Sunday, December 28, 2008

I'm an addict

When I read the paper, check my e-mail or blog, mom becomes concerned that I am addicted to the internet. Now, she is also concerned that I am addicted to TV.

Which is really funny, because I don't have a TV. I had one and did not take it with me when I moved because I didn't watch enough TV to justify the space it would take up.

It's not that I don't ever watch TV. In fact, I watch every episode of the Daily Show and Colbert Report that I can, and I make a point to catch How I Met Your Mother. I've heard good things about 30 Rock, and The Office, too. I also like to occasionally veg out and watch whatever is on. I know that addicts are the last to recognize their own signs of addiction, but I would hardly describe myself as a TV addict.

My parents, on the other hand, always have the TV on, if only as background noise. So for the last couple of days, I've changed the channel. Animal Planet gets old after a while. Yesterday, "Failure to Launch" was on. It wasn't bad; it was actually exactly the kind of thing you want to veg out with on a rainy Saturday night. Tonight, "Click" was on. It was a bit bad, but again, decent veg movie. Collectively, they inspired the following commentary from my mother:

-What just happened?
-Do you watch this much TV at home?
-Who's that?
-Why did he do that?
-In my opinion, this is a pretty dumb movie.
-What'd she say?
-This is still going on? It's not over yet?
-What just happened?
-Yes, I see why you shouldn't get a TV.
-This is still on?
-No, no I wouldn't rather watch something else. I just thought it was ending.
-Who's that?

And so on.

Not too different from her commentary on music:

-I don't like this song.
-This is entirely lacking in melody.
-You like this song?
-Oh, goodness. This song is awful.
-Do you never listen to classical music?

It's even funnier because she says something like that (a) every time a new song comes on the radio and (b) within the first five seconds. Actually, I'm really proud of myself for resisting and refraining from saying, "Mom, even Rick Warren likes Melissa Ethridge."

1 comment:

Ernessa T. Carter said...

hahaha, this is interesting, b/c I didn't have a tv when I was single and would totally end up binging when I was at other people's houses who did. then when I met my husband, and started spending more and more time at his house, I pretty much had to admit that I actually was an addict. Just b/c I didn't have a TV at my apartment didn't mean that I wasn't completely addicted to it. Just like an alcoholic is still an alcoholic, even if s/he doesn't have any alcohol at home. Not saying that this is your case, just saying that I thought of this while reading your post.