TV Addict?

Living in the Bay Area, I don’t lack for friends who have shed their addiction to the anesthetizing effects of the Boob Tube by canceling cable.    
I read here that 18th century London saw a gin craze amongst poor industrial workers.  To numb themselves from the unfamiliar work, terrible living conditions and limited entertainment, they drank themselves into oblivion.
I don’t drink myself into oblivion, but I do watch WAY too much TV.  I think TV is my gin.
Since most shows can be purchased on iTunes, the only reason for us to buy cable is for the news (we are computer nerds and not so much into sports).
Outside of Rachel Maddow, Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert the news is a bunch of spoon fed drivel (and yes, I realize those last two aren’t technically “news” shows but they have the balls to ask genuinely hard interview questions, in other words, to do their job).
Most dramas run their course after 1-2 seasons (I love Glee, but does anyone think it will have genuine legs after this next season? Where can the plot go but in circles?)
So, we too are considering dumping cable and buying only the handful of shows we actually watch (because going cold turkey is just WAY too scary!).
Will we miss it?  The local news is rarely upbeat. The world news is a joke.
For a while, we probably will. But in the long run, I think we will read more good books, eat dinner as a family more often, maybe go to bed a little earlier, and of course feel just a little smugger.  We live in the Bay. What do you expect?  🙂

Catching Fire & Mockingjay, by Susan Collins

Catching Fire is the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy.  I loved this one too!   The beginning is perhaps a touch slower than the start to Book 1, but I suppose fire is a bit like that too.  Starts off inocuous enough before roaring to life at a pace you struggle to keep up with.   It will only leave you pining to read Mockingjay.
Mockingjay is a bit of a different story.   This book continues on the theme of war, with a rapid fire of as many weapons as difficult choices.    What is acceptable in war?  Do you hold on to your humanity, or suspend it for the perceived greater good?  Where do you draw the line?
But if you crawl into this book like I did, thinking you were in the company of a good friend who would tell you everything will be ok, you may be disappointed.  The violence of this “young adult” book rivals anything by Stephen King.
Mockingjay  left my mind filled with horrific images that literally kept me up at night.   True that I am a mother and a big softy when it comes to kids, but still.
Did I love the series? YES! Would I recommend it?  TO EVERYONE!  Did Mockingjay leave me saddened and feeling a little broken?  Unfortunately I have to yes to that too…