tee vee.

so we were watching some family t.v. the other night before wingman's bedtime.

family t.v. watching generally isn't something we engage in unless it's sports (and that's the "royal we" for sports as *i* am usually doing something else) or family movie night. occasionally, rick steves' travel shows on PBS.

just regular ol' t.v. is rarely appropriate for the whole family, and even if the show is appropriate (food network, some shows on the learning channel, HGTV) the commercials are NOT. especially so after 6 pm.

so we were watching some inane show on HGTV about what people's houses are worth in different parts of the country and the commercials come on.

the first one starts off innocently enough. a woman, a family, they're all busy and rushing around.

it could be a stouffer's commercial, perhaps they're selling a minivan, maybe it's for chocolate?

turns out it's for birth control. an IUD in fact. and, they don't just tell you about it in long and excruciating detail, they show it to you too!

a hand is bending it and flexing the IUD to show how bendy it is? how comfortable it is? i don't know why they are showing it to us, but they are. and going on and on and on and on about this little flexible bendy comfortable thing.

then wingman, who's no dummy, pipes up all confused

"yeah. but where do you put it?"

too much on a tuesday night.

i gave him the quick and dirty, but that never satisfies the kid.

and frankly, i think it sucks that i not only have to be confronted with such a commercial in general, but especially so during what is typically and has been for generations, "family" viewing t.v. time.

i think it's just plain tacky to have some hand holding and squeezing and bending an IUD. get an examining room why don't you? leave the 7pm viewing hour to the crystal light drink mixes, the hidden valley ranches, and the michelin tire man.

moving right along to the next commercial break. this time for lipstick. it's all moving cameras and lights and strutting on the runway and high fashion. this is stylish lipstick!

so then the duke pipes up

"i don't get why they show a grown woman sucking on a lollipop to sell lipstick? and she's not even sucking on it! it's just hanging in her mouth!"

good. lord.

then this morning the duke is going through the val-pak envelope looking at all the local area coupons that came in the mail. he's saving out all the coupons he thinks we'd use as a family and recycling the rest. if he's not sure of a coupon, he asks aloud.

OMG i'm trying to wake up and the last thing i need to is to be asked a million times in a row if we need windshield repair, hearing aid visits ("maybe you'll need this one day?") or a complete easter dinner from honey baked ham!

so on about the fourth ask my voice more than conveys my irritation with this exercise.

"mama, do you want this introductory offer to the gym?"

"no. no i don't"

he misinterprets my irritation and says all quickly

"oh! not because i think you're fat!"

"i know honey"

"because you're not fat! really!"

sigh. and lookee here. it's not even 10:30 am.

in other news y'all be happy to know that i've finished the hobbit!!! just in time, and with time to spare for today's book club.

for all my fussing, it turns out it was an enjoyable read. i knew it wouldn't be bad, i just need to have something to complain about.

i doubt i'll be reading the lord of the rings trilogy, but, one never knows. perhaps one day i'll find myself imprisoned and have nothing. else. to. read.

the thing is, reading the hobbit just further confirms that however packaged, there are truly no new ideas. virtually everything i have read in that genre seems to have been heavily influenced by if not cleverly copied from the hobbit.

well, they do say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

i suppose that will just have to do.

x.