The Truth About Television

for years i have whole heartedly rejected television. that is, i do not have cable, and i generally watch movies over television when given the choice. i mean, im one of the only people i know who actually says "television" instead of that disgusting abbreviation, tv. but, i will admit, through various means, whether legal or not, i do occaisonally run into shows that i cannot get enough of (minus commercials, the cornerstone of my anti television philosophy). most recently, the two shows i have become enamoured with (or re-enamoured with in one case) are house and scrubs. and as i have sat here, making excuses for watching both of these shows when i actually have schoolwork to do, forcing myself to stay up very very late to get schoolwork done, or missing swimming like i am tonight, i realised a solemn truth about the television shows that do, somehow, manage to grab me. the fact is, the shows that do break their way through my enormous resistance, are shows that bring me hope. i know that most medical shows (or law shows, or crime shows or whatever) are not very realistic and so on, but there's something about the lessons that soothe me. there's something about watching fake people accomplish everything that i have set out to accomplish and learning their little scripted lessons along the way that make me feel better. and even, i hate to say it, inspire me. and for those 22 or 42 minute time frames, i find a way sometimes to believe in myself and what i do. to believe that i will one day reach out and take that medical degree, because right now, i sit here surrounded by my life and i am slowly building my staircase and climbing it at the same time