the problem is...it's real (relatively speaking)

I figured out why I don't want to watch reality shows anymore. Yes, I must admit that I have been caught, this year, watching some of those dopey dating shows. I don't know how it happens. I watch half an episode and all of a sudden I feel like I know these people, know how they feel, know what would be best for them and must know if they will heed my advise (not that I speak it out loud to the screen or anything).

So I follow the show for a few weeks, or how ever long it takes, and in the end am either frustrated with the dater's choice, or thrilled to see that they were as wise as I was hoping they were. And that, my friends, would be the end of the story if this were a novel or movie or any kind of fictional romance. But that's the problem, these people really do exist, and despite the fact that I've never met them and they have no idea who I am, knowing whom they have chosen is not enough. I now feel the need to know if they actually do get married, or if they break up, how much did the show's editing mess with the truth, if they ever have kids, how their family feels about it...in other words, I feel like they are my friends or family and so I want details when they totally are not and I can never get them! Frustration!

So there is a conflict between knowing it's none of my business, but still feeling entitled to the info since they put themselves on TV in the first place, and yet never being satisfied with what follow up information I can find, since you know it's probably all been pieced together from rumors and half truths. Not to meantion that only like one couple on all those seasons has even made it to the altar! So not cool.

I think it's my empathy working against me. So, since I do not want to follow all these people's lives for the rest of mine, I think I will give up the genre altogether...or if I can't at least I have the consolation that basically anything is better than TV drama. Ick.

puppy bowl

So, anyone who knows my family with any degree of intimacy will know that my parents do not watch that much television including, and possibly especially, sports. As a kid I do remember following the UNLV Rebels basketball team. We would watch games and I'd know the team members' names and watch for them on the court. I'd be impressed with their moves, would cheer when they scored and stew when they lost, loved watching "Tarkanian" bite his towel in between yelling from the sidelines. Then there was some sort of scandal, the team kind of went downhill, I got older and never played basketball, so I gradually lost interest and have never again followed any organized sports team very closely.

Hence you might understand my fascination at the phenomenon that is NFL football and the Super Bowl in particular. The other day, for reasons that may become clear later, I logged on to the TV Guide website to check out what time the Super Bowl was on this Sunday. The game is slotted for three and a half hours from 4:00 to 7:30. Ok fine, I know football games are long, but did you know there's a "pregame show" that starts at NOON! That means they are planning to flap their lips for four hours before the game even starts! Can you say crazy? That's longer than the game itself. Then they have to sum up all the stuff you just watched by having a "postgame" show. However, that is only a modest half hour so I guess that's passable. So anyway.

All this got me thinking how grateful I am that I'm not strug up on football. And grateful that a friend just let me know of a fun alternative. Not that you have to have an alternative or watch any TV at all that day, but should you be curious enough to check it out, there is a little thing called "Puppy Bowl."

It's this show on Animal Planet where they put a whole bunch of puppies on a mini football field and watch them play. They even have a kitten half-time show. SOOOOOO CUTE. Incidentally it is on for almost as long as the Super Bowl (playing twice from 4:00 to 10:00, wow) This is the fourth year it's been on (I think) and they do it kind of to encourage people into getting pets from humane shelters and things like that. I've never watched, but, as much as I'm not sure I'd ever want to own one, puppies are so darling that I am planning to tune in here and there...even if it's only for a few minutes. If you like this little preview, you may just want to join me.



I'll especially have to try and catch the half-time kitty show since I want a cat soooo bad. Happy viewing!

Stacy London

By the way, anyone who's ever seen my most favorite show ever, What Not to Wear, Stacy's grey shock is real. She's had it since she was about 12. Whether or not you see it depends on where her hair is parted. Hm. Cool.