I overdosed on politics last week. It was probably the back-to-back conventions that did it. It’s not that I watched either one of them (because I didn’t) but my favorite late-night talk shows were all doing special convention-related episodes, and my Facebook feed was dominated by political articles and opinions.
Over the last few months, I’ve read and watched a great deal of the Presidential race coverage and have taken turns being fascinated, amused, and appalled. But it has become too much. I need to pull back.
In that spirit, I’ve done three things:
- I’m not reading my Facebook feed regularly anymore. The time I might have spent reading the political articles my friends were sharing has been replaced with time on Instagram. My Instagram feed is such a happy place. Most of my contacts are makers, and my home page is dominated by images of knits in progress, coffee breaks, and cozy nooks. It’s the perfect antidote to troubling world events.
- I’m cutting my late-night-tv-time almost in half. I still have one favorite daily show and two weekly shows that I’m keeping an eye on, but I’ve eliminated the other daily show that I like. At least until the hubub dies down, or I am feeling less overwhelmed by it.
- I made a CD. Naturally 😜
If this all sounds a little too much like I’m burying my head in the sand, well, maybe I am just a bit. I think, though, that sometimes you need to tend to your own little corner of the country, and recharge your batteries for a while. Go take a day trip somewhere beautiful – the beach, the mountains, a big city.
That’s what this new playlist is all about: knowing there are problems, knowing that there’s so much noise and negativity to cut through, but taking a breather, getting in the car, and getting out there to experience some of the landscapes that make this country a wondrous place to be.
From the first track, “The Silence” by The Accidentals:
So many theories wrong and soon disproved
So many ideas lost among the feud
So many conversations that are sadly misconstrued
And lost among debate and needless violence
We need the silence
Yep. Sums it up nicely, I think.
Enjoy the music!