All right. I figured that I let you marinate in my last blog long enough. It's time for something fresh and new and bright and shiny and awesome.
Believe it or not, though, this blog is going to be a little more "sober" than my first two posts.And shorter. A very sick pet and two weeks of ruminating on the possibility of a media fast (see the poll to the right) is enough to dampen anyone's spirits.
So, why the poll? Well, lately, I've felt like a stuffed Thanksgiving turkey when it comes to media. Too much. It's shoved into me from all sides! I wanted to see if you all are as fed up as I am.
I'm the first to admit that I may need to go to a rehab clinic or hospital to ride out the withdrawals I would go through if you took away my precious Facebook. And my iPhone? Might as well have it surgically attached to my hand (do they do that??). So, in the interest of avoiding such drastic cosmetic surgery, I've been thinking lately about a media fast.
Although my poll didn't work correctly for the first few hours, I did get some good answers. In a nutshell, everyone who answered would be willing to give up one form of media. It seems that it would be much too hard to give up all media (we're talking Internet as entertainment--not for work--TV, radio, newspaper, the whole shebang). I have to agree with that. It would be spectacularly hard. It would be excruciating.
But would it be GOOD? Imagine a full week without having to hear about the latest celebrity jailbird (Lindsey Lohan, anyone?). Think about actually talking to your best friend rather than just "liking" her status on Facebook. And picture the amazing tan you could get by going outside more rather than vegging out in front of the TV or your favorite video game.
I dunno ... to me, it sounds kind of nice. I might actually find myself a hobby.
But I'm going to start small. This is going to take some thinking and self-convincing, but I'm gonna try to give up ONE form of media for a while and then work my way up. I'll keep you posted on which one will be the first to go.
Before I go pace the room trying to choose how I'm going to starve myself media-wise, I want to ask YA'LLS: If you were going to give up some form of media, what would it be, why, and for how long?
Don't worry, folks. If I end up giving up one or all forms of media, it will only be for a time. You won't have to go long without a new blog post from yours truly.
I would give up my media addiction to television for a while. Most of my favorite TV shows have either been cancelled or ended their run, anyway. I can get my news from the internet or radio.
ReplyDeletePS: I'd still get to watch DVDs though. That's movies. Completely different from television. Yep Yep! :)
First, love your blog. Second, it's my duty as a southern girl to guide proper spelling and usage of the contraction: you all. Here goes: Y'all is how it's spelled. When speaking to two to four people, use y'all. If you're talking to more than four, it is customary to switch it to "all y'all," e.g., when my boys are bickering I might say, "y'all better stop before I flip a biscuit." Or if I'm talking to my Rio friends I would say, "I just wanna thank all y'all for what you do!" Use them boldly, pal.
ReplyDeleteLast, I could give up t.v., my husband would pitch a hissy fit, though. ;)
Yarrrgh! Oh, Heather, I KNEW that I was probably spelling it wrong. I figured the apostrophe might be wrong (it just looked weird), but the "s" was added for obnoxious purposes only.;)
ReplyDeleteI think you're brilliant, and anything spelled for obnoxious purposes is always appreeeeesssiated by me.
ReplyDeleteI vote yes to the media fast! (Poll was closed so I had to state my opinion here ;)
ReplyDeleteJust imagine all of the THINKING you could do without something pushing into your mind all of the time.
I'll be impressed the day I see you without your iPhone in hand :)
We can celebrate by actually going out to coffee rather than me doing something like posting on your blog.
:)
I'm sorry it took me so long to read this! But here I am, with a comment to boot!
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me just say that I love it that you've started a blog, and though it is a form of media, it's one that's cathartic, at least. I look forward to the progress of this blog as much as I do the progress of my own. (Though progress has been awfully slow)
So, on with the subject at hand. I feel like you do, sometimes. However, I didn't feel this way when I was watching "The Bachelorette", or while I watch "True Blood", or "Pillars of the Earth", etc. :o) But, I was just discussing this very subject with my husband just the other day.
As you know, I'm currently in West Palm Beach with my mom, who indulges in all forms of media. When she wakes the first thing she does is turn on the tv. Wait, no, actually when she first wakes the first thing she does is get on her iPhone, which is always within reaching distance, sometimes already in her waking hand; THEN she turns on the tv. She has a great digital cable package, with HBO, Starz, Encore, all the kids channels which Korah loves, etc.
Well, I'll be going back to Fernandina Beach soon, and realize that I won't have Starz! for the "Pillars of the Earth" series! (We do have cable, but no movie channels and no big package) I thought, "Whatever will I do!?" (Yes, I did actually say that in my head) I told my husband of my concerns the very next time I talked to him on the phone!
(cont. below)
He broke it to me like he was telling me a family member had passed, "Akili...you know...we may not have cable for a little time after we move..." Silence on my end. I couldn't grasp this. My heart sunk, my mind tried to wrap itself around the concept. He back-tracked. "Well, not anything beyond the most basic cable." My spirits lifted ever-so-slightly. (Honestly, I don't think you can have anything less than the most basic cable, it's not like when I was a kid when you had the option of "rabbit-ears"!)
ReplyDelete"For how long?" I asked, even toned.
"Just until I'm working and earning enough." My spirits neither rose nor fell.
"You know Akili, I look forward to when we are out in nature, no tv or other technologies, just out enjoying nature!"
(Oh. My. God. I married Charles Ingalls! [the dad from Little House on the Prairie]) Silence.
"Haven't you ever been camping, Akili?"
"Yes! And I look forward to camping again. They make awesome tents now!" He could hear my excitement at the prospects of having one of those new, large tents with all the luxury features. I could hear him roll his eyes.
"I bet you're one of those people that take a generator too." He seemed slightly amused, slightly exasperated. He did not marry one of the girls from the Prairie.
"And why not!?" Now that he'd mentioned it, I'm sure a generator could be useful.
"You remind me of that movie back in the 80's with John Candy and Chevy Chase, where they go camping and their neighbors go, but they have, like a BMW and all the newest technology stuff..." (I'm pretty sure he's referring to National Lampoon Vacation, but I'm also sure that he only remembers a few details since my husband only watches parts of movies. Le sigh.)
"Yes, I would be with that family."
"And the other family just had, like fishing poles and stuff..."
"Uh huh." I don't like being called spoiled. Actually, I consider myself a tree-hugging hippy, but, um...with high hippy standards! "John, I love camping, I love being outside in nature, but I don't see why you can't have a little bit of both. What's nicer than fishing the afternoon away, alone with your iPod."
"But why can't you just listen to the sounds of nature..."
"Because I know how nature sounds!"
"...like the cawing of birds, and the cicadas in the trees."
"I hate the sound of cicadas!"
He sighed. "I'm just saying, it would be nice to have some time without the tv, the computer, things like that. Don't you think so? I'm just remembering the times I spent as a little boy, in the summers, with my grandparents, on the farm...and I remember spending hours practicing throwing the casting net..." I tuned out after that since I'd heard this story many times and began thinking about Robert Pattinson. (I glanced the Twilight books on the book shelf)
(cont. below)
"OK, OK, John, I've heard these stories before. John, how old were you at the time?"
ReplyDelete"About 10 to twelve."
"John, that was 20 years ago!"
We both sighed. That part of the conversation ended.
So, as you can see, you aren't the only one who feels this way. :o)
Personally, I think we all need a break from media outlets. I'm gonna start now. (I've written more than your original blog, and your friends might think me long-winded.)
Oh wait, can't start now, True Blood in less than an hour!
We need more posts! C'mon, girl! I want to soak in your stream of written consciousness!
ReplyDelete