Crankiness Sets In

Double whammy today. It was pouring down rain. When it rains, all I want to do is curl up on the couch with my favorite blanket and read or watch a good "Law and Order" marathon. I'm not a rain person, it does something to my psyche. So it was hard to resist temptation but I did.

At this point, it's a test of will. As much as I'm appreciative of the lesson I've learned about the evils of television and as much as I now know I have spent too much time at the tube, I really want to watch some TV. There's nothing virtuous about my not watching. Now it's just a competition with myself. I set out out to not watch TV for a week and even if it kills me I will achieve this goal. But I'm already having visions of being blurry eyed on Tuesday from watching nonstop Monday night.

That said, I really don't think I will go back to my old ways. I don't think I can or even want to give it up all together but I do want to cut way back. I used to not have a TV in my bedroom and I read all the time before bed. Now (not this week, of course) I have gotten into the habit of setting the sleep timer and falling asleep to the TV. It got to the point where I felt I couldn't fall asleep without it. Now, I've learned I don't need the TV to fall asleep so I'm going to go back to reading before bedtime or writing in my journal.

The second part of the double whammy was the arrival of Us magazine number two. Why, oh why, did this have to be one of those weeks when two arrive in close proximity? It's a test. I put it on top of the other one. It will have to wait for another day.

Oh, and I guess it really was triple whammy because blind date made me want to break the fast. All I could think about the whole date was how I'd much rather be home, curled up with Lucy and a good book.

Internet dating sucks. Sucks majora. That's all I have to say on that topic. Except, did I mention that blind date kept his mirrored sunglasses on all evening (we were inside) so I looked at myself the whole date? I have to admit, I looked pretty good, I love my new outfit. But it was a little disconcerting and offputting, to say the least.

Tomorrow will be a big test of the media deprivation. It's my favorite NPR day. But I have to finish my painting and I have an idea for a new one so hopefully that will keep me occupied.

Oh, one more thing I've noticed from this experiment. Usually, when I'm fixated for hours in front of the TV, I'm on one end of the couch and Lucy is laying at my feet on the other end. Well, this week, I have not been on the couch and I can tell that Lucy is out of sorts. Not only has this affected my routine, but hers as well. She doesn't know why I'm not sitting with her and she's not sure where to settle herself. She doesn't like change.

Who does?