Teen Flicks, Horror Movies and Family

While I'm traveling around the country over thanksgiving break, I'm stopping in on family members who have access to television. Since I quit watching it, I've noticed a few things about myself when I do watch it.

I'm so much more materialistic when I watch tv. Those commercials makers target me and I take the bait, hook, line and sinker. I sit there and believe that if I don't shop for Old Navy sweaters on black Friday my kids will suffer tremendous loss.

My stress load is increased when I watch tv because I believe I should look like the models and I should bake all the goodies that are advertised. It is not possible to do both, but television doesn't tell you that.

Last time I watched television on a regular basis, I don't remember comedians talking about beastiality. Plenty of other vices, but innocent animals were left out of it. When you watch TV regularly, your senses are dulled on an incremental basis. When you quit for a while and come back to it, you are shocked by the blatentness of it all. I remember when Gone With the Wind came to my home town when I was a kid and my Dad debated allowing me to see a movie with one swear word in it. I remember the thrill of the moment when Clark Gable actually said, "Frankly my dear I don't give...", You know the rest. Last night when the comedian brought up beastiality, my brother-in-law protested that usually this was such a good show. His actually words were, "It isn't THAT bad". I hate being the party pooper and it is even worse when others percieve me as "Holier Than Thou" but don't I have a right to shelter myself as much as others have a right to what they deem entertainment?

Currently, I'm at my brother Matt's house. My boys are glued to a skateboarding contest. Their cousin threatens them with Elmo. My vote it America's Funniest Home Videos. But you can only watch poor innocent men get hit in the crotch so many times before you change the channel.

I have to say, I bonded over a freaky teen flick with my little brother. All the teachers were aliens. We had to chase my innocent son from the room occasionally and eventually watching the worms under one teens skin was too gross to continue. I only watched 10 minutes of the movie and knew exactly how it would end. But I can't get that worm face out of my head. That is the problem with me. If I see something scary, gross or sexual, it stays in hy head forever. And it isn't pleasant. My little 14 year old niece told me how all she watches is horror movies. I seriously don't get the attraction.