Seeking The Joy In Reading

Self realization 1,181,003. That's not a real number, well, not that I'm aware of. But posting self realizations would be a cool concept to the blog.
Sarah and I are watching It's Me Or The Dog. It went to a commercial, and I immediately wanted to pick up my computer and start clicking around: e-mail, check for grades, youtube, check the blog, etc. I caught myself and said to Sarah, "Sar! Look at this, it's 2 seconds into a commercial, and I'm already picking up my computer to find more entertainment. Why is that?!" She accurately responded, "you're just bored".
While talking with a friend several years ago he taught me one of the reasons television is so captivating is simply because it's always moving. The pixels are never still, and because of that, it's appealing to the mind. Always changing, always new colors, usually bright, and it engages our sense of sound as well.
This instance was in close proximity to Sarah telling me, "Oh, when I go home [for the baby shower], I'm taking your angel book back", which of course, I now have a rant about.
The "angel book" is called "Hush Hush" and is by Becca Fitzpatrick. It's about a fallen angel, and I know little more than that because I've only read the 1st several pages a couple different times when I wanted to start reading again. This book is the one book squeezed amongst others such as Pregnancy Dos And Don'ts, Your Week By Week Pregnancy, What To Expect When You're Expecting, Chicken Soup For The Girlfriends Soul, and Mennonite In A Little Black Dress that I can claim as mine. I served in an area in Fort Collins where the author of the book was in my ward. I got to meet she and her family (who are all awesome by the way), found out she was an author, bought the book and got it signed with the promise that I'd read it ("9-16-10 To Elder Zachary Zimmerman, Thanks for coming to dinner and being our politest elder yet! B. Fitzpatrick"). I pressed on with Sarah that she could not and would not be taking that book home; it's the only thing that makes me feel remotely intelligent on a shelf of books read by my wife. Granted, there are a few gospel books that I brought to the equation but as far as leisurely reading, this is the extent of it.

 Becca told my companion and I that this picture is actually

an upside down copy of the original.

Try these out if you're looking for your next series.

Hush Hush, Crescendo, Silence, and Finale this fall.

My realization is this: I'm like unto a child in yet another way. Why do I need to be constantly entertained by brightly moving pixels? And why does a few seconds away from a program make me itch like I'm going through withdraws? This book is a new goal of mine as a past time. Something away from bright flashy pixels; something to help me continue exercising my own imagination instead of having a box feed to me what I need to be thinking and feeling. I also feel weakened in that I'd rather watch a video than read text. I believe there is much to be gained in finding joy in a good book.

I've changed my post layout and now anyone can comment. Please tell me any other ideas you have for past time activities that is away from television or computers.