Breaking up, it’s hard to do…

I like being busy. Not too busy, mind you, but busy enough that I feel productive and like I’m connecting with people as well as serving in some regular way. Balance, you know. It’s all the rage. But one of my favorite ways to relax is to keep up with certain TV shows. Here’s my quandary: my time is limited but I’m a person who is loyal to a fault. I have a hard time quitting things. I always think that a better episode is right around the corner. I’m in those writer’s corner Rocky-style. (It’s the eye of the tiger it’s the thrill of the fight…)

Here’s what usually happens. There comes a point where a show will pile up and languish on my DVR because I simply don’t care about the characters and/or plot lines anymore and I’m forced to reassess. It goes against every fiber of my being, but sometimes you have to eliminate the dead weight out of your life so you can move forward, and recently I found myself in just such a situation.

So I took a bold step. I broke up with several shows that I previously had a fairly committed relationship. They are (in no particular order):

1. Hart of Dixie. I hung in here a long time with this show. First of all, I’m fairly certain that they shoot on the former Gilmore Girls set. Secondly, I’m a fan the cast: Rachel Bilson from way back in the O.C. days, Scott Porter from Friday Night Lights, and Tim Matheson from West Wing? Smashing! Plus, the show is about a high-falutin’ city doctor who gets stuck in a small southern town and has to battle culture shock as she tries to make a place for herself. That seems right up my alley. But I just couldn’t do it anymore. Each episode was like a caricature of real life with outlandish escapades, predictable trajectories, and shallow relationships. When you watch a show and your primary reaction is to roll your eyes? Well, that’s not good for anyone involved. So I had to tell them: “It’s not me, it’s you.” And then I hit delete.

2. The Michael J. Fox Show. I really tried to like this show, I promise you. I’m a huge Michael J. Fox fan, both in life and on television. Have you seen him on The Good Wife? He’s just so phenomenally talented. But I could not get into this. The comedic timing just seemed a bit off and I found the supporting cast unendingly annoying. I’m sorry, Michael. I just think we need some time apart. Like, a loooong time.

3. New Girl. I found the first season completely hilarious. The second season took a turn for the worst, but I clung to the hope that things could turn around for Jess and the crew. Finally, I just had to face facts: the ratio of funny to the ratio of the ridiculous and inappropriate was too lopsided for me to continue. Sorry, guys. I just need some “me” time. Don’t call me, I’ll call you.

On the Bubble: I’m now 15 episodes behind on Revolution. Partially, I stopped watching because I wasn’t sure if this would follow the path of other shows of this ilk…you know, where they air a short season and then cancel it leaving all plot points hanging in the wind? It was self-protection, pure and simple. Then I got so behind that I felt I would never be able to catch up. And here we sit. I have it on good authority that the show gets much better, so I’ll probably plug away at it at some point.

On Again/Off Again: Watching The Voice is an interesting exercise for me. I can’t get enough of the audition round all the way through the knock out round. But when we hit the live shows? I couldn’t care less about 85% of the contestants. It’s really the interaction between the judges and seeing them work with the artists that I find the most interesting. During the live shows, however, everything becomes a big love-fest because rarely will a judge give a criticism of a performance. And that’s just plain irritating. To save myself some time and pain, I fast-forward to the performances by the few contestants that I liked. Then when they are all eliminated, I stop watching. So far this strategy is really working for me.

Have you broken up with any shows lately? Or tried any new ones that you like?

XOXO,

Amy

Things that Make a Saturday Happy

1. Sleeping in. I love the feeling of waking up naturally and not with the aid of the most annoying sound in the entire world: an alarm clock.

2. Quality Time with my DVR. My weeks are generally pretty full, so kicking back and catching up “The Sing-Off” or “Hart of Dixie” keeps me from the startling reality of hitting 98% on my DVR. And the more startling realities that I can rid from my life, the better.

3. Lazy reading. I’ve got a stack of books a mile and half long, but banishing that from my mind and instead thumbing through the latest Real Simple or Anthropologie catalog makes me happy. Or, finishing a good book that is not (necessarily) work related.

4. Time to Cook or Bake. There are so many things in my life/job that comprise a never-ending set of things to do. The opportunity to be creative and cook something that doesn’t come out of a bag or a microwave? There’s something satisfying about that!

5. Shopping. I know it’s weird, but I LOVE to grocery shop. I especially like wandering up and down each row looking for inspiration or comparing this and that. Grocery shopping was the first thing I did out of college that made me feel like an adult. The freedom to buy Fruity Pebbles if I want them? AWE. SOME. Unfortunately, my week doesn’t always allow a leisurely pace down the aisles, but guess what? Saturday does!

6. Hanging out with friends. If that includes games, all the better! Movies, shopping, chatting, eating…it’s all infinitely more exciting with friends. And since most people have Saturdays off, it seems like a logical day, eh?

7. Rocking out to my music library. And also trolling for new music based on iTunes recommendations. Since my iPod only holds so much of my music, home is the only place where I can choose whatever I want to listen to. And if a new mix comes out of that time? Well, you won’t hear me complaining.

8. Crafting. Being that there’s scant weeks until Christmas, I’m woefully underprepared on supplies for this one. But there’s always next Saturday!

9. Catching up with friends and the fam. Time differences suck! But, this magical day makes it easy to talk with my peeps during the daytime hours with no time limit. Yay! Double yay!

10. Undertaking and finishing an organizing project. Sometimes it’s the tupperware cabinent (canNOT understand why it doesn’t stay organized, making this a more frequent job than I’d like), sometimes its a bookshelf. Sometimes it’s cleaning out my drawers. Still. I love a job well done and it always looks so pretty when its nice and neat!

Mostly, I mix and match each week for optimum fun and fabulousness.  And yes, sometimes I have to do the grown-up thing and not do any of these things on a weekend…but the fact that they are all waiting for me the next weekend? Priceless. 🙂