Losing my mind !

[Tom]

I have just about quit watching TV or listening to the radio because of the inability to be entertained.  The radio disc jockys talk so much and talk over their music so much that I can't enjoy their show.  They don't seem to understand that I tune in to hear the music, not to listen to their inane chatter.

Talk Radio is the only place I can get some company on the long drive to work or while eating dinner.

The new TV shows have actors and actresses that talk 90 to nothing and run each others lines into one another to the point that there is no pause to think about what is being said.  It is shear frantic behavior.

The cameramen, or perhaps it is the director, has decided that it is important to show as many different scenes per second as they get on the screen with no regard to the ability of the viewer to comprehend what is being shown.  Flashes back and forth between folks having a conversation so frequently that you lose track of who's talking.  Advertisements where the cars are shown 4 and 5 views per second.  Scenery in Vacation spots shown so quickly that you are left wondering if it is in Hawaii or Maryland.  Advertisements that never mention a product name, picture a product or give you any indication as why they have used the commercial time,  baffles and irritates me no end.

SitComs that can't get a line on the air without canned laughter.  (Has always been a pet peeve of mine)  Why do those who create this stuff think it is so sorry that they have to let us know they have told a joke.  Maybe it's that they think we are too stupid to understand that the writer has just told a joke.  grrrrrrrr

Movie theaters that BLAST your ear drums with decibals of sound likened to a railroad engines air horn have caused me to avoid the institutions..

Bring back the Horse Operas, the live audiances, the actors who can make you laugh or cry, the comedians who can tell a joke without turning the air blue with foul language, the news shows that can report world news in 10 minutes without 30 minutes of chit-chat, weather men (meteorologist) who don't give you quizes about their profession,  newsmen who give the public credit for being able to understand what the President has told us without elementary school level explanations.

Grrrrrrrr.....I'de read a book if I could find a good one.  About all I see on the shelf is gory Sci Fi, romantic novels and kiss and tell.  None of which interests me.  

That leaves fishing and sawing wood.  That would be a busman's holiday........sawing after dark for entertainment before I go to bed so I can be relaxed for a hard day's work.

 >:( I don't think I have ever used this emoticon before.  >:(

Now I know this has nothing to do with Forestry or logging, or sawing but I need help.  That's why the General Board has the note "You can talk about anything you want in here". I hope. :-/

[Jeff]

Wow thats a lot of typing just to use a cetain smiley. What will you have to type to post a   ?   :D

[J_T]

My vote goes to you . I hunt wood sites of a night to miss all of that stuff. Lots of knowledge and entertainment right here.

[psychotic1]

The subject of this topic presupposes you ever had a mind tom.  After reading about some of the things you did as a kid, I'm wonderin about that now.

Some of us like science fiction, though I'll admit the gore and inanity of the recent crop leaves something to be desired. (like a plot, maybe?)  Thankfully, I've got several boxes of good stuff from back in the days when blood was something disturbing to read about, and not a necessary descriptive device.

What to do of an evening?  Well, I'll tell you.  If I was somewhere I could see the stars at night, I'd get me a telescope and start looking "out there".  Seems to me, it'd be awfully fun to check out the face of the moon through a good 'scope.  And there is always something worth looking up on the net.

Bruce

[Tom]

You have every reason to wonder about how much mind I started out with......I do the same sometimes when I think of my escapades. :D

Being a SciFi nut I have boxes of paper backs too.  Even had an instructor in high school who wrote the stuff.  I like the space exploration/adventure type stuff the most but get turned off by  Pet Semetary type.

The Telescope is a good suggestion.  I have one and do use it. Not as much as some but enough to appreciate the speed at which the moon screams across the night sky.

The Net is a good place for entertainment also.  That is my "Safety Net". :D

I just wish there were some story tellers left on the mass media that didn't rely on mechanical and electronic devices or actors eaten up with a narcisus complex to get a story told. It might even help if there were some story tellers.

[Bud Man]

So you like story tellers huh???     Get yourself one of those vcr things and tape those daytime shows.  You might of heard of some of them ::Jenny Jones, Oprah,  Jerry Springer,,,,etc.  They are so uplifting to those few of us that dont suffer the same maladies.   And for late night , theres nuthing more satisfying than WRASSLING-----Charlie--Better rethink March 8 quitting Big Blue unless you create a plan quick!!!!

[Gordon]

In this world of fast everything, a true artform is slowly fading away. The art of story telling. Hope I'm wrong but think about it, in this day and age it seems we don't have time to cook or relax let alone take the time to tell a good ole story.

Gordon

[psychotic1]

I've always put S. King in with the horror writers.  I'll admit, it's not the same as the "Jason" and "Freddie" crap that keeps getting recycled year after year.  He, at least could tell a story.

Most of the "newer" stuff I read, I find out about from Analog.  I just dug a box of stuff out that had a couple of years worth of backissues, and I'm enjoying them thoroughly.  Getting harder and harder to wade through the crap that the publishing companies puts out to find the jewels.  I've found over the last ten  years or so, fantasy has taken over the genre.  Seems like all the folks who were calling me a wierdo in high school are jumping on the band-wagon,  I've heard people I KNOW didn't go tell me they've seen the original star wars 50 times.  Just kinda sticks in my craw.

Who was your teacher, with a little luck I might recognize the name.

I think I would have to put Bob Heinlein at the top of my authors list, followed by Roger Zelazny. (both dead now a'course)

I've been without tv now for about 3 months, and really haven't missed it.  Wouldn't mind seeing some of the olympics, but that's what public radio is for.  I'll keep thinking about a new hobby for you.  heh heh heh

Bruce

[Papa Dave]

Tom, I agree with you. The TV and Radio shows today are terrible. Not to mention that they gear their material to a 12 year old level. And when I don't get it, then I am really insulted.

If you must watch TV, try HGTV. It has a bunch of mindless woodworking and gardening shows.

[Corley5]

"Pet Semetary" I don't believe was one of King's better works.  He likens his books to a "Big Mac and fries" and feel they shouldn't be compared to real literature .  He does tell a good story.  His newest one, Black House, done with Peter Straub and a continuation of the "Talisman" is really good.  He says he's going to retire after the release of the rest of the "Dark Tower" series and another novel.  He's afraid that he is beginning to repeat himself.

[Bibbyman]

The problem is, TV is not about entertaining,  it's about marketing.  Me and you Tom are too old to market to.  I heard some economist blather over getting the 16-28 year old women back into the stores to shop.  Without them buying stuff, we are not every going to get out of this recession - was their take on it.  Said these women accounted for something like 5% of the income but made up 45% of the retail spending. (or some ratio like that).

We bought a Dish so I can watch old Westerns and the Little Rascals. :D  Mary likes a few cooking and sewing shows.  And we watch Bill O'Ralley on Fox (but sometimes we have to shut that off because of the fighting.)

Tom,  a mind is a terrible thing to lose.  Hope you find it back.

[L. Wakefield]

   For TV we have satellite- I like Nat. Geographic, selected movies, CNN at times, the Weather Channel (really!)- a special recently on tornadoes with some of the most AWESOME footage I've ever seen. Then there's my animals altho they get a bit disgruntled if I want to go down and keffeeklatsch after dark..they'll take food but the cows don't really want to talk..you could cook down a few trees- more about that later- I just saw a cd advertised that has 3000 (!) books on it- don't want to buy it off the net tho..

   I second the net suggestion- it's one of my favorite playplaces- the world's most gigantic reference library. Lots of good people.

   Are you town or country down there on the swamp fringes? I do rescue and it doesn't quite but could overlap with things like the Lion's club. There can be a fair amount of cameraderie as well as community service stuff that can make a person feel good and not isolated if that were to your liking. Around here people do snowmobiling and go hand out up to no good til all hours. That would go kinda dry down your neck of the swamp tho- air boat maybe? :D :D :D   lw

[RavioliKid]

Tom,

I'm sorry to hear you're so irritated and bored. I know the feeling.

I just have one thing to suggest that I don't think anyone has suggested yet. You might want to have your hearing tested and your ears looked at. Maybe you have some congestion or a mild hearing loss that is causing the boring and tedious stuff that passes for entertainment to be even worse that it has to be.

I know what you mean about people talking too fast. I am working hard with my student teacher to get her to s-l-o-w down. I want the kids to actually listen to what she says and not just to sit quietly while she says it. (Although I would almost settle for having the kids sit there quietly!)  :D

Have you tried books on tape? My father and I listened to "The Prince and the Pauper" read by Carl Reiner last summer on our big trip. It was great and it made the miles pass so fast.

[CHARLIE]

Tom, that's why they put on/off buttons on TVs and Radios, so's you can turn 'em off and not listen to their drivel. Now, here is what you do. I do it and it works for me.
1) Get out all your old records and record your favorite tunes onto cassettes. Get the 90 minute ones as the 120 minute ones are too thin and will get tangled in the player. You can also tape your Brother Dave records and Andy Griffith ("What it was was football"). Now, once you do that, you can play them going to work, during work and going home from work and their ain't no DJ that's going to interrupt you when your singing along.
2) Buy some Garrison Kiellor tapes. If you like good clean and funny stories, you'd like him. He has a fantasy town here in Minnesota called Lake Wobegone and he tells story after story of the happenings there. It's where the women are strong and the men are good looking and all the children are above average. Then when you ain't listening to music, you can listen to some good clean stories.
3) You can rent VHS movies DanG cheap. So either you or your wife swing by whatever store rents 'em and pick up a movie or so to watch. They even have some old old classics too. Like African Queen and Casablanca. Put them in your VCR and you can watch the whole movie at whatever volume you want with no interruptions.
4) Get yourself a flat rock and hang it on a rope outside a window where you can see it. If the rock is dry, it ain't raining. If it's wet, it is either raining or just quit raining. If it's white, it's snowing.  If it's moving, it's  windy. This method is just as accurate as a weatherman's prediction.

There.....problem solved. I've got to quit typing here. My dog (chocolate lab) is snoring so loud I couldn't think if I could think. :

[Phil]

Yeah, I've had those kinds of days, too.

Speaking of television, my wife and I got rid of our cable service two years ago, when we were first venturing into the realm of self-employment.  Never invited it back.

As far as television goes, though, one channel that I make it a point to watch whenever I visit satellite-wielding relatives is the Travel Channel.  Excellent, excellent programming on there (good enough to pull you out of the blahs), with the exception of those Best Waterparks and Most Haunted Castles type of shows.

Other tips for combating boredom -- for what they're worth -- might be:

* Use those small-diameter oak logs left over from the TSI for shiitake mushroom production.  (Thinking of starting a new thread on this.)

* Learn a new language, either through a community college or on your own, with a textbook and cassette tapes or a CD-ROM program.

* Build a small and simple hydroponic system with PVC pipe and an aquarium pump, so you can grow lettuce and tomatoes indoors all winter.

* Expand your current trade, or prepare for a post-retirement job:  take a real estate course, study to become an arborist, etc.

* Buy a notebook, and begin a "Collection of Lists."  Ex:  Things I will never learn to like:  crunchy peanut butter, Gatlinburg, clogging, "Full House" reruns, Homelite chainsaws, and so on and so forth.

* Perfect a rugged outdoorsman skill, such as Dutch oven cookery or fly casting.

Just some thoughts.  Hope the silver lining shows up for you soon.

Phil

[Jeff]

Phil'

I like it! You should put your tips for combating boredom in our knowledge base. Link is at the top of the page.

The travel channel is one of my top channels if not thee top.

Followed by HGTV, Learning Channel, The Discovery channel, The History Channel, National Geographics channel  and of course a couple three specific programs on PBS, Nova, Antiques Road Show and Discover the World of Science hosted by Alan Alda. Ya just gotta love those ping pong ball competitions that MIT develops.

What's wrong with crunchy peanut butter?

Also, lying here on my desk is Stephen King's Different Seasons, which includes the short Story "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" One of the few movies that I saw before I read the book.

Another author I enjoy for the technical aspects of his writings would be Michael Crichton.

[Tom]

Thanks for all the interest in my anger at the entertainment industry.  I guess I didn't get across what I intended because I am anything but bored.  Having retired in '88 was only an entry into years where I have been the busiest.  Funny how you will work so hard for yourself.  It has a lot to do, I think, with trying to appease oneself with a quantity of work that meet one's own expectations.  I would never expect someone else to put this kind of time and effort in my business but, for some reason, I never become satiated.

My ire with the TV shows is that the actors, directors and advertisers have gotten so full of themselves that they have forgotten that the audience must understand  the dialogue to follow the story.  When actors talk fast and leave no space between each others lines, they are getting a lot of a story in a very short period of time but are losing an audience who is not given enough time for the  lines to sink in. They don't allow the viewer to think.

Quick changing photographic images do the same thing.  Its unfortunate that it is thought that video today must be composed of 2 to 4 different images per second or keep beat with the music.  It's not just auto advertisers that do it, it's the shows themselves.  I have considered the fact that my age my have numbed my senses and caused me to not be able to comprehend as readily as I once did.  That's not the case though since I have no problem with many shows and none with real life associations.  It's the "new" way of entertainment I guess like music goes through changes.  Big band to rock to folk to country to types of rock and now Rap.  Boy, is that hard to whistle too.

[Ron Wenrich]

I don't seem to have the same problems as everyone else.  Maybe it is from being isolated most of the day, never seeing any people, or having any conversation that lasts more than 5 minutes.  I find the radio and the TV to be a companion.

As for radio, I listen to NPR, Howard Stern, and a local talk show that is more like people sitting around a stove, chewing the fat.

I have never had cable.  I find PBS to have some interesting fare.  Has there ever been any real entertaining stuff on the main channels?  They've used canned laughter since the late '50s.  

The news has always been reported just the same.  It doesn't make any difference if it is Walter or Dan, Chet & Dave or Tom.

When we go on vacation, we usually have a place that has cable.  For that week, it is a novelty, at first.  Later in the week it is just there.  Cable ain't worth the money they are charging.

As for story telling, I believe Spielberg has done an admiral job.  But, instead of using words on a page, he uses the pallete of the film.  That's not to say that every film made today is worthwhile.  Neither is every book.

As for music, I don't like what is being played on most stations.  Currently like Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovett, Gordon Lightfoot, and Sheryl Crow.  And if things get real tough, I'll just break out a guitar or dobro or pedal steel and play something.

I remember hearing the same complaints 30 years ago.  It sounded exactly the same, except they came from my Dad.  Television was worthless, kids didn't know how to work, etc.  I'm sure his dad had the same complaints and my kids will have the same complaints about their kids, when they get older.  Must be some rite of passage as we get older.

I've heard it been said that if you're bored, it is because you do boring things.  Many things are mundane, you just have to figure out how to keep them interesting.

The hardest thing is not to become a fossil.  As Bob Dylan once said, "the times they are a changin."

[Bruce]

Tom:

An interview with GOD might brighten up your day http://168.143.173.209/IWGnet.swf

followed up with some pretty good classical music at:

http://www.prairiehome.org/performances/20000115/index.shtml

[Don P]

Todays' music ain't got the same soul, that's for sure. I worked in a plant where we had a nice stereo system and could bring in tapes. The rap craze started and we did our best to be tolerant, but one day one of the guys snapped. There was a little electrical sound followed by silence and electronics all over the floor of the breakroom :D
Tom it might be ketchup...have you been getting enough? Ketchup has special mellowing agents that we all seem to need.
We didn't have to blow up the TV when we moved to the country, only get 2 channels and they're both NBC :D. Had to move it from behind the drill press when the Olympics started, now you know why I didn't show the other end of the living room : Staring at the drill press is usually higher quality entertainment anyway. Already told you about the one radio station, Blue Ridge Family Radio, old country and bluegrass, our other is Public Radio.
Saw a bumper sticker the other day as I was walking down the road after locking the keys in the truck that almost rolled me into the ditch..."Things could be worse, sex could be fattening"

[Jeff]

THE DR. IS IN

Lucy : "I've been thinking about your case a lot lately."
Charlie Brown: "That's gratifying."
Lucy : "You know what your trouble is, Charlie Brown? You don't have a personal philosophy. You need to develop a philosophy that will carry you through times of stress. Can you do that? Can you develop a personal philosophy? Think, Charlie Brown, think!
Charlie Brown : [Contemplating] "Life is like an ice cream cone. You have to learn to lick it."
Lucy : [Running away hysterically] "That's the most stupid philosophy I've ever heard! I can't do anything for someone who has a philosophy like that! You're hopeless, Charlie Brown!"
Charlie Brown : [Defending himself] "It's hard to develop a real personal philosophy in less than twenty minutes."

[Tom]

Good Links Bruce

[psychotic1]

Being busy is not all there is to being happy.  It helps, don't get me wrong. but it's not all.  There has to be some mental fulfillment in there too.
Yes, Tom, those actors do talk too fast.  The quicker they get the lines out, and the scene over, the more commercials they can put on in the middle.  More commercials, less acting.  Sigh As for the rapid-scene commercials.  when the average attention span of their target demographic (which ain't you or me) is about one second, they've got to try and hold it somehow.  Madison avenue has already done everything it can by showing you the product their trying to sell you, now their trying to sneak up and surprise you with it.
Books are better than movies.  This we all know.  But books take time, and imagination on the part of the reader.  Most folks now-a-days aren't willing to invest that kind of effort.  Their loss.  
As for renting movies.  "Go to the rental store, spend twenty minutes trying to find a movie i can stand to watch.  Finally find something 5 years old that I've seen half a dozen times (but still like) and spend another 5 minutes waiting for the 16 yr old counter girl to stop talking to her girl/boyfreind about the drunken party they were at last weekend.  Get told I have a 25 dollar late fee from a movie they let somebody rent on my account without my authorization.  threaten to stuff store manager through his video return slot.  leave in huff and never return.  Yeah, rent movies.  Right.  Oh well.  I'd rather read anyway.

[Bud Man]

Tom  --Browsed through you photos on your  web site -- Really enjoyed it -- and it made me realize that one of the things that lifts my spirits is going back and seeing old customers .  They all put money in my pocket and I made 99.9% of em happy!!   Looks like you have a bunch of fine folks that you've done business with--Go see a couple of em.  

[Tom]

Pretty much a regular thing on my agenda Bud Man.  They are good folks and enjoy them all.  The problem is that the wives won't let you within 100 yds without trying to feed you something.  I think there is a contest going on to see who can produce the best groceries. :D   It's all I can do to stay under 300.  :D :D

Glad you enjoyed the pictures, I have some more I need to get on there.