March 26, 2021 by Maggie McNeill
Most of my regular readers know that I stay pretty busy all the time, and that it's difficult to get my brain to slow down. I can't just say "I'm going to relax and watch TV tonight" as most people can; my inner nun starts guilt-tripping me about idleness and all the stuff I need to accomplish, and if I could even get past the string of compulsions sometime before 10 PM ("I'll relax right after I wash these clothes. Oh wait, let me do the dishes. Damn, I didn't answer those emails. I have to remember to pay my taxes too.") I'd still be overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. I've grown better at it over the past three years, but it's still so difficult that such downtime is extremely precious to me; accordingly, like hard-earned money, I don't want to waste it on just any old thing. Imagine you were in a restaurant, but only had a little cash and were quite hungry; would you order something you've never heard of before and had no idea whether you'd like? Or would you order a dish that you had eaten before and knew was both delicious and filling? If you're anything like me, the answer is obvious. That's why I'm not really interested in trying out new television shows unless they're short, highly-recommended and part of a social experience with a friend or friends; even if I don't end up liking the show, I only used a few hours and I enjoyed the social experience anyway. No, if I really want to relax, I go with old favorites I've seen before, especially if I've never seen all the episodes or it's been so long since I've seen them it's almost like watching something new (except I know I'm going to enjoy them). Shows like that are like old friends; since I know what to expect, I won't be disappointed. And in a life that has been burdened with far too many disappointments and far too little comfort, the best surprise (as the old commercial said) is no surprise.