I love knowing what’s going on in the world. I listen to NPR for hours each day, compare what I’ve heard with the broadcast television news, and track down stories of interest online.
In a word, I’m a junkie.
I’ve been aware of this problem for years. I limit my subscriptions to newspapers and news magazines for this very reason, and this past year during Lent, I fasted from all news on any medium just to cleanse myself. I was pretty irritable during those weeks.
This past week though, I realized that the problem is getting worse. Here are the symptoms:
1.) Monday at art class I mentioned Iranian president Ahmadinejad by name in a conversation.
2.) This afternoon I recalled from memory the names of several NPR hosts, including Neil Conan on Talk of the Nation, which doesn’t even air in Indianapolis.
3.) But the real kicker is that I had a dream last night that I was giving Saddam Hussein a hair cut and shave.
Ai yai yai!
Thanks — I’ve been spurred on by your blog as well.
you make me laugh and think…and i’ve never even met you. thx.
The thrill of the chase, the interview, the deadline, the byline — I have so many fond memories of my newspaper days. Reimagining journalism in my present situation is an interesting challenge — thanks.
See what compassion you are developing, though?
Anyway, my dear news junkie, I say go with it a little. If you are watching this stuff, use it in your writing… maybe consider more journalistic assignments yourself? Who knows? Maybe someday you’ll get to give Oprah a haircut… well, on paper anyway. 🙂