Television

 Until the school holidays, I could count the number of times I have had the television on in the last few months on one hand. I pretty much gave it up when my new life partner, the internet took over my life and because TV is shite.

It's not new or exciting to say there is nothing on television, but there really is NOTHING on television.

When I do have it on, I am stunned at the number of vacuous shows about dancing, singing and general scraping of the barrel for 'talent'.

This Summer I have watched my beloved Project Runway- (fashion does not count as scraping the barrel I might add), and various other drivel as the weather has been so appallingly bad, I haven't spent the Summer in a sun chair reading as I wished to.

Today I was horrified at The Wright Stuff. Firstly I was surprised to be agreeing 100% with Matthew Wright, and secondly for the amoeba that were ringing in with their 'opinions'. Dear God, spare us from your delusional crap about how Raoul Moat was somehow a spokesperson for the working class and 'felt trapped' by his circumstances. As Nitin Ganatra pointed out, we don't all start killing each other when life gets tough. It was also pointed out that Moat had been proved not to be a psychopath.It's a little like the Jeremy Kyle show. People with very little to recommend themselves, see an opportunity for a public voice and ring in or appear on the TV show, unaware that people who have more to recommend themselves, are horrified at what they see and hear.

This weekend the travesty that is the X Factor begins again, something I clearly share opinion again with Matthew Wright about. Barely does one ridiculous money making circus from the Cowell Empire finish, than another begins. I see Dannii Minogue received an award in February for 'Best TV Star' off the back of X Factor. I have nothing against her personally but she was in some bad soaps, made some bad records. Then made one or two average records, and thus became one of the all-knowing judges/mentors on X Factor, and is now BEST TV STAR. Please. It is the same with Amanda Holden who is at best a very average actress, passing judgement on the 'talents' of others.

From this weekend and for the foreseeable future, it's all going to be X Factor. Hooray. As soon as it finishes, Britain's Got Talent will be back on our screens as Cowell bathes in a pool of  money and self loving. My class love it all and I get regular updates in the latter stages of competition about who is in and who has gone. I rarely know who they are talking about.

I think my dog has better taste than some of the general public. He is at least discerning about his viewing habits. Usually, on the rare occasions I do have the TV on, he leaves the room or goes to sleep, knowing that I am watching something banal. Last weekend, he obviously decided I had become more high brow as he rushed in from the garden to see what wonders I was watching. Usually I can guarantee he will like it if it features; dogs, meerkats, rabbits or lions, though he very much enjoyed this years Boat Race. But this time, 101 Dalmatians was on and as I flicked through the plethora of crap on the many channels, he heard barking. It was the part in the film where the dogs send out a distress call. It has no dialogue, but for the barking of dogs for several minutes, and lots of shots of dogs barking and running about. I left it on for him and did some washing up.

Avoiding the News

I would probably be widely criticised for my practice of avoiding the TV news. I get snippets of the news from work, the radio and online, but in general I avoid news broadcasting. I find it to be a depressing and upsetting way to spend my time. As I am one of life's worriers, particularly about things which are beyond my control, I began avoiding it. There are some who think this is a good idea and those who think I am daft and a further group who make no comment.

Very little of what I see on the TV news makes me feel happy. I spent a long time being unhappy in the last decade and I do not wish to continue this pattern.

I know that while I shut this out of my life, the bad things in the world do not go away, but I avoid them upsetting me. Criticise if you will, but it is my choice.There is also a school of thinking that when you concentrate on negative things, you bring more to you. 

Mother Theresa once said;

"I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there."

I think that is eloquent. 

However, it does mean I am unable to contribute to discussions about things elsewhere in the world. I did watch the icelandic volcano coverage, but only because it directly affected someone I knew.

I was messaged during the first live election debate to make sure I was watching it...I wasn't, and was told off by the person who'd messaged. I did watch though and it was a good idea. I do need to know who to vote for. I can read as much as I like during the next few days before the election, but to see these 3 men talking about things I care about is the only way to make an informed decision.

At work next week, we're holding our own election and talking about democracy. We'll be talking about matters of interest to the children and setting up a ballot.

I am probably a total hypocrite to tell them they need to take an interest in all this when I am just like the ostrich. I put my head in the sand.

There is still no cure for the common birthday.

That is not my quote...I have stolen it.
This week I've been on holiday. It was breezy on a few of the days so to avoid looking totally dreadful, I put my hair up. This was not good. I discovered a horrifying number of grey hairs. Truly Horrifying.
They don't even hide in my dark hair, they are shining and silver and catch the light in a mean spirited way.
When I used to find them, I'd pull them out and pretend it had not happened. Now it has reached a point where I will be bald at the end of 2010 if I pull them out. My hair appointment to colour it is in three weeks, so until then, I will be wearing my hair loose and experimenting with styles which do not reveal my silver hair.

Today I also put my holiday pictures up on Facebook. There is more than one picture where I am looking distinctly 'craggy' around my eyes.
Neither of these two things please me. I am getting older.

Increasingly I  find I am not able to do the things I used to be able to do. I am sure if I had worked harder on my physical fitness etc, this would not be the case, but I have not. I am far less 'bouncy and springy' than I used to be. I also have 'fear'. When I was younger I would climb trees, jump off high things, go on scary rides and take risks.
My last trip to Alton Towers was pathetic. I queued for well over an hour for RITA, the silly fast roller coaster. I got into the seat, was almost locked in....and then I bottled it and got off much to the horror of my friend who I left in there!

My footwear is indicative of my age and being more 'sensible'. Over half of my shoes are now flats...this was never the case 10 years ago! Gone are the days of being on 4 inch heels all night. I will bring along a pair of flats to put on later when my feet die of pain.
And gone is the concept of 'all night'. It is nothing short of a miracle if I am still out on a Saturday night after 11pm. Usually the call of my bed is too strong. And I cannot take anything like the amount of alcohol I used to. Two glasses of wine now and I'm being too loud or falling asleep. Not alluring.

On Saturday nights out 10 years ago, I'd be loudly singing the theme tune to The Littlest Hobo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFZKlfRrGbw&feature=related
on my way to the local nightclub.....there's a voice that keeps on callin' me...down the road, that's where I'll always be... as we merrily stumbled down the road in silly high shoes and something very low cut  for ANOTHER night of dancing and drinking til the early hours.
This is now a hideous idea to me.

I also find myself saying things that I hated hearing when I was younger. Things like...TV is crap now. "When I was young, they made proper TV for children...now it's all cheap cartoons!"
I do think TV for kids now is utter trash though. Nothing will convince me that the crap they show now is better than Button Moon or Mr Benn.

I roll my eyes at groups of teenage girls in clothes shops who shriek at the 'horror' of having a size 12 in their hands...what a hideous thing to be size 12...how mortifying to have picked it up instead of pre puberty AGE 12 clothing for a a young woman. Ugh.

Well I am going to post this now as it's way past my bedtime and I need to pop my slippers on and read quietly for a while.