A Confession...

[Raven]

You are probably going to want to kick me for this...

But...

The Twilight book series pretty much got me through my deployment to Iraq in '09.

I know that the main character (Bella) is a terrible role model for young girls because she does absolutely nothing and Edward only loves her because she smells good but it took my mind off shit during my downtime.

I also read some pretty steamy historical romance novels, as they served the same purpose.

I wanted to get lost in books in which people loved each other and the level of hatred and violence was kept to a minimum.

What seemingly silly things did you "escape" in?

(Perhaps this belongs in "Military Life"?)

 

[Jimmy1]

I read a heap of Lee Child, but I was so flat out that most of the time I crashed. Towards the latter part of my deployment and after a few things had happened and after my father-in-law died (who was like my second dad), I was not sleeping whatsoever. I was lucky to get two hours a night. My outlet was black market alcohol. When I look back it was stupid.

 

[Sarg]

Sci Fi. Vonnegut, Bradbury, Asimov....Being a loady on a C-130 is like one hour of a chinese fire drill on steroids, then an hour (if you're lucky) quiet time, fire drill, repeat. So, I carried paperbacks with me and read a little at a time. Got through a few before I went night interdiction. After that it was eat, sleep and fly.

Not silly at all, Raven. We all needed some sort of diversion or we'd all be in a rubber room.

Sarg

 

[Squip Mrbearsfriend]

I'm a fan of the Twilight series, too. Former guildie turned me on to them, was hooked on them from the first few chapters.

The shelters of stone series is a love story between Ayla and Jondolar from the second book (Valley of Horses) to the last.

 

[Ned]

Terry Pratchett

 

[vikingr12]

Hate to admit it but I read a lot of poetry. Still do. It takes me to a whole different world. But some of them are triggers so I watch it.

I read Daniel Silva when he gets off his ass and finally writes one.

 

[Zipperhead]

Tom Holt, British author, kind of a cross between Sci-fi and fantasy. Sarcasm at it's best.

 

[combatgoldfish]

On my free time, I just watched porn until the mortars came in... Other times I didn't even bother stopping.

And now ya know why I have a mental disability.

 

[Ronin1]

Well. I guess there would be worse things to read than Twilight :)

I can read, but I don't. I cannot concentrate. I read half a page, then realize that I thought of other stuff while reading, so I have to read it again. So a book would take me forever.

While diploid I watched a lot of movies on my computer. But when we were stationed at the PB out in the greenzone there was NOTHING that could take my mind of things, other that playing UNO or RISK with the others.

Now. It might sound stupid. But I play Minecraft. I don't know if you guys know minecraft. But it's a game where you can build with different blocks, and you can redo everything, like with LEGO.
I make my own worlds on there, and I play over internet with a couple of friends.
It's like escaping this world, just like Inception. I can make my own world, the way I want it to be...

 

[Squip Mrbearsfriend]

Minecraft is an exceptional concept of a sandbox game (like a sandbox, the limits are your imagination..and your tools/resources are really basic).
It's concepts are starting to filter into the larger MMO's, where the voxels (the building blocks) are what make the world. And the world is modifiable.

Some of the creations people have made are really amazing.

 

[Chin Strapped]

Thomas Harris. Hannibal stories. Good films too.

But I mainly listened to music and did improvised PT, with any down time in my patrol base. Was a Good distraction.

 

[Raven]

Minecraft is an exceptional concept of a sandbox game (like a sandbox, the limits are your imagination..and your tools/resources are really basic).
It's concepts are starting to filter into the larger MMO's, where the voxels (the building blocks) are what make the world. And the world is modifiable.

Some of the creations people have made are really amazing.

My husband loves Minecraft. I think it's boring and that it looks like poo, but I have no patience for sandbox games.