BAD ADS!

So this Coke “energy drink” with the ad “#ShowUp for one more episode” … that’s terrible! There are so many things “wrong” with that … I don’t really even know where to start! First of all, you should not be drinking an energy drink to stay up; it is a different matter if you are drinking it in the morning to get energy for work or school or during the afternoon to help you get through the day … but just anytime just to keep yourself awake? I was watching a hilarious YouTube video (my apologies because I didn’t “like” it so I seem to have lost it for now!) the other day trying to figure out why everyone was freaking out about this coronavirus (just an FYI – you shouldn’t really be – just be cautious) and the creator of the video made a comparison with the 34 individuals who had died from the coronavirus at that time by stating that 100,000 people had died of heart disease in that same period of time saying something to the effect of “You can watch the news and freak out about this novel coronavirus and increase your levels of stress, which is one of the biggest risk factors of dying of heart disease!” I laughed so hard (well, as hard as I could with a chest and throat full of phlegm) because it is so true! And the same applies here – LACK OF SLEEP (and lack of sleep for completely STUPID REASONS LIKE STAYING UP TO WATCH MORE TV?!) is stressful on your body … and I will reiterate – stress, of any kind, is a major contributing factor toward the development of heart disease which is STILL THE BIGGEST KILLER OVERALL. So, if you are that exhausted, please TAKE A NAP! And if you are chronically exhausted without legitimate reason, PLEASE SEE A DOCTOR OR OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL ASAP! Secondly, one should really NEVER be watching so much TV that one needs an energy drink to get through it! That is so bad on like … every part of you! Finally, if you have the time to sit through that much TV, please reconsider your life choices and go chase a dream or go volunteer or go spend some time with your kids, &c.! I will end my ranting there for now!

My apologies for this rant but I think one of the most detrimental aspects of our “culture” is this idea that sitting around and staring at a screen indefinitely is somehow okay. There are times when this is true (like when I have been sick … although I spent much more time in bed than I did looking at any screen!), but overall, if you are a healthy, “normal” person, PLEASE look for other things to do! I suppose the obvious exception here is watching educational TV – when I was growing up, my parents only allowed my sister and me to watch educational shows. Our grandmother bought us our first Game System (an SNES … oh geez, that ages me!) and our parents allowed us to play but only NONVIOLENT GAMES and after 30 minutes we had to STAND to play if we wanted to continue with our video games. After another period of time, we had to jog in place. I get the feeling most parents don’t go to any of those lengths today – especially with the prevalence of screens EVERYWHERE! At any rate, I am having a particularly hard time with this one because someone who lives “nearby” stays inside and doesn’t go out for days and days … like not even to get her mail about 20ft outside her door. IT DRIVES ME BONKERS. I believe I have mentioned this in an earlier post, but the one time I ran into her she said “I don’t have any reason to go out … I don’t have money to go shopping! I don’t really have any reason to go out….” and I’m sure the look on my face gave away what was going on inside my head – like … “what are you talking about, lady? Go outside to enjoy the weather, look at the trees, visit the park a block away! Walk down to the Vegan Bakery!” &c. Like … I don’t need a “reason” to go out … I suppose my “reason” is that if I sit on my a$$ inside even for a few hours (if I’m not super sick) I start to get really restless – I need fresh air and my legs need to walk.

I realize that was a totally random rant, but the whole idea of all of this is something I believe plays very much into the total complacency of so many Americans (I cannot speak for the people of other countries) and the idea that just not doing anything is “okay.” It is okay, as I mentioned before, during certain times like when you are sick or if you are having a really bad day and just need to chill for awhile, &c. I get it. But what I just cannot get is justifying watching TV show after TV show that doesn’t really “teach” you anything … it is just so counter- to what I grew up knowing and how I have developed the aforementioned beliefs on my own as an adult.

At any rate, I have much more to talk about and I am JUST STARTING to turn the corner on this flu (day 4 of Tamiflu – thank GOD for vaccinations and for these antivirals!) … although I am still feverish and just exhausted. I hope you are all managing to avoid the flu and other nasty bugs and I hope you are all having a happy and healthy weekend! I hope to be back soon soon soon!

❤ Always, Beth