No News is Good News

I’ve stopped watching the news, and man does it feel good!

I wish that I could say my reasons were philosophical – or maybe political – but my news moratorium came about almost by chance. First, my favorite nightly news program changed its introductory music. Tuning in just wasn’t the same without that “dun dun dun-da!” introduction. I tried a different channel but its news was just one long advertisement for its website (besides, I’m not big on perky newscasters).

At first I skipped just a few nights, then I took on a huge writing project and found that I could use that extra thirty minutes each evening. Then, while I was writing a column about preparing for tax time, I realized how extraordinarily unorganized all my paperwork was, so I decided to use my extra half hour each evening to get my act together (in terms of paperwork, at least).

I don’t miss the news one bit. My sense is that if there is something I really need to know, I’ll hear about it. In the meantime, I know that things are bad in many parts of the world; I realize that public schools are failing; I’m pretty sure that the price of gas will continue to fluctuate on a weekly basis (thank goodness I drive a Zipcar); and the weather… well, as I’ve written here before, there’s a lot of weather out there. On the good news side: scientists will continue to make breakthroughs; people will commit amazingly kind and generous acts; the underdog will sometimes win; and the weather will get better.

Thirty minutes a day adds up to almost 200 hours per year. Wow! I could finish my book, learn a language, or take 365 two-mile walks. I like all this newfound time, and I’ve noticed I’m less stressed, to boot.

What would you do with 30 extra minutes every day? I have some suggestions. First, call your mom. That’s a great way to spend time and moms have a way (at least mine does) of putting a good spin on whatever is going on in life. Next, it might be time to plan a dinner party (starting at 6:30 p.m. when you are not watching the news). Check out the deals at Sur La Table (love those red plates!). If you need a little help in the cooking department, you can always order from AKA Gourmet. But if you’d prefer a cookbook to assist you in cooking on your own, Amazon.com has everything from Betty Crocker to The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics (and yes, my friends, I do have that one).

I’ll be writing more about how to enjoy an extra 30 minutes a day. In the meantime, enjoy your dinner party!

Until next time,

Conna