I would *love* to be upstairs watching TV ... But I have to save the world. Again.(btvs 2:22)
Last week I was reminded of television's usefulness beyond being the source of captivating stories, interesting characters and sensational trash, the latter of which I frequently pretend doesn't exist. TV is also great in times of grief and sadness.
My grandpa, dad and I watched the last couple of innings of a World Series game a few hours after my beloved grandma passed away. There was a point when there were no more tears and nothing left to say, so I was thankful for the television. The last time I recall being as enthralled by a baseball game was during the Blue Jays' 2 years of winning when I was younger. Of course, I don't remember anything of the game now, except that Chicago won, but I do remember how helpful watching the game was at the time.
CNN also proved surprisingly helpful with grief. We watched CNN on Monday when Hurricane Wilma had caused destruction and death but thankfully not on the devastating scale of Katrina. Normally I avoid news stations because the inundation of bad news upsets me. However it was useful to catch up on world events and gain some perspective on my situation in the context of the world.
Last week also reaffirmed my love for TV on DVD. I consumed Veronica Mars season 1 because it was a great distraction. I loved being able to enter an interesting world to help unwind from the stresses of the day.
I also bought Battlestar Galactica season 1 (having never seen an episode but based on glowing recommendations), and dived into the miniseries last night. Fortunately post-apocalyptic stories are exactly what I'm in the mood for right now. It's awesome to discover something new at a time like this.
Television is one of the devices I frequently use to help me through hard times. I used to re-watch the fab BBC Pride and Prejudice to help with break-ups (8 hours of distraction!). And I can't forget that I discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer during a very difficult year. Despite the bad stuff that was happening, I have fond memories of devouring 5 seasons of BtVS in less than a month and then watching the season 6 episodes with my friends.
Speaking of watching tv with friends, I've found that - for me - tv watching is often a social experience. I know that watching tv is a solitary activity for lots of people, but in my life it brings people together. Over the years I've watched My So-Called Life, Dawson's Creek, BtVS, Angel, The O.C., Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars with friends on a regular basis. I've also discovered that there's lots of online communities about TV: besides Livejournal and other blogging sites, there's Television Without Pity and lots of fan sites. TV is also the one thing I've found that almost everyone engages in, which means it's frequently a great way to help conversations with co-workers, strangers at parties and, of course, family.
Even though it's a sad time for me right now, I'm glad I have something like TV which makes me happy and is a fun distraction.
My grandpa, dad and I watched the last couple of innings of a World Series game a few hours after my beloved grandma passed away. There was a point when there were no more tears and nothing left to say, so I was thankful for the television. The last time I recall being as enthralled by a baseball game was during the Blue Jays' 2 years of winning when I was younger. Of course, I don't remember anything of the game now, except that Chicago won, but I do remember how helpful watching the game was at the time.
CNN also proved surprisingly helpful with grief. We watched CNN on Monday when Hurricane Wilma had caused destruction and death but thankfully not on the devastating scale of Katrina. Normally I avoid news stations because the inundation of bad news upsets me. However it was useful to catch up on world events and gain some perspective on my situation in the context of the world.
Last week also reaffirmed my love for TV on DVD. I consumed Veronica Mars season 1 because it was a great distraction. I loved being able to enter an interesting world to help unwind from the stresses of the day.
I also bought Battlestar Galactica season 1 (having never seen an episode but based on glowing recommendations), and dived into the miniseries last night. Fortunately post-apocalyptic stories are exactly what I'm in the mood for right now. It's awesome to discover something new at a time like this.
Television is one of the devices I frequently use to help me through hard times. I used to re-watch the fab BBC Pride and Prejudice to help with break-ups (8 hours of distraction!). And I can't forget that I discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer during a very difficult year. Despite the bad stuff that was happening, I have fond memories of devouring 5 seasons of BtVS in less than a month and then watching the season 6 episodes with my friends.
Speaking of watching tv with friends, I've found that - for me - tv watching is often a social experience. I know that watching tv is a solitary activity for lots of people, but in my life it brings people together. Over the years I've watched My So-Called Life, Dawson's Creek, BtVS, Angel, The O.C., Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars with friends on a regular basis. I've also discovered that there's lots of online communities about TV: besides Livejournal and other blogging sites, there's Television Without Pity and lots of fan sites. TV is also the one thing I've found that almost everyone engages in, which means it's frequently a great way to help conversations with co-workers, strangers at parties and, of course, family.
Even though it's a sad time for me right now, I'm glad I have something like TV which makes me happy and is a fun distraction.