Thursday, October 16, 2008

A Solemn Oath



After the elections, I'm going to quit watching the news cold turkey. Mark my words! (There's no point in trying to stop now - it would be like starting a diet right before the holidays. Forget that!)

It's a pernicious addiction. It feels noble, because I'm Staying Informed, but my goodness it has gotten a bit out of hand. I dreamed that Keith Olbermann of MSNBC wanted to receive a massage. Once he was on the table, I realized he was just a wax figure, like one of those creepy statues in wax museums. Last night, after the debate, I dreamed I was married to Obama. We were about to sit down for Shabbat dinner together when a client walked up and told me she had to change her appointment. She said, "Now that you're the first lady, can I still email when I need to change appointment times, or do I need to send a formal written letter?" I was considering what might be proper when I woke up. It was 4:00 a.m. I wanted so much to go back to that dream, but to no avail.

In two and a half weeks the campaign will be history. Maybe then I can get back to my usual pursuits - reading books for instance! Drawing, writing, playing my drum. Even watching movies would be better than having my eye glued relentlessly to the news.

For now, though, my days consist of a series of talking heads on the boob tube (as we used to call it), occasionally punctuated by actual "real" life activities. For heaven's sake, Reya, GET A LIFE!

22 comments:

Merle Sneed said...

Reya, I quit watch TV news a long time ago and life is so much better without it.

I get my news by reading the newspapers online. I get the facts without the hysteria, pus I only read the stories that interest me. I highly recommend it.

Reya Mellicker said...

Right after the election, Merle. I promise!

(It's true that TV news people are very scary - like statues in the wax museum!)

Steve Reed said...

Being married to Obama...now THAT's a good dream! LOL

The problem with news these days is there's just too much of it. We're all oversaturated. I miss the days when we had three network channels with 1/2 hour of national news each night.

Steve Reed said...

(Plus the newspaper, of course!)

Reya Mellicker said...

I love reading the newspaper. It's just that it doesn't give me the buzzzz of Keith and Rachel and yeah Steve you are so right about being oversatured. Yikes.

Maybe I'll subscribe to the NY Times right now, today, so I can ease out of my TV news addiction. We already receive the WaPo here on Tennessee Ave. I know it's supposed to be a "good" newspaper but I don't enjoy reading it.

Angela said...

You play the drums? I wonder if you will be allowed that as First Lady? Is that ladylike enough? And doing massages to the common people? (Maybe just one or two to the housemaids, for fun?)I really wish that dream had continued. Just think of all the secrets you could have shared with us on your blog!!

LadrĂ³n de Basura (a.k.a. Junk Thief) said...

I at least want to cut back on watching the stock markets on such an obsessively

Janelle said...

at least we don't have a television. well. only for dvds and we don't have too many of those either..but if i was there...well. i'd be glued too. can't wait for those drums to be beaten again though!! x janelle

mouse (aka kimy) said...

I NEVER watch television news - can't take it - get my info from newspapers, npr, and the internet. I love the online nytimes and it's much better for reducing the overall stream of papers for recycling....

I think given the incursion of all these folks into your dream life right now perhaps you should start cutting back on the news now...and work your way to the goal of being newsfree after the election.

a cold turkey approach might cause other dream delirium tremors!!

oh, I have watched the debates on t.v.....but I don't think that qualifies as 'watching the news'

curious looking figure in the top photo - is that a diving stick in the hand??

Reya Mellicker said...

Mouse - it's my camera in the pic!

tut-tut said...

We watch Keith and John Stewart through our computer. We gave up all those empty channels, and now have 2 through 13. Much better.

There is something so calming and saintly about Obama. L said even the typeface for his campaign bumperstickers and such is calming.

goatman said...

You have such neat dreams. Can you effect any kind of action in your dreams like digging your fingers around in the wax guy?
My last dream involved snakes so I'll not elaborate on that.

Such a time to live: elections, economy crashing and burning, liquid-fossil energy peaking, blog correspondence with many on the planet possible, non commercial television and magazine, and a new Dylan album of tunes to delight the ears. What a trip, I say!

Tess Kincaid said...

You know, Katie, Matt, Al and Ann used to be my best morning friends and I never, ever missed the nightly news. But after 9-11, I had to stop because it was making me depressed. The sadness was consuming me. And I never got back into the habit. I read the news online for five minutes in the morning and that's it.

Anonymous said...

I do not even have a TV and I'm saturated! Everything is streamed online now. I took a one day news fast and found that life does go on without me having to know each and every minute detail. Quite nice.

Reya Mellicker said...

Willow you are very wise. 19 more days and I will join you.

Goatman, yes, this is a crazy time. Reading about brain plasticity is reminding me that "reality" can be plastic, too - like - right now!

Tut - YES the calming effect. Oh yeah. Loved seeing Obama smile during the debate last night. I know what he was thinking, i.e. "McCain is pathetic" but he has a nice calming smile.

Washington Cube said...

I stopped watching television news some time ago. I also swore when Bush became President that I would not listen to one thing he had to say, and I've stuck to it. I read news online and newspapers. Much more sensible for me.

My dream this morning was that I was in a house with a sadistic serial killer. He wasn't physically there, yet was. I should add I've had to be in a house that was broken into last week. They punched their fist through a window pane and there was blood in two rooms. Not my house, but every time I go in there now, I'm unsettled.

Anonymous said...

Reya -

I'm watching more news lately - like you. I had stopped watching the news on a regular basis for years, but I've been checking in every day now as the election nears. I'm looking forward to after the election when I won't feel compelled to watch!

Love,
Salima

lacochran's evil twin said...

When you're first lady can we still do lunch? :)

Anonymous said...

I've had a dream about being married to Obama, too!

Reya Mellicker said...

Shannon, you did??

Lacochran and your evil twin: definitely!

Cube - Smudge the room where the person broke in, please? sacred white sage works well, or even partially dried rosemary. It's protective and soothing, too.

Reya Mellicker said...

Cube - after the 2004 elections, I couldn't bear to listen to Bush's voice. And his face makes me queasy. So - like you - I've avoided listening to anything he says or does. His approval rating (according to the talking heads) is down to 21%. Chris Buckley (son of William F. Buckley, Jr.) who btw supports Obama, says that the descendants of James Buchanan must be cheering - before now he was known as the worst American president ever. Now we have someone even worse.

mouse (aka kimy) said...

the light on the bag or whatever is in front made it look like a diving stick was being held (at least in my mind's eye)....light does funny things. now I see your hand and the camera... when I first looked my eye was drawn to the light