Hi. My name is Jessica and I have a news addiction.
It started innocently enough. I wanted to be informed...just try it once to see if it was all everyone said it was. I was young, really too young to handle it, but I thought I could control my need for the truth. When I didn't get it from one source, I tried another. When I didn't get it there, I tried another...and another...and another. My thinking, the truth must be somewhere in between. These days I feel like Mel Gibson's character in 'Conspiracy Theory.' I've actually thought about posting things on my walls...not kidding. If I start talking to myself in public...well, more than I already do, I give my husband permission to deny my access to the computer. Truly, it has gotten worse since the beginning of the election, but it has always been quite bad. When Ryan was born, and not being used to being home so much, I read and watched the news ALL DAY. At one point, I decided to stop, cold turkey, for a month and you know what, I felt happier. But, of course, like any true addiction, I needed to know what was happening in the world, so here I am. When Tristan naps, I read the news...at least 2 hours worth, if not more, and that's just the reading online. Then there's TV news. I love it and I hate it. So, as a baby step, I will turn the TV news off. I'll miss you Anderson Cooper. You're smart and handsome. I'll miss you Bill O'Reilly. You're smug, funny, direct and partisan. I'll miss you Lou Dobbs. You're trying so hard to be even and I appreciate that. Until the election, I'll still check the online news. However, after the election, I'll be taking one whole month off from the news altogether...well, I'll try anyway.
7 comments:
wow...this is helpful to me on many different levels. Just yesterday I said to my co-worker as well as my Dad "that's it! - i am done with CNN.com and need a new news source!" I will try one of the other ones you listed here. I have CNN and boston.com up all day long and check as often as i check the blogs...and facebook...
which leads me to another helpful thing, an admittance: my name is Rita and I,too, have an addiction. I like to say mine is an addiction to reading but i actually won't read supermarket rags or cheesy romance novels. So, perhaps I'm a snobby addict :)
I wish we could have a playdate, with our laptops- one hour, research our lists of news sources - next hour, hash it all out.
I admire your statement and determination to go cold turkey for awhile...i might try it too...but, but, it's just so enticing! :)
i feel like a nerd now. but you know what? it's fun being a nerd :)
Hi Rita.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change...
oh jessica....i don't think this is going to be an easy quest for you. i wish you all the luck in the world as you go into a major detox about a month from now.
Hilarious...I hope your sponsor is really, really good...and patient...and kind...and understanding......holy &^%$! Breaking news on CNN - gotta go! :)
your killing me here. i'm laughing so hard......
i heartily encourage you to take some time away from the news. you will be better for it. the world is happier when you aren't glued to news. i can only say this because, like rita, i read cnn.com, boston.com, nytimes.com, etc. when i worked. now i watch the 1st 30 minutes of the today show and, from time to time, the nightly news with brian williams. that's IT. and it's enough - too much somedays. but, let's be honest, i NEED my matt lauer fix.
i have the opposite problem because news (especially local news) depresses the shit out of me. i go to msnbc.com once or twice a day and that's it. i'm NOT well-informed. most days i don't even dress appropriately because i haven't watched the weather. so welcome to my world, jess. it's not very stressful, but you might be cold in what you're wearing.
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