I stopped watching the news. I also stopped listening and reading to it. This is big for me because I am kind-of a junkie. I thrive on information. I crave the high of knowing what is going on. I love to read, research, and debate – it’s an addiction.
It’s so bad that my kids started watching the traffic report before school – even though we never have to drive more that 5 miles south of my house in Racine to get them to school. Regardless, they can tell you where every accident is through out the greater Milwaukee interstate system.
Cole and Anna Mae can also do an incredibly accurate impersonation of Brett retiring as well as detailed coverage of all any type of natural disaster. They are turning into mini – new addicts themselves.
I began to realize that the news was eating up huge chunks of my brain power with useless information presented in one-hundred-percent problem format.
So, I decided that enough is enough. Nothing heard, seen, or talked about on the news is good. There is nothing but death, destruction, and disappointment all of which I can do nothing about. The news was wreaking havoc on my attitude and it had to go.
Like any bad habit I decided the easiest thing to do would be to replace it. In the morning I would listen to music in the car. At lunch time I decided I would find something else on TV. At 10 p.m. I would treat myself to more time with my books.
So that bring us to today and I think things are going pretty good. Tim of course is making fun of me because I now know all the lyrics to the songs on the Country station. Hey, if I am going to listen to music all day it has to be something I can sing along to and it’s either that or 70s music – which makes me feel dated and old – even worse for the psyche.
Also, Truman seems to be enjoying Days of Our Lives as much as he likes Martha Stewart. I heard him telling Anna Mae about a recent story line where “Patch” is kidnapped by his crazy ex-girl friend who he stood up at the alter when he had amnesia and had forgotten his wife Kayla who was also being held captive at the same time. Honestly, I’m confused too.
At 10 p.m. however, I have not really gotten any more time with my books. It seems like without the “news is coming on” deadline my evening just gets later and later and I don’t actually take the time to “sit down” until I am falling into bed. I have recently gotten caught up on laundry however, and I did get all the Easter stuff put away, so it’s still time well spent.
The only news that is seeping in is whatever I hear when my alarm goes off in the morning and because I am getting so little sleep it turns out that I am pretty good at ignoring that.
Honestly, the only thing I missed was the weather until I discovered that WISN will e-mail constant reports right to your computer. The nice weather man even addresses them personally to me… “Good Morning Theresa,” it reads. “Another great day today with sunshine and highs near 80 inland. It will be cooler at the lake with highs in the mid 60s.” Then it is actually signed, “Sincerely, Meteorologist Brian Gotter.” Just think of it. If your only communication with the outside world was a friendly note about the beautiful spring weather wouldn’t you feel great too?
I think I am still emotionally recovering from the winter from H_ _ _ , because I am really feeling content these days to just hide from any bad news at all. Honestly, I know the mosquitoes will show up eventually and like the news it will rain on my parade of feel-good attitude. However, for now I am enjoying living in a “positive information only zone” and I intend to hide here until my Vitamin D levels are a little less depleted.
But would you please promise to call me if I miss anything really big while I recover?
8busyfeet 