NEDA Week: The Media

There are some crazy facts about how the media has become such a powerful influence on us, myself included.  I actually don't watch the news anymore because it is too disturbing to me.  There aren't enough "smile stories" shared.

I also know how much I push myself because I don't look like those I see on television, I'm too different.  I don't like what I do to myself. I don't like how I let the media's decisions on what is "pretty" or "beautiful" impact my own choices.

Yet, I'm the only one with the power to change my mind.

I'm working on it.

Are you?

Change

I loved the TV show The Wonder Years.  I loved following Kevin Arnold as he meandered his way through adolescence and puberty.  His family was very down to Earth, and reminded me much of my own - three children, always enough money, but never an abundance.  I kind of wished that I could have been in their family, because at least in the 30 minute episode, the ending always came to some complete conclusion, wrapping things up in a way that didn't always make a happy ending, but sure made things simpler.

Anyway, this quote stands out to me, especially right now, because I'm both fighting the new changes that are necessary at this point in my life, and also fighting the old ways that needed to be changed anyway.  Change is for sure never easy.

I know that while the recent changes in my life have left me reeling, and sometimes hanging by a very fine thread, yet they've also been very necessary as a part of my growth in recovery and overall.  It's as if I'm fighting to start fresh, yet fighting to stay the same all at the same time.  Almost frustrating, actually.  Or, if I'm being honest, it's really frustrating.  Being in that space where you know what you're doing is necessary, but you hate it at the same time?  Yep.  I'm there.  And while I know in the grand scheme of things, this will be a good growth period, right now it just sucks.

Glee: Gone Too Far?

About six weeks ago, I finally sat down and caught up on this season's episodes of Glee.  I really liked the show the first few seasons, and was looking forward to this season.

Tonight, I caught up on a few more episodes.... and I am not impressed, nor am I pleased with one particular story line.  Unfortunately for me, that story line is overshadowing all the great music and great lessons on standing up for yourself and anti-bullying and all that good stuff.

Because Glee has decided to tackle Eating Disorders, and they're doing it in a way that is incredibly disturbing to me.  No one, under any circumstance, should ever encourage someone to engage in eating disordered behaviors.  The joke about binging and purging was not only not funny, it was also dangerous.  No one in their right mind chooses to have an eating disorder, be it bulimia, anorexia, binge eating, or EDNOS, they are nothing to sing about.

Millions of people world wide suffer from life threatening eating disorders, many which go untreated.  As someone recovering from one, I can promise you, eating disorders are nothing to joke about.  Glee, as a show that draws fans from all age groups, made in my mind, a very poor choice.  This is one fan who just crossed over, because Glee, you finally crossed the line.

Week 40: Favorite TV Show

Yikes! This is going to be tough!  Kinda like picking characters that remind me of me, there are just too many choices! Not that I'm a big TV junkie, because I'm not. At least not anymore. I used to have the TV on whenever I was home, just for background noise. I usually kept it on Food Network. Now, I find the background noise to be a bit annoying, and I only watch a select few shows all together.

Dividing this up into current and past might make it a little simpler.

My current/recent favorite TV show is The Big Bang Theory. I can't help but laugh out loud as I watch! I DVR episodes just so I can watch them again and again. Really helps bring a smile to my face on a gloomy day! I am embarrassed to admit that I've probably seen every episode thus far. (Except this week's episode, still haven't watched it, but it's on DVR!)

My two favorite TV shows from the less-distant past are Friends and Gilmore Girls. And yes, I've seen every episode of both of them. I can quote both, too. And I never get tired of the reruns (though there are a few Friends episodes that I've seen so many times....) I wish I lived in a town like Stars Hollow, I loved the small feel of the place. Oh, and the banter between Lorelei and Rory didn't hurt, either.

As for overall most favorite shows?  These two three stem from my oh-so-distant childhood.  Kids Incorporated was a Disney Channel favorite and I loved watching it. I still remember every single word of the theme song, and can hear in my head at the slightest mention of Kids, Inc. (I may or may not have spent way too much money purchasing VHS tapes of the show on ebay.)  Nickelodeon hosted another favorite of mine, which recently came out on DVD, much to my surprise! Hey Dude was about as fake as they come, but I didn't care. I loved being at the Bar None ranch with Kyle and Brad and Mr. Ernst. My weekly escape to the summer vacation of my dreams. Finally, and likely my most favorite show of all time, Punky Brewster tops the list. I wanted her bedroom. I wanted her to be my best friend. I admired her optimism and spunk, despite the challenges she faced.

Ok, so I narrowed it down to six, not too bad considering the list spans 30 years!

Really, Glee? + Follow-up

I know I'm a little behind on fall TV, what can I say, baseball trumps sitcoms this time of year!  Right now, I'm catching up this season's episodes of Glee, and I have to say, I'm rather appalled, actually.  Within the first 3 minutes, they make fun of people with eating disorders.  Within the first 20 minutes, they make fun of people that are overweight and poor.

So far, I'm not impressed.  Instead, I'm about ready to drop the show off my play list.  I don't find it funny to make fun of people, and while in the past seasons, Glee has definitely pushed the envelope, I think they took it too far this season, and it's only episode one.

I don't know that I'll ever understand why people think it's ok to say unkind things about others, about complete strangers, and why it's ok for TV to turn that into humor.  I thought reality TV was bad, but this?  It's getting kind of sad what we value as entertaining sometimes.

I've got 4 episodes DVRd, we'll see how many of them I can make it through without being completely disgusted.  Yes, I realize that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.  This is mine.

**Update**
I've watched 3 of the 4 episodes, and while I'm still not thrilled with how low Glee sunk in their season opener, they haven't sunk that low again.  So while it isn't going to be on the top of my to-watch list, I'll keep DVRing the show, and catch up on episodes when I can.

**Update**
I'm all caught up and ready for the show to resume in November.... I liked this fourth episode the best, so yeah, I'll keep the show on my watch list.  I hope they learned from the horrible lines in the first episode of the season so they don't go *that* route again!