BOY TRAPPED

Where the inside of my mind leaks onto the screen.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Why I Don't Watch the News

I've never really been much of a news-watcher. Partly, I think its because I somehow lack the gene that would make me care what's going on outside my house. Partly, its because I have more of a "headlines only, please" attention span, while the news seems to have a "full story repeated 3 times" attitude. Today, though, it is mostly because it is just sad.

I have, fortunately, been blessed with the ability to tune out any show I simply don't want to hear. This ability has been honed since I married Kirk and discovered his unquenchable thirst for background noise. Generally, this means I can make it through any given 24-hour period without being subjected to the sad stories of the day. However, I have this mental malfunction that causes me to read every word I see. It is a part of my brain that I can't turn off which causes me to read endless billboards, cereal boxes, and --sadly-- closed captioning. I simply cannot ignore the wall of tv's, each with those stupid little words scrolling across the bottom of its screen, at which every treadmill and cycle machine at the gym is mercilessly pointed. So I read.

This morning alone, the reports included details of a woman shot to death by her husband in a church parking lot, the death of 7 and injury of about 50 in a bus accident, and the death of a 24 year old BYU student because she was hit by a car. I wish I could say I read about each of these once, but unfortunately my disease forced me to reread the details as each separate news station recapped each disaster. Interspersed between each was speculation over whether Hilary Clinton's tears at last night's debate were real or fake. Like I care.

At 5:30 this morning, my day started with stories of tragedy. Does anyone actually enjoy starting their day this way? In an effort to add a little balance to my mental scale, I'm asking you each to post something good that happened to you yesterday. (I know you'll all read these at different times, but please choose the literal yesterday in relation to your literal today.) I'm just in the mood to hear some happiness.

3 comments:

Andrea said...

My own happy story:

I thought I'd start off the commenting with my own story. Yesterday marked my offical return to the gym. I went for 2 solid weeks in November only to follow it up with a whole lot of not going. But yesterday I went back. And I went again today. And I'll be there tomorrow.

Every day I go to the gym, I am happier, and I have more energy (even though I have to get up at 5:10am to go). I sleep well at night, and I seem to eat better throughout the day. Working out seems to take the edge off my irritability. And the best part is that on some machines I can actually read, too. This means I can exercise my mind and body at the same time.

Yeah for the gym.

Jay said...

Yesterday I got to watch my son participate in the flag ceremony at scouts no it doesn't seem like much, but it was a proud Daddy moment.

Kirk said...

Yesterday I got to play basketball. Not only is it a long awaited return to the court but I got to play against my brother. He was playing for the other ward. He is going to play for his ward and practice with them. I know it does not mean he is going to be sitting in church on Sunday but small steps. But back to me. I played pretty well. Didn't take a lot of shots but just to be able to play makes me really happy even if it isn't like I use to be able to play.