Tired of Bad News

Recently, I decided to keep my iPod in the car, and keep it plugged in and on shuffle. I'm rediscovering music I hadn't listened to in a while, and I always marvel at how music can transport you back to a different time in life. My usual routine was to listen to NPR in the car on my morning & evening commutes to catch the news. I find that I don't miss the news. There was so much BAD news going on...even on NPR, which at times seems to sink to the level of the tabloids and report of things like Tiger Woods' poor life choices, etc. I rarely watch the evening news anymore for the same reasons...who wants to hear about another car bomb, oil spill, child abuse case, home foreclosure or whatever. Call me a bird sticking her head in the sand, but I'm tired of bad news and what feels like the public's thirst for it. What celebrity has recently broken up with a long-term partner, who found out their spouse was cheating, who got plastic surgery, gag, gag, gag.

I have enough stress and issues going on in my own life to read about the downfall of someone else's. I think it's sad that we're all becoming so immune to hearing about death, crime and ghastly acts that we don't even react to it anymore. Everything is so over-reported now that we're just inundated with information, and I for one am stepping back, disconnecting a bit, and opting not to give a shit.

I'd rather watch my daughter run through the sprinkler, listen to some long-lost music, and enjoy the beginning of summer. I'd rather use the time I spent reading on-line blogs & news pages to write a note to my 93 yr old Gram. I've been too caught up in the monotony of my daily life to enjoy what's in front of me, and foster relationships with neighbors, friends and family members. Enough.