Stacy is the author of the novel "The Luggage Drop," a riveting story about mental illness, unconditional love and hope. She's also the author of the self-help guide "Simply 1 Mom's Thoughts About Coping When an Adult Child Lives With Mental Illness." View all posts by Stacy King
Is it just me or do you too like to look at the backgrounds the news anchors, hosts, correspondents, reporters and guest interviewees use? For me, it's like a new form of therapy during this time of unrest. And I enjoy it because it's an escape.
Almost every time...well...okay...every time I watch a TV news story, I get a little distracted because I'm focusing on what's behind the person, literally. I'm like, "Okay, she has books on a floating bookshelf. That's cool. Oh...and I really like her fireplace. I like that it's placed in the center of the room. And I wonder what that piece of art, sitting on the mantle, is?"
And I try and pull my husband into the game.
I'm like, "Do you see that book tower? Wow! Cool...right? I think it would work for that space we're talking about. What material do you think it's made of? Wood? Metal? Let's make this our next DIY project! "
What's more is that a pattern is evident.
Behind most interviewees are bookshelves filled with books. I've seen wall-to-wall bookcases, bookshelf ladders, bookshelf towers, bookshelf trees, and floating bookshelves to name just a few. And some interviewees have their own book strategically placed on a nearby bookshelf. What else have you noticed?
Regardless of how elegant, fun or unique the backdrop is, at the end of each news story, I'm left with a question that seems impossible to answer.
Is the background real or is the person using an image?
And the answer is...drum roll please...
It's a mystery, usually, unless you are the person on the TV screen or someone else in the know-or an animal or child enters the picture. And that's what makes analyzing video broadcast backgrounds therapeutic for me. The power of distraction leads me down the path of creativity and helps drown out some of the negative noise occurring in the world today.
