How I Doth Love the Boob Tube

Watching TV is probably my favorite thing to do.  Scratch that...watching TV is DEFINITELY my favorite thing to do.  I don't like reading, unless in small installments, such as People magazine; I thoroughly enjoy catching up with my friends in Hollywood.  But with the advent of book clubs, I can't help but be left in the dark, except for the light that illuminates from my TV.  I've been thinking lately about why I love TV so much.  They say TV can be bad for you and that books are so much better for you, blah blah blah.  But I'm going to prove otherwise.

1.  For us, it's a ritual...Fran and I make dinner and sit down at the coffee table (I can count on one hand how many times he and I have actually shared a meal at the kitchen table) and continue on the series that we are following.  Currently, our favorite is "Mad Men".  (Other winners that I recommend are "Arrested Development", "Weeds", "The Wire", and more currently, "Parenthood", "Modern Family", and "How I Met Your Mother".)  We pick a series and stick with it to the end.  Positive: We are not quitters.

2.  I get to zone out.  Completely.  I involve myself in a fictitious character's life and follow his hopes and dreams and romanticized life.  Positive: That's just like reading a book, right?

3.  My all-time favorite show is Friends.  I have hundreds of memories of visiting with my best friend at her condo each and every Thursday night while our puppies played together (well before children came into the picture).  We would talk, catch up, and completely focus on our Friends, Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Ross.  We LOVED Friends.  We still watch reruns and call each other up and remind each other of a funny scene that we love.  My favorite episode of all time was "The One with the Embryos" in which the group challenges each other to a healthy game of "Who Knows Who Better?" trivia.  "Chanandler Bong...we steal that TV guide every week!"  Positive: TV makes your friendships stronger.  

4.  We quote TV.  Fran and I use quotes from TV or movies almost daily at our house.  There are some funny ones that just stick.  One of our many favorites is Steve Carell as Andy in "40 Year Old Virgin": "I don't want to cram pimpage."  Or Will Ferrell as Chazz Reinhold in "Wedding Crashers": "Mom!  I want some MEATLOAF!!!"  We even have Reese yell this on days we are having meatloaf.  Sounds strange and out of most contexts, but we do incorporate it into daily conversation.  Positive: Watching TV improves your memory and your recall ability.

I'm a proud supporter of the boob tube.  I think it's a fabulous device.  (Disclaimer: I do not feel the same way about it for Reese, though.)  MTV has been advertising for years, "I want my MTV."  I'll settle for simply, "I want my TV."