47; Television

[Cautionary Note: The next scene contains unpleasant mental images. I assure they are added only for the sake of amusement and are not intended to cause an unpleasant reaction in those with active imaginations. Under no circumstances should these mental images be told to women who are pregnant, nursing, or those who suffer from siezures or have bad backs.]

I was sitting in my boxers drinking whole milk out of the carton to aid in my polishing off the last melty thin mints of the roll. I was watching 'Will and Grace' on the Lifetime chanel, and I am fully aware that these facts taken in unison make me less of a man. It would only have been more disturbing if it had been the middle of the day, but instead it was 1 am. During the middle of the day I was watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. Wesley was having to make hard moral decisions! Tell a lie or tell the truth? Be honorable or get in trouble? To act or not to act?

(As it happens the actor, Wil Wheaton, has a remarkably funny blog in which he critiques the early episodes.(http://www.tvsquad.com/bloggers/wil-wheaton) His commentary is delightful, almost as much so as his star performance in 'Stand By Me'. Remember that film? Four boys in search of an Oscar nomination?)

It had been many moons since I'd watched any television. Most of the year I don't. Strangely during this last week's binge I find a lot of stuff is just playing reruns on a host of chanels spread out through a 24-hour day. A clever viewer could concievably start viewing 'Scrubs' at 9 am and not watch anything else until 10, 11 o' clock at night. Maybe that's what I'll do today.

The problem is that when I'm bored I do one of three things: read, play on the computer, or watch tv. But I'm not in the mood to read and my computer is still screwed up, so I indulge in reruns. 'Frasier'? Forgot about that show. I recall telling kids in 7th grade how much I enjoyed that show, which was true. Yeah, I was that kid.

TV is an addictive force. We hear laughter and we want to laugh along. The problems are solved in half an hour and with uncommonly witty banter inbetween times. (Okay, so these are my shows. Yours may be different. Perhaps medical dramas are your bag, or the Sopranos, or Animal Planet. Bower birds? There's prime romantic material. Walri for comedy. Merrkats, it seems, for drama. When television historians look back at the anomalies of TV program viewership 'Meerkat Manor' will be very near the top of the list. Along with 'Alf'.)

Today, however, should be spent prepping and packing. Sunday heralds the Return to Bennington, which should be positive. Still need to scuttle around some classes, but hey! People! Stories! Saucy developments! A working campus center! Should be good times.