Murder and Mayhem

I have been so busy with Other Things that I have neglected reading/watching the news. Now and again, I initiate a Media Fast. It’s an idea I stole from a former friend. I’m not sure what his rationale was, but after a steady diet of news, I get jaded, cranky, pessimistic, and overwhelmed.

During the presidential campaign, I overdosed. I watched the mainstream news, I read the blogs, I devoured the debates, and I engaged in endless conversations. It was impossible to avoid the tales of murders, fraud, abused children, arson, robberies, and other travesties of a stressed society while tracking Obama’s poll numbers and Palin’s latest stupidity.

About midway through Obama’s first 100 days, I decided to undergo a Media Fast. I was on overload. Unfortunately, the Horrific Winter of 2009 required (yes, required) vigils of the weather news where, once again, I couldn’t escape the tales of a stressed society.

Azrienoch, a fine story teller, tells a tale of a jaded princess and the more news I watch, the more like the princess I become.

Once Again, I vowed a lengthy media fast.

Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that West Virginia Supreme Court Judge Brent Benjamin’s failure to recuse himself  from Massey Coal related litigation was a no-no. Since Don Blankenship of Massey Coal is a thoroughly despiscable human and dick of the highest order and hellbent on destroying the mountains I love, I had to check out the details.

This morning I was assaulted with stories about a woman who cut the fetus out of a woman’s body, murdered pre-teens, animal abuse, and brawling drunks – all within the first minute.

After a couple months of a Media Fast, all this murder and mayhem was Too Much. I’m fair twitching.

I cancelled the satellite service more than a year ago. Both the Charleston and Huntington papers refuse to deliver to me. Consequently, I get my news from the internet. It’s easy enough to avoid. I’m in active avoiding mode again.  Once again. 

In just a few minutes of news cruising this morning, I began to feel powerless. Such a feeling, I think, leads to a “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” mentality. While I consider myself a queen-in-exile, I don’t want to become like Azrienoch’s princess. I may even make it a permanent media fast.