:
1) I spent the past couple days regressing into my ’90s childhood and reading The Great Beanie Baby Bubble by Zac Bissonnette.
2) Been plowing through some old Stephen R. Donaldson novels. Mmmm, castles and psychological complexity…
3) Qigong helps with the stress-related lower back pain (because that’s becoming a thing now).
4) Donuts.
5) Re-plotted an entire novel project in one weekend.
February 1, 2017 — 5:25 PM
Ms. Stretchy Pants says:
I just bought The Great Beanie Baby Bubble! Can’t wait to dive in… 🙂
February 1, 2017 — 5:32 PM
Ms. Stretchy Pants says:
Watching “The Crown” with hubby; rereading some fiction faves (familiar and comfortable); Dove dark chocolate; journaling and staying away from Facebook!
February 1, 2017 — 5:30 PM
Karen Jeanne says:
The things that I am using for escape are: Gotham, banana bread with chocolate chips because I guess I’m a heathen, birdwatching, home décor/food/lifestyle/DIY digital magazines & blogs, Pokémon Go, crossword puzzles, my elliptical, Justin Bieber music (I feel like I should apologize for that one), light-hearted serial murder-mystery novels like K is for Killer & Finger Lickin’ Fourteen, practicing putting on makeup, flower & seed catalogs, rice krispy treats & other quick bar cookies, word search puzzles, burning incense & scented candles, AFV, art books. I’m not sure if this list makes me seem like I’m 9 or 90 but I promise I am neither.
February 1, 2017 — 5:57 PM
Andrew Barton (@RealMadLogician) says:
This book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Orcus-T-Kingfisher-ebook/dp/B01N26G2I0
A ‘magical farming game’ called Miramagia (message me on twitter for an invite link)
and looking forward to the UK filk convention, my family of choice.
February 1, 2017 — 6:00 PM
Penquillity says:
In no particular order:
1. I signed up for “The French Revolution” Coursera course that starts this month.
2. Knitting – it relaxes me and keeps my fingers from drifting onto social media – too many friends “sharing” the same posts over and over and over and . . .
3. Coloring. Yes, I admit it. I like to get lost in coloring – very zen-like.
4. Zen-doodles – much like number 3 but I draw my own.
5. Wine. Red. Preferable dry. And cheese. And chips. And milk chocolate (dark chocolate gives me a headache)
6. Writing: morning pages, fiction, political blathering.
February 1, 2017 — 6:49 PM
authormilligib says:
SO many things… Yuri on Ice, writing, writing, writing, collaborating a story with a pal, more writing, headphones full of epic fantasy tunes because writing, pokemon go, family games with the kids, movies with the kids, books with the kids, crying selfishly into a bag of frozen corn, eating all the pistachios in the house and replacing them before the hubby realizes it, and… exercising. By putting salad into my mouth. And sometimes, I just have to lose my marbles and let it all out. And then I feel both better and worse, so I go back to the pistachios and a Yuri-athon. Also, watching videos on youtube of the Obamas being Obamas. Fight with my 4yo daughter about whether she’s ready to watch Avengers or not. (it’s actually kinda fun) (I say why not, she LOVES Jurassic World, hubby says, ‘not so much’ *sigh* Then you tell her. Because I’m just done with this battle.) and reading info books (about stuff like oceans and volcanoes) with my science geek son. Which reminds me, he needs new books…
February 1, 2017 — 6:59 PM
sublime0421 says:
Planning for all the long backpacking trips to the middle of nowhere I’m going to take once its warmer out…
February 1, 2017 — 7:52 PM
mmjustus says:
Piecing quilt tops and hand quilting them (that’s been my go-to for almost thirty years). Reading, mostly re-reading comfort reads (a lot of romance). Watching TV — Murdoch Mysteries, Grimm, and Sleepy Hollow, mostly, but also bingeing on The Pinkertons and wishing Netflix would acquire The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.
And this isn’t escapism, but the first time I ever marched in a protest was the Women’s March, and wow, did that lift my spirits. Gonna march some more, definitely. I need to get out and walk more in general, too, but the weather’s not been terribly conducive.
February 1, 2017 — 8:23 PM
Theresa Elders says:
Planning trips: London in March, Seychelles to Cape Town aboard the Queen Elizabeth in April (my boyfriend is the rabbi who will conduct Passover) and Oregon for the eclipse in August. Fretting about seat assignments and hotel rates keeps me sane. Reread “Civll Disobedience”…thank you, Thoreau. Also yoga, fiction, seeing ALL the movies nominated for key Academy Awards (still have to catch Hacksaw Ridge and Jackie). Oh, and planning to root against the Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday. Still mad about the deflated football scandal. My writing partner across the continent has crocheted me two pussyhats which should arrive later this week. So I’ll be prepared for the next march.
February 1, 2017 — 8:49 PM
Jen Merrill says:
My sons and their indignation over the world. We’re apparently doing something right.
My flute students. Because goddamn I love those kids; they’re the daughters I don’t have.
Extra dirty martinis. Slutty martinis. With double olives. Because THE WORLD.
My aging dog’s boopable snoot. Also her floor rumbling snores and room clearing SBDF.
Words With Friends and Cards Against Humanity.
Friends.
Libraries.
A large library desk as my own. Not only is there enough room to spread out my thoughts, but I can hide under there when the world is too much.
February 1, 2017 — 10:13 PM
Allison M. says:
Three seasons of the BBC The Musketeers series on a loop
Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series, particularly the story Lifeboats in Interim Errantry
Re-watching Mark Watches videos for Leverage and Killjoys
Videos of baby animals
Blooper reels from movies and tv shows
February 1, 2017 — 11:54 PM
Eva says:
Theatre. I’m doing back to back theatre and It gives me no time to dwell on the wrongs in the world. It may not be the healthiest way, but it works. But otherwise, books. Lots and lots of fiction books.
February 2, 2017 — 1:23 AM
Eva Therese says:
In 2016 I lost my two cats, five months apart. Yeah, yeah. Nothing compared to the suffering of actual human beings, but I loved them so much and I was devastated. I found that reading through the Discworld series helped me.
And after the great orange chimpanzee “won” the election, I found myself reading Valérian and Laureline, watching the original Star Trek series and replaying Mass Effect. All things that takes place several hundred years into the future and on completely different planets.
The Infinite Monkey Cage is a science and comedy podcast and has always be good for calling out science deniers and their like.
Chocolate and tea is always nice. And I do fosterwork with a cat shelter, which I can only recommend.
And I’ve started knitting and crocheting my own dish rags. They are easy to make, a nice way to use up your leftover yarns and good practise.
February 2, 2017 — 4:02 AM
Aura Eadon says:
My cat *is* my family. She is also unique and an equal being to me that is simply different than me. Different is good. Also, I don’t compare loss. Loss is loss. I’m so sorry for your loss.
February 2, 2017 — 2:45 PM
Jo says:
Captain America has been my escape…
February 2, 2017 — 4:22 AM
Julie Holmes, author says:
First–whaaa? There’s a new Voltron series on Netflix? Yeah, it was corny back in the day, but those mechanical lions were awesome!
Writing. Reading. Taking walks outdoors (though now the weather can be iffy in MN), crochet, crossword puzzles, cryptograms, and if I’m desperate, cleaning.
February 2, 2017 — 7:28 AM
nwjn says:
My go to emotional comfort food is to reread Lord of the Rings. I guess rereading the same escapist book over and over is a lot like having a heated chocolate caramel brownie crowned with vanilla ice cream once a day. One never gets tired of it. Or like putting on the same comfortable slippers or lounge pants.
Also having all four of my Westies on my lap, licking my face. They definitely don’t give a shit about the shit storm we’re living through.
And spending 2 weeks in Mazatlan in February. Bliss.
Thanks for asking!
February 2, 2017 — 9:24 AM
garethwiscombe says:
Putting aside time free of distractions to play with my daughter spending quality time together is good for both of us.
Weekly D&D sessions. Imagine one editor trying to coax 3-6 writers cowriting a story live. It’s an amazing experience with the right group and genuine imagination fuel.
February 2, 2017 — 9:42 AM
melorajohnson says:
As something I came across recently said, “stay informed, not immersed.” I just picked up an engrossing historical fiction, Song of Achilles. And I do Julia Cameron “morning pages” journaling – three pages of long hand stream of consciousness journaling in a a cheap notebook to empty my brain of the spiders. 🙂
February 2, 2017 — 10:39 AM