Two weeks into the New Year and how many of us have already broken our New Year's Resolution? Every year we try to convince ourselves that this is definitely the year, OUR year even. It's always a case of 'This year I will get fit/ lose weight / stop smoking / drink less* (Delete as appropriate).
Because of this I was thinking about the phrase 'to turn over a new leaf'. I had a quick look on the internet to see if I could find the origin of the phrase but nothing comes up. The phrase refers to turning a page of a book and making a fresh start on a new chapter. But the age that we are living in today I wonder how long phrases like this will remain relevant and comprehensible.
In particular what worries me is the use of technology and how it is slowly taking over our lives. How long will it be before kindles replace books completely? Maybe the next generations will think that 'to turn over a new leaf' has something to do with trees or gardening as they will have never experienced turning over a leaf of a page a physical book. What a strange world that will be.
I actually don't understand the point of a kindle. It's solving a problem that doesn't exist. What is wrong with manually turning the pages of a book as you get to the end of each page. It seems a little bit like the height of laziness. I have honestly never got half way through a book and decided to stop because turning the pages has become too much of a chore. The saying 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' has never been more applicable. Plus the advantage that a physical book has over a kindle is when you put the bookmark in and you realise that you are over half way, you feel really intelligent.
People have commented that having a kindle is so convenient. Reading isn't meant to be convenient: it's meant to be educational, pleasureable and a means of escape from the mundane routine of ordinary like.
I mustn't be on my own in thinking this, as there is actually a word to describe people who have a dislike of kindles. It's guttenbourgios. And for the record I do dislike kindles. The only thing that kindle is good for is lighting fires!
So what is my New Leaf for this New Year? I actually have several which I am more than sure I will write about on this blog (in fact to write more and post on this blog is one of them). At the moment, the list of things that I want to achieve this year seems to be more than challenging and I'm not sure how I will get through it (a bit like how I felt 2 months into my A Levels) but I have a feeling it is going to be a Great Year!
