Wednesday, May 5, 2010

News getting me down

I'm very close to taking a news fast. Sometimes I find that I wake up just sad and blue from what's happening in the world, as well as because of my powerlessness to change anything.

There is one thing I can change: hearing about it. There have been times in the past, while in the work force, when I would get completely overwhelmed with the amount of work that lay before me, and I would go home, break out a beer and turn on the TV, but it would not help me one bit to listen to political assassinations, local murders, earthquakes and floods from around the world. With a sigh, I'd turn off the TV and pick up a trashy novel if I had one available.

Today I don't have any such workload, but this morning I woke up feeling so sad about the oil spill and the inability to stop it, with fish, birds, and hundred-year-old sea turtles choking to death on the effluent. The floods in the South, with people washing up dead, reminded me way too much of Hurricane Katrina. And the economic turmoil around the world, all started by the greedy bastards on Wall Street in my own country.

Okay, enough of that! Tomorrow I will go hiking to Dailey Prairie near the Middle Fork of the Nooksack, and I won't have any way to check mail or the news. I just might continue on with a "news fast" and not listen to any news for some period of time. Not having been there before, I found this information about Dailey Prairie:
Beautiful Dailey Prairie is a high-elevation bog located near the Mt. Baker Wilderness area in Whatcom County in northwestern Washington. This outstanding site was identified by the Washington State's Natural Heritage Program as being one of the highest quality natural wetland systems remaining in the state. 
The only part of this that didn't appeal was the word "bog." Wetlands tend to be rather, well, wet. We had our wetlands last week, but I'm prepared for whatever comes my way. It will be in the wilderness and I won't have to worry about any of the news flashes that I swear are designed to make me feel bad.
The picture I am now using for my avatar (profile picture) on Google was taken last week, and I thought I'd show you what the whole picture looks like, taken by Ward AFTER he went rolling down the hillside. I actually love this picture for several reasons: I'm turning my right leg out to show all the mud on my gaiters, but I think it shows a pretty happy person who just hiked ten miles and is still standing. My sparkly hat is hanging from my chest strap, it's not raining, and I could be anywhere in age from fifty to seventy (and I am in there real close to the seventy part).
:-)

25 comments:

  1. You're right, you could easily be my age. And in some ways, you look even younger than me (although I don't have as much silver hair).

    I think I've suggested news fasts to you before. I highly recommend them. I often go a week or two, totally oblivious of the bad news, and more able to tune into the good things around me (and also into the more immediate suffering in my own community, which can tend to seem less important if you're always watching the news). And it's always easy to catch up with anything important I might have missed from the news.

    But I know how much of a news junky you are, so good luck with that! ;-)

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  2. You still have that fabulous smile, DJay, not to mention that figure. Lucky you!!!

    I often feel depressed, too, sometimes for no reason.

    As for the news, I am selective. I look at the headlines and then choose what I want to read, usually bypassing bad news. This is one of the reasons why I don't watch TV news much -- because they pour it on and I cannot be selective about what I want to hear.

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  3. I think you look fit as a fiddle. Climbing and hiking obviously agrees with you. Our son loves hiking.

    On the news issue. I turned the TV off some time ago because I could not stand the anxiety it was causing me over the health care debate. My TV is on all day everyday, but only playing background music. I love not having the TV playing with my mind.

    On my walks I'm listening to the book "The Bridge" by David Remnick. I highly recommend it. I will probably listen to it another time or two as I couldn't begin to absorb everything I wanted to on the first read through.

    I was a total news junkie and now I don't want to hear any of it. It doesn't matter which channel you watch they're all busy turning every story into something negative. I encourage you yourself a nice long break. The first few days are a little weird but then you begin to enjoy it.

    I can go on for hours about this but I'll give it a rest now.

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  4. Wow ~ I relate to your views on the news! The oil spill is making me profoundly sad and helpless too.
    I get most news from NPR. I can't stand TV.

    Okay, if I hiked 10 miles, I'd probably be weeping under a tree.

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  5. News fast, here we comes. You look wonderful!

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  6. Yes, it shows a gorgeous, loving, wonderful woman with pure joy in her heart and smile!

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  7. First off...girl you look maaavalous...as Billy Crystal would say.
    And the whole news thing is really getting me down. I feel so sad about our ocean and our planet...let alone all the chaos and craziness.
    I do try to stay away from news and have for some time. Just check in with the yahoo headlines to keep in touch, selectively.
    I think you're on to something with the news being designed to make us feel bad.
    Happy hiking my friend. I love your spirit and gusto for life...you are an inspiration.
    Peace,
    xxoo

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  8. I would definitely put you closer to fifty than seventy. :) You inspire me!

    a news fast is a great idea. but before you do, you MUST check out this story, if you haven't seen it already:
    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011740342_electronboy30m.html
    It's a good one. :)

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  9. you look great (o:
    I never know how news junkies make it through the day
    the people that watch it and listen to it 24 ... 7...
    I love to look at the little feet in the big hands in your sidebar...now that is good news (o:

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  10. At present I seldom watch TV nor read the newspapers, 3 days before the national election and all I can see and read are the mudslinging of each candidates and I had enough of it!

    Oh well change topic...nice to see you, you look great in your picture. Wash those shoes after use! Haha.

    AL

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  11. About six years ago I stopped watching news, but I was still watching some TV shows. I just got so tired of being bombarded by news people shoving their opinions down my throat. I have never been sorry for getting out of the rat race. I am more up to date on the real news by checking it online than I was before. And for four years I have not watched any TV so I don't miss that either. I think that stuff is so depressing. I am so glad for you that you feel good about your picture, and rightly so. It is a great photo. I like your spunky stance and the colors of your outfit, and best of all your happy face.

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  12. You look wonderful!

    I need to take news breaks on a routine basis. It is just so depressing. I can't even look at the oil spill - my blood just boils and I feels so so sad.

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  13. I love that picture; you look full of vim and vigor! I hope that tomorrow is a great experience without being too boggy. I look forward to hearing about it.

    I hope your news fast is successful. I try to avoid the news for that very reason. I tend to hear about the major stories from family or blogs without being inundated with the horror and hopelessness. I feel it keeps me happier to avoid most of it, even if I do feel a bit like the ostrich.

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  14. Love your photo, it is a great one, you at your happiest out hiking! You look closer to fifty than seventy!
    I hate the news, lately I watch more home and garden TV than anything else..non stressful stuff. There are some news people on CNN that I could do without..Tony is on at ten in the morning here and drives me nuts. I want Heidi back. I should go on a news fast too..the whole world seems real messed up, and getting worse everyday:(

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  15. L and I tend to read the news on the computer these days because we can pick and choose what we read and we don't have to wait until the last five minutes to hear the bit we really want to hear. Like you I am very disturbed about the oil spillage. Other things which are really concerning me at the moment are the economy and the fact that almost everything is made in China these days.
    Blessings, Star

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  16. I leave most of the news to my husband...
    You look fiesty and young in your photo DJann!
    Your activity level certainly helps maintain that girlish look and happy outlook on life!
    Happy Hiking!!!...Wanda♥

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  17. I am with you on the news fast. I find myself getting more and more depressed every time I watch this country of ours and realize that almost all of the problems were preventable. You can't do anything about the weather, but greed is a whole different ballgame.

    You look great! I am so happy to know what a wonderful life you have in Washington. Love you.

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  18. Great picture. The idea of hiking in your area for miles and miles sounds so exciting. Hopefully you don't meet up with any bears or other dangerous critters?

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  19. First things first...I like that flower too. It is a marguerite daisy flower that is head and feet above the ordinary Shasta daisy.

    You are a silver-headed lady who hikes.

    About the news. I quit news a long time ago when I stopped our newspaper subscription. Then I got to using just NYT and WashPost on computers to see what is going on but I am skipping them too for the most part.

    I just love news that don't make the news.

    A video showing the glee a dog has when it realizes its master is home from Iraq. That is news to me and the good kind. I love that very much. I would marry it if I could...

    Since the oil spill...

    I knew there was some reason why I never trusted anything or anybody related in anyway to BIG OIL. Including Bush. Obama will lose my vote if he keeps on keeping on about drilling offshore. I think he will lose his base quicker over that than anything else.

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  20. Well aren't ya just a little fit as a fiddle trooper!! Woohoo for you, you go girl. This Ozarks farm chick is impressed sister. I'm almost 57 and still run the pastures after wild-eyed cattle. I'm so glad I dropped in.

    From the sunny hills and hollers of the Ozarks Ponderosa,ya'll have a wonderfully blessed day!!!

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  21. That photo shows a truly awesome woman!

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  22. I know. The oil spill is such an epic disaster. It's criminal that they seem to happen over and over again. Using my bike more will be my next green step.

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  23. You look like wonder woman to me!
    I cut back on my MSNBC watching yesterday, and I'm just scanning the newspaper. It's too frustrating to watch all of the disasterous events when they're completely out of your control.

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  24. You look wonderful darling! I wish I looked as young as you and had your energy too!

    As for the news fast...I'm all for it...I can't let myself think about what's going to happen as a result of the oil...

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  25. It's a great photo. You don't look anywhere near 70.

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