Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The weather has been dreary the past few days I guess it is the beginning of the rainy season though I was under the impression it didn't start until October. Anyway the other day while I was teaching it started to rain so hard it was almost to noisy to teach. Yesterday morning I meant to buy an umbrella, but forgot so of course, it rained. When I got out of the Metro it was drizzling and I feared another down pour might happen. Luckily it didn't until I got on the bus and by the time I got to Puerto Segunto, the rain had stopped... pure luck and much gratitude. My boss gave me an umbrella just in case.
Now it is rainy and chilly and I am thinking, "What do I wear?".
On a totally different note...
A lot of things have changed in my life over the past couple of years. Some are enormous and quite obvious and others are more discreet or personal. One of the things that has changed is that I barely ever watch TV anymore. This is true for well over a year, not just since I have been here. I just became completely disinterested and nearly disgusted with almost every program I had been watching. It's not the first time this has happened. When I was 21 before I moved to Key West, I was a soap opera addict...lol.. Well, it's true, I think I watched about 3 or 4 a day. It was easy to do because I worked nights and had the house to myself by day. In Key West, I didn't even own a TV and never missed it for 3 years. I think I watch TV most when I am feeling depressed, unmotivated and/or uninspired. I am feeling none of those things now, so watching TV is of little interest to me except it is starting to catch up with me.
There are two reasons I am beginning to feel obligated to watch the boob tube again and the actually contradict each other a bit.
1- Listening to the TV in Spanish is a really good way to practice listening, but it is work. I have to really pay attention to get only a small portion of what is said. The variety of accents makes comprehending some people very difficult. On the other hand, at least I can now recognize there are accents... jaja... for a long time I couldn't tell the difference.
2- I have not been watching the news at all. I have no idea what is going on except the little bits and pieces I hear here and there. I mean I haven't been reading the news, listening to the news or watching it... I guess I just needed a break. Sometimes the news is so overpowering and depressing to me I just can't take it, so I back off. Economic crisis, war, election, hurricanes, bombings, etc... I barely have heard anything since the beginning of July. Guess I need to catch up some.
Another goal starting this week... watch more TV because it can actually be good for me? Yes, it is true. Half an hour a day of EuroNews or BBC and then a half hour a day of something in Spanish. But, to be reasonable I will say 4 or 5 days a week. I just can't bring myself to watch everyday, but I can swing most days. I wish I could say I could watch the Spanish news, but I fear it won't help me get the information I think I need to know but maybe sometimes I will add it to an English speaking news program.
It's time to pay attention to something beyond my immediate world again, there is too much going on for me not to be a part of it.

1 comment:

Patti Gibbons said...

Have you been catching anything about the whole Sarah Palin thing?
Only in America I say.

I agree...most TV is mindless drivel, and even channels like CNN have garbage on it. And, what is happening in the states IS depressing. I have retired friends calling me up afraid of their investments....I am scared to call up AXA to see how much money I lost...and am not sure what to do. Keep contributing and take that money and put it in the bank, and is the bank safe?????

Homework to do but not till after this Buddhist Retreat..a big stretch for me..though not as big a challenge as you have taken on.

xxp