Ever since this whole virus scare began with minute-by-minute updates and charts and graphs of what-ifs, my attention span has gone from an average of about 58% down to 24ish%. For those without awesome math skills like myself, that is BAD. That is probably worse than trying to home-school a six-your-old after he’s eaten a healthy breakfast of Captain Crunch with a side of gummy bears.
When we had young kids, the experts used to say you shouldn’t let your children watch more than four hours of television a week. It didn’t engage their minds like a good book. It would turn them into little zombie couch potatoes. Now, adults are binge watching entire series in one sitting. We’ve all become giant zombie couch potatoes. Thank goodness for the pause button, right? Snacks. Bathroom breaks. Change into stretchy pants after that last bowl of ice cream.
I’ve watched so much British and Aussie television in the past few months that I sound like a Cockney orphan shipped to Australia for stealing bread. While this viewing may be educational in a broad since of the term, it is mostly a diversion from all the terrible news lately. And who doesn’t feel better when they realize there is nothing new under the sun? According to some historically based shows that haven’t been deleted from available programming yet, rioting, pillaging, slavery, plagues, murder and mayhem started across the ocean long before America was even a country.
Wait. What was I talking about?
Oh yeah. It’s not just the hours of television that is destroying my attention span. It’s those short little online video clips. Everyone and their three-legged dog have a Facebook live or YouTube following now. Since all celebrities, news reporters, and political pundits are so very important to America’s continued health and happiness, they have to report and entertain from the safety of their homes. Or does that just mean they aren’t important enough to be classified as necessary? Hmm.
Anyway, we are bombarded with sometimes humorous, but often just I’m right and you are wrong rants on politics, race, global warming, masks, party hats, or what type of fake meat goes best with kale. It’s easy to get sucked in. You start to watch and an hour later you’ve seen so many clips of crazy nonsense you can’t remember what day it is or why you’re here. It’s almost as though you’ve been body snatched by one of those alien spacecrafts, probed, and then put back on the couch with no memory of the time elapsed.
Why am I here? Oh yeah!
During my lucid moments, I have been working on the next Double Barrel Mystery. I think it will be worth the wait. Although, it is taking a bit longer than I anticipated. I haven’t finished the last season of… just kidding. I am diligently writing Blake and Shelby’s next case right this minute. Well, maybe not right this minute, because I’m writing this blog post first. But as soon as I’m done here, I will be off to write the next chapter in my upcoming novel.
I hope to have it available late summer or early fall. Stay tuned, fellow couch potatoes!
Thanks for stopping. Leave a comment and let me know how you’ve been managing during this strange time. Any good shows or books to suggest? 🙂
Barbara
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Yup. Yup. Yup. We can all relate.
I’m really looking forward to the next in the Double Barrel series! 🙂