The Benefit of Distractions

Even during the first year of my condition when I was at my worst with pain levels of 8 - 12 on the 1-10 scale, I could always settle down on Sunday nights from 9:00pm - 10:00pm to watch the Sopranos. I got so immersed in the characters and the stories and even the violence, that I was able to mute my own pain.

Distractions are wonderful. They are little islands of respite. They are the breath between the spasms.

My offering to you for this holiday season is this list of my favorite movie distractions:

1. Comedy: Blazing Saddles, Monty Python & the Holy Grail, The Life of Brian, Annie Hall
   
2. Musical: West Side Story
3. Western: McCabe and Mrs. Miller
   
4. Mystery: Sleuth, The Usual Suspects, Mulholland Drive
   
5. Foreign Film: Les Enfants du Paradis (Children of Paradise)
6. Action: any James Bond film with Sean Connery
7. Drama: The Godfather, part 1, Cool Hand Luke
   
8. Science Fiction: Blade Runner, The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original), 2001
   
9. Animation: Fantasia
10. Film Noir: Double Indemnity
11. Zombie: Shaun of the Dead
    
12. Twisted & Dark: Dr. Strangelove, Donnie Darko

What are some of you best distractions? Either movies, or anything else that transports you away, for a little while.