The Entertainment Meme
Posted on April 2, 2008 - Filed Under Meme
I was tagged by Bobby Revell at Revellion Dot Com to do this different little meme. All you have to do is write a little about each of the following topics - books, television, and music. Bobby is a great writer so you should definitely check out his place if you haven’t already. He does write some great fictional stories at his blog too so don’t feel a need to freak out if you see an odd story. Check with him first. LOL. Anyway, here are my thoughts on the aforementioned entertainment topics.
Books - I have always loved to read. When we had family get-togethers while I was a pre-teen, I’d find my grandmother’s romance novels and fall into a different world by myself in a corner. My cousins were all a couple of years older than me or a couple of years younger than me. My grandmother never worried that what I was reading was too racy. She was pretty laid back. But now that I remember some of those stories, they actually WERE a little racy for my age but I had always read way above my grade-level. A good book can take you away from the troubles of the day and let you immerse yourself in another frame of mind. I love horror and stories with suspense or mystery. My favorite books of all time are Stephen King’s, “The Stand” and “It.” I love lots of other authors and books as well, and one of my favorites as a kid was “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.” I remember thinking our poor teacher had to pick such an unfortunate sounding book in order to keep the boys in our class interested and I thought I would be bored all the way through it. But it was very entertaining, interesting and suspenseful. I loved it.
My memory isn’t the best and I actually don’t mind re-reading books, especially if I know I enjoyed it the first time around.
Television - I don’t watch it much. Since reality television has become such a big part of the programming, I really don’t enjoy it. A few years ago, I watched a reality series called “Paradise Hotel” (which I hear they are going to remake) and I was torn between fascination and revulsion at the behavior of the young people on the show. One contestant was reduced to trembling and not wanting to leave her room based on how badly she was treated by the other contestants. I cringed while I watched and then decided I would not watch any more shows like that. They play with your emotions, degrade humanity, and then I don’t think they are all truly real as there is some encouragement to behave in a certain way and some coaching.
I was hoping when the writer’s strike was finally over that some good programming would return to television but what I found instead was that I really don’t need to watch much television. I do not turn the television on at all most days. TGH will turn it on when he comes home from work so he can play with his video games while I’m finishing dinner. After dinner, it is on more for background noise as we each are on our computers or we play board games. I do like to watch Ghost Hunters, The Office and sometimes Family Guy. I feel a lot less tied-down to the television. It was harder when I worked in an office where people would talk about certain shows at lunch or on breaks. There was more pressure to watch shows so you could talk about them the next day at the office. It sounds silly now but it was true.
A couple of shows that I used to really enjoy and feel like they haven’t been topped in humor and creativity are Soap, Cheers, Taxi and Mama’s Family. I also used to love variety shows as a kid - Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie, Carol Burnett.
For a while, I enjoyed watching things like Melrose Place and Dawson’s Creek. I liked Melrose Place for it’s silliness and unrealistic plots - it was brainless fun. Dawson’s Creek I found interesting because the young characters used vocabularies like no other teen show - I liked the story lines but I used to laugh over how they talked at times. Young people just don’t talk like that and if they did, they’d sound like pretentious snots that nobody would want to be around. 
Another thing I learned about myself is that television is like a giant magnet for me. Even if it is crap that is on, if it grabs my attention I’ll want to watch it all the way through to see what happens. It can be a huge time waster and I don’t want to waste my life watching crap. So I’m better off keeping the television turned off unless I know there is something I will enjoy watching. Also, I hate to have television on in the background when there is company over. I like to visit with the people and have quality time together while I have them at my home rather than have a bunch of people sitting around glued to the television (except for special circumstances like when it was planned to get together to watch a sporting event or something like that). My mom’s house always had a television on in the living room which is where everyone congregated. Playing a board game or having a conversation would take forever because everyone would at one time or another get distracted by something that was on the television, myself included.
Music - I can barely remember who sings what these days. I know when I hear a song on the radio if I like it or not. TGH has a much wider music range than I do. I don’t like to generalize and say that I like certain bands or genres because I like certain songs from certain bands. I have never liked slow or sad songs. When my high school voted on what song to have for a class song the choice was between Stairway to Heaven or Celebration. Can you believe they decided on Stairway to Heaven? What the heck kind of song is that for a class? Celebration would have at least been an uplifting, faster paced, party kind of song you could dance to that would signify how happy we were to graduate. I think a song about a woman “buying a stairway to heaven” is just a little too morbid for the occasion. I guess Celebration just wasn’t cool enough for the druggie crowd at my school. Anyway, I’m not ashamed to say I like uplifting, faster paced, dance tunes. Yes, this does include disco from my rollerskating days. I like happy music. Dancing to happy music allowed me to lose twenty pounds. I couldn’t have done that with slow, depressing music. So, when I’m cleaning the house or dancing around by myself it’s happy music for me. When we have company that doesn’t involve watching the television or video games, then I like to have interesting background music on. I have a CD of the old style music boxes that is pretty cool.
Music from the 50s and 60s is neat too. I like those “oldies” because they remind me of when I was a kid and my parents would get together on Sundays with my aunts and uncles to play Po-Ke-No with “their” music on in the background. Those are happy memory tunes.
And you know what? I really enjoy steel drums - I love the tropical sound and it always reminds me of my trip to the Caribbean.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on those particular entertainment mediums. For me, entertainment is either thrilling, happy, or funny, and good for the soul. I think life has enough downers and that I think that is why I make the choices I make in what I read, watch, or listen to.
Goodness, I didn’t think I was going to ramble on so much with this one. But there I go again. Thanks for tagging me, Bobby. I would like to pass this on to the following people because I’d enjoy reading what they have to say on these subjects (but as always, no pressure):
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19 Responses to “The Entertainment Meme”
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I am with you on the TV… it sucks me in and then at the end I think why? Why did I sit there and stare at that?
In only watch now while I am working out… it helps keep me going and oftne I watch the food network. That has to be some kind of oxymoron hey? Or maybe not since my love of food is what requires me to work out so much
LOL. I know there is SOME good programming on but most of it is just hooey and I guess if I don’t allow myself to get sucked in I can spend more time doing better things like making healthier dinners or getting out for a walk or bike ride or visit the elderly neighbors or something more meaningful. You know what I mean?
I believe that there is no worse crap than Paradise Hotel.
I like Medium, though.
LOL. Why am I not surprised about that? You wouldn’t be slightly biased about medium in any way though, right? heehee
@witchypoo - The Hills.
I agree about TV being a huge time-waster! I have 4 shows that I always watch or record, because otherwise I can’t keep up with the storyline (Lost, Prison Break, ER and CSI:NY). I do like some reality TV programs (Survivor, American Idol, Amazing Race) but I won’t die if I miss an episode! I don’t like many of the other (nasty) reality TV shows for the reasons you mentioned above.
I also agree about not having TV on while you have company (unless you are getting together for a sports game or a movie night). It is terribly anti-social to have it on. I much prefer to have music playing in the background. Board games and card games are much more interesting and enjoyable way to spend an evening with friends, with good music playing.
Exactly - it’s not all bad. I just think since it’s invention, it has become a much bigger part of our lives than it should be. And that can also be said for cell phones.
Love thatpost but, i dont listen to music o r watch much Tv!!!!
Yeah, you just surf the blogs. But you must watch some TV in the hospital or you’d be bored to pieces.
I love doing a meme. Thanks for asking me . It’s late now. past 1:00Am so I will do it tomorrow. I love books especially. I love music and I watch some TV but not much anymore. I am looking forward to this one.
Wow! You were up late like me. And there is no rush and no pressure. Glad you will attempt it though!
That’s a very interesting class song Teeni…lol. My class song was “Baby’s Got Back”. Haha…just kidding. That song came out 73 years after I graduated. I loved King’s “The Stand”, I also liked the movie. And you’re so right about TV. There are so many degrading reality shows that are probably unhealthy to watch. I find myself occasionally slip and watch some of them. I used to watch Melrose Place too (it was so silly)! Thanks for doing this meme, I really enjoyed reading yours:)
Thanks, Bobby - it was actually fun to do. I didn’t realize how passionate I was about the whole television thing. Oh, I slip up plenty on watching some junk but that is why I try so hard not to turn the dang thing on.
LOL - I’m glad to see some of the men enjoyed such brainless shows like I did. It didn’t hurt of course, that the whole show featured only beautiful people. I think that must be where the idea for Models, Inc. came from. Remember that one? 
Always interesting reading teeni, thanks.
Hi Lisa! Thanks!
Paradise Hotel was my secret obsession also!
When i heard that after 5 years they were doing a 2nd season, i knew i had to watch it. Im not proud of it, but so be it.
It has actually been on for about 2 months so far. It honestly hasnt been as good as the original, but its still a fun, guilty pleasure…
Hey there Slyde! Yeah, I doubt anything could top the drama of that first season. I don’t think anyone really knew where that one was going so it was such a surprise all around. I think it was actually only meant to air a couple of weeks as a filler too and then it kind of skyrocketed. Crazy.
Great meme!! Stephen King is my all-time favorite author!! :0D
Thank you for tagging me!! I’m not sure I’ll have time to get around to it (sorry!), but at least I got to read your fabulous answers.
Never any pressure on the memes. No worries. Thanks for reading!
Oh, boy another meme… I am stoked! I’ll do it, no problem! This one might be hard though, you had lots to say! I love watching TV for “brainless fun” also but these days everything on makes me not so fond of the society I live in.
LOL. I’m glad you’ll participate, Talina - but no worries - you definitely don’t have to write as much as I did. I just got on a roll, I think. It happens sometimes.
Oh Teeni, I always need help with this blogging business. I certainly can’t figure out how to get that Meez thing (which I stole the idea from you) in the sidebar and I forgot I how I got the book I was reading in there. People are going to think it takes me six months to read a book.
I had fun doing the meme. I love to do them.
Sending you an email with instructions for your meez. It should be similar for your book - and don’t feel bad because my memory is mush too. Welcome to the club! LOL.
I used to like Dawsons Creek too Teeni, though I detested Dawson. So glad Pacey got the girl in the end
I’ll get onto this!
Ah, HAHAHA - Me too! Me too! Loved Pacey. Dawson was too geeky or something. heehee.
[…] 5, 2008 by Hay The amazing Teeni has tagged me for an Entertainment Meme. Apparently all I have to do is talk about books, television and music. […]
i just reread this and noticed that your favorite 2 books are The Stand, and It. THose are hands down my 2 favs too…. freaky
You actually re-read this? The first time wasn’t torture enough? LOL. Anyway, I knew there was something I liked about you! They two are awesome reads!
I just read On Hay’s blog that I am a keeper!!!! I just love being a keeper and meeting new people. I am so happy to have come upon your site and am now meeting some of your terrific friends. Blogging has been a big addition to the quality of my life. I try to get out but I can only go in stores that have cripple riding carts which only leaves grocery stores and Walmart (I am not a Walmart fan). Fortunately I can at least walk to my car and drive. But I know that when I lose the weight and get new knees I will be in better shape to get out there. For now blogging has been how I meet people and I am a people person. I miss my small business (health food store) that I owned for 25 years. I miss all my customers. Thanks for taking me on as a “keeper” LOL.
Aw shucks - there was nothing difficult about it, Joan! I’m looking forward to you getting even more mobile - I think your posts are great now so they are only going to get better!
LOL…I was in high school when Dawson’s Creek was on, and my friends and I had a disgusting fascination with their vocabulary! At the same time we thought we were pretty smart and could rock that kind of talk if we wanted to…
LOL. I’m sure you COULD - I have no doubt about your intelligence there, Romi. But I’d have to laugh out loud if I heard anyone in real life talking like that. Heehee. (If I’d been younger when I watched it, I might have tried to make that talk popular myself) ;).
Hey Teeni,
thanks for checking out my site…hopefully you’ll return. Even though you don’t know html, you totally have a lovely wordpress blog going on here. From the looks of all your comments, you’re quite popular too.
Anyway, thanks again, and I will be sure to swing by here soon and dig a little deeper into your content…it would appear you have a lot to say!
Hi Ed! Thanks so much for returning the visit! I DO tend to chatter a bit! LOL. Thanks for the compliments. Hope to see you again soon!
done and posted Teeni!
Awesome! I’m going to check right…NOW! **forgets to close the door as she rushes out**