Mindless TV

I know it drives Dennis crazy but I truly love mindless TV. Teenage soap operas, overly dramatic vampire movies, you name it, if I don't have to think about it, if the outcome of the movie isn't going to effect the outcome of anything of any substance or matter all the better.

I know I'm not alone in this.  As a librarian I see it every day.  Why do you think harlequin romances are so popular?  Those are all written by a formula.  You know by page X that the main characters will fall in love and although on page Y they'll have some conflict by page Z all is right in the world again and they'll live happily ever after.

It's escapism at its finest.  Much like sports.  Yeah I said that.  While the outcome isn't always the happy ever after, the process is the same.  You watch it to escape,  the ending isn't going to bring about world peace or the downfall of China's government.  For a little while at least you forget your problems and focus on something outside you.

That's a big problem for me.  I get caught up in worrying about stuff and can't let it go.  I also can't let myself understand that sometimes things aren't in my control.  For some reason I think worry will change things. I need the serenity to accept the things I can't change. Easier said than done though.

Here lately I seem to be more consumed by trying to fix things. Things for others,  my kids, me. Especially things that I frankly think ought to be governed by common sense and basic human decency.  People not allowing people to get help when they are truly only trying to survive the situation they're in. To rise above,  get a leg up. 

Then there are the things that happen, that someone you think you know does, that flies in the face of any thoughts of connection.  Things that happen over and over again in the world that you think ought to stop merely because it's been asked to stop.  It gets harder to see the bigger picture when it seems that change can't be made. But alas I keep worrying about it all the same. I suppose that means there's still hope.  Or that I'm dillusional.

I need to believe that deep down people are good and if everyone really knew one another they'd want them all to okay and safe. I gotta believe that eventually people will see the hurt they cause in the blindness of trying to make themselves happy or richer. I don't know why I think worry will change things.  But worry I must.

So I guess until the day comes that I run out of worries poor Dennis is going to have to put up with sparkly vampires and teen angst. I reckon he'll be okay.  He can manage it if I can learn to manage basketball games....shh don't tell anyone I said that, they'll take away my Kentucky card.