I have stopped rating books, TV shows and movies based on how much I "liked" them or "enjoyed" them.
I rate them as 'good' if I watch the whole thing and 'not so great' if the item cannot hold my attention till the end.
Before, I would reread a book I liked or see a show or movie for the second time: that was my positive assessment of the item. These days, I dont have the time or patience to see something again (except humor comedy shows). Also there are millions of books, movies and shows which I am yet to see for the first time!
In the past, I would rave about a book or show which I liked, to my friends and family, begging them to read it or see it. Now, I don't seem to have any friends who read the same books I do...see the same movies or shows.
In the past, I obsessively acquired all the books of an author I liked...even the books I did not like! Now...no space in my home at all....it's a hoarder's junkyard! Also, I realized, once I buy a book, I don't ever touch it; once I buy a dvd, it remains unopened for ever.
I also relentlessly hunted a book I wanted, even going so far as to buy on ebay or amazon, paying a significant chunk of money. Now, the relentlessness has ceased completely. I just keep thinking of the show I would love to watch but dont pursue it like before . Some shows I want to see but don't have access to are: the Rockford files, Colombo, some British comedy and crime shows...I am waiting to retire from work before subscribing to the channels which air these shows.
Another way I expressed my appreciation of a book in the past was presenting it to my friends (The last I did this was buying multiple copies of Vivek Shanbhag's Ghachar Ghochar and presenting to my friends..I think two friends read it and the remaining 8 did not!) Now I realize that people (at least my folks) prefer to stick to their taste and will not try to read if a book is 'forced' upon them.
Talking to younger generation about my favorite books and authors and encouraging them to try was something I did before but not now. Luckily I could influence two of my three sisters into reading and liking the books in the past. The current generation seem to have zero interest in reading (at least in my family) and their taste in shows and movies seems to be quite different...or... my nephews and nieces in India don't have access to the shows I recommend.
I spent hours fantasizing the plots and shows of favorite books and movies in the past.
Now...no time to do that
...also too many unread and unseen books and shows to look forward to. Now I am like a monkey let loose in a orchard full of trees with ripe mangoes...I am taking a bite of one and then moving on to another ...not eating one fully and relishing but hurrying on to taste more and more in a hasty frenzy
