TV show memoirs

I read the other day that creating is a great way to keep your mind active.  For me, I love to create using paper and photos in scrapbooking.  I love creating beautiful music on the piano, with my guitar or using my voice.  I love using this medium to create words that synthesize my experiences or moments that I want to share with others.

Today I'm creating a memoir that is pretty silly, but here it is anyway.  I'm not a TV on all the time person.  My husband is.  Many friends and family members are.  I prefer to only have the TV on when I'm really focusing on it.  Ambient noise is soothing for many, but for me it's distracting.  So, when I do watch the TV, I like for it to be worth my time. 

With NetFlix and the DVR I can be selective on what I watch.  I thought I would chronicle my TV shows from the last few years and just share what I liked or maybe even learned.

Rachael Ray--I've taped her show since #3 was a baby.  Wow--5 years of Rachael.  I'll be honest--I delete many of them and I only watch the segments I want to see, but I've learned how to cook in the last 7 years and much of that is thanks to her show.  She makes me laugh and I watch her while I fold laundry.  If boys wander through, I don't have to worry about missing an important part of the story.

Gilmore Girls--loved this show.  A friend of mine had the first 6 seasons and when my twins were in the NICU for almost 3 months, she loaned me the DVDs.  I would watch episode after episode as I pumped milk for them.  Sweet show.

Little House on the Prairie--so wholesome.  After the twins were home from the hospital, I had to be very cautious about germs due to their tininess.  We were home a lot.  I recorded this show and watched it a lot, especially while nursing.  It was calming, sweet and reminded me to trust God.  These tiny babies would grow and the lonely season in my home would end.  It did.

Monarch of the Glen--silly Scottish show about a Laird running his estate.  Just silly, sweet fun.

The Grand--an actress from the previous show was on this.  It was fun at first but got too dark.  When British TV shows go into WWI I just turn off.  I know it was a sad time, but I like TV to be sweet, fun and entertaining.  I don't want to have nightmares.

McLeod's Daughters--oh my.  I loved this show.  It was an Australian soap opera that ran 8 seasons.  I watched them all.  As far as soaps go, it was maybe PG.  It was about a group of women that ran a ranch.  I actually learned a lot about sheep which is helpful because we have some.  I also learned a lot about organic farming which my husband will tell you wasn't all that based in reality, but they sure made it look cool.  Aaron liked that they used their sheep dog to actually work sheep.  The dog was his fave part of the show.  This show had a bad habit of killing its characters.  The first time was such a shock.  A woman is driving along, has a horrible car wreck and dies.  Oh my.  No warning.  Just dies.  I did notice a trend over the 8 seasons, however.  If  a character was about to leave the show, all of his/her loose ends would be neatly tied up.  I thought that was kind to the audience.

Downtown Abbey--I wanted to love this show.  It really is beautifully done.  I liked the first season, but after that, it's the whole war issue again.  I chose to not get pulled back in.  Just too sad.

Lark Rise to Candleford--this is actually described as a "feel good" show by NetFlix.  So, so sweet.  It's a coming of age story of a girl who grows up just before the Industrial Revolution in a small English village.  She get a job in the post office in the neighboring town and has all kinds of sweet adventures.  Lovely clothing, good morals.  I was sad it was over.

The Pioneer Woman--I so wish she were my neighbor!  She makes cooking look glamorous and just easy.  I've learned a lot from her.  I also love that she makes rural living look sexy and well, normal.  I sent her a fan letter a while back and am honestly disappointed I didn't get a response.  In my mind, I thought she and I would become friends.  I feel like we already are.

And now I'm without a regular show.  I watch some on Food Network and that's OK.  Aaron is pulled into Band of Brothers.  Oh my.  Yes, WWII happened, but watching those episodes just makes me sad.  Luckily, we're getting close to the end of the war.  I'm so glad.

TV can be a medium for sharing truth or it can be as I use it--a happy escape from my reality for a bit.