Like many, I am significantly impacted by the emotions of others. So when a news anchor is raising their voice at a guest or just at the audience in general, using sarcastic tones or just outright stating their opinion, I get antsy. More than antsy.
I will whine and complain until P changes the channel. I often say "I need a break from this stuff babe" when in fact I hear and watch hardly any of it.
My endurance for the uncomfortable has really plummeted. Am I getting older and more set in my ways or just don't want to do the mental exercise it takes to tolerate the info.
I subscribe to Utne Reader. It collects articles and excerpts from various magazines and often on controversial or distressing issues. I usually love it, but I have been avoiding it. It sits lonely on the kitchen table. So sad . . .
I won't even go in to the many non-fiction books I'd like to read, but I'm sure will keep me up at night sooner than a Stephen King novel.
I want to be part of making a change for the better. I really care about healthcare issues, the environment, local politics and policy. But right now I can't balance my emotional response with my action. Time for a break.
1 comment:
oh, B. i can totally relate to your post. i've gotten a little better, but there was a point few months ago that i couldn't watch the evening news that would tell me about the horrendous events for refugees in darfur, or whatever else... i got physically sick and couldn't sleep. i had to stop watching it. i guess it's gotten a little better now, but i wonder if my mental/psych capacity has completely shifted. i blamed it on childbirth, but perhaps it is our age...
anyways, it's okay to take some time off of all this for a little while. it'll get easier to get back into it later on. i'll have to introduce you to some inane korean dramas when i come back to the beantown. :)
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