In Other Words

For the last two weeks (or is it three?), I haven’t been feeling well. It’s my annual winter cold that lasts from October to May. My summer cold usually begins in June and ends in September. This one has knocked me for a loop. What does one do when one is not sick enough to go to bed all day but not well enough to do anything productive?

I tried to work on Levi’s big boy Christmas stocking, but it seemed like too much of an effort. I never thought I’d say this but I haven’t felt much like reading either. I had begun a re-read of Jonathan Kellerman’s books, but I only made it through four or five of them. That leaves watching television; not that much effort is required to click the remote.

The problem with daytime television is content. I had my choice of re-runs of bad major network comedies, bad movies on the movies channels, DIY , HGTV, or the cooking channel. Watching the food channel didn’t help my nausea, so I settled for DIY and HGTV. DIY has lots of programs instructing viewers in the art of scrapbooking, knitting, and various other crafty arts. I have no desire to scrapbook; I put all the cards I receive in a box in my closet. I hate to say this but the knitting show projects are just simply ugly. I have no need to make my own handbags, recycle ugly vintage clothing into ugly “chic” attire, and I don’t think Mr. Fixit would appreciate lampshades with buttons, tissue paper, or film strips on them.

I settled for HGTV which broadcasts a remarkable number of house re-do shows. I’m embarrassed to admit that I became addicted to them. They come so fast and furious that I would become engrossed in shows and I just couldn’t change the channel without seeing the finished product.

A number of these shows have “professionals” come in and insult the homeowners and their homes. What has become of civility and good manners? Isn’t there a kinder way of saying “Your house is a mess” without saying “Your house is a mess”? Don’t these “professionals” realize that not everyone is rich and taste is highly individualistic? Who made these people arbiters of good taste?

I feel so bad for the people trying to sell their houses who have these pros come into their homes who don’t seem to realize that most people have to live in those homes while waiting for the sale. Not only the “professionals” are rude; the people who are looking at the houses are even worse. They don’t seem to be able to see past the clutter of family living or the color of the walls. They never comment on anything except the décor of the houses they are viewing, and the comments are always negative to the max.

It makes me wonder why anyone would allow the shows to film in their homes. Is it that 15 minutes of fame? Is that 15 minutes worth enduring the caustic, mean spirited comments? As I have lamented before, civility is sadly lacking in our society. The really sad part is that some people seem to invite the meanness, and many of us get a real charge out of watching people squirm.