C: Guilty Pleasures

At the end of a pressure-cooker day, I come home sometimes and “veg-out.”  It is as if my brain has to go from the very serious, almost acrobatic performance, to complete rest.  Usually this is in the form of television. 

Sometimes I rest my brain with the news just whirrrrring in the background as white noise.  I just kind of check in and out mentally to see the headlines.  At other times I turn the tube to “brain candy,” which would be embarrassing for anyone to catch me watching. 

Thinking about all this started me thinking about my “guilty pleasures” of all kinds;  you know, the kind of things that you’re not especially proud of—the kind of things that just don’t measure up to your fantastic intellect or your careful diet or whatever other benchmarks you set for yourself.

So, I thought I’d share a few of mine in hopes that you would, also, spill beans on yourself.

First, there’s “Real Housewives of New Jersey.”  Yes, I’m blushing as I write this…I need to admit something right now: I am afraid—very afraid—of these women.  They could kick my you-know-what.  In  a heartbeat.  I just know it.

They all wear high heels and short, tight dresses.  They stand weird when they’re being photographed (see above).  There is nothing “real” about them in my book. But I can’t turn my eyes away from this show; some sort of macabre fascination I have, here. 

They live in giant houses.  They really do nothing all day except dress up; get their nails done while they talk about each other, go to lunch and get into fights.  There have been tables turned over at restaurants and hair pulled out of heads.  They always have someone who is “friends” with both sides of the quarrel—convenient for keeping the enemy pot stirred.  Positively decadent and without socially-redeeming value.  Yep, I watch it about once a week…guiltily.

Number Two:  Something I am not is a country music fan, but I have grown to love the series, “Reba” with Reba McEntire, now in re-runs on the cable channel “Life.”  Could it be I identify with the premise?  It is about a mother of three whose dentist husband knocks up his dental hygienist and the family is splintered apart.  At the same time her seventeen-year-old daughter gets pregnant and marries a high-school jock and they move in with Reba.  Husband and lover move just up the street, and the series is built around those strained dynamics.  The writing is witty, and when I watch it, I can just chill out and root for Reba.  But I feel sheepish when I get caught watching it—it is, after all, merely brain candy.

In the food vein, the first thing that pops into my mind is something on the olive bar at our local Kroger Store.  I never met an olive I did not love, but they have an offering the blows the socks off anything else—a marinated feta cheese and Greek olive mix.  When I’m feeling really down, a little carton of this in front of the television watching a scuffle on Real Housewives will make it all better. 

I won’t mention chocolate here, because I believe it is an essential nutrient; ice cream is a source of calcium.

When I am feeling really decadent, I waste time.  Time is my most valuable commodity and when I waste it, it is a luxury—like that fictional billionaire who throws one-hundred-dollar bills in the air.  One of my all-time biggest time wastes is playing word games on the computer.  I particularly love Scramble and Text Twist.  Why?  It gains me nothing—but wasted time.

And, the last guilty pleasure I’ll list today: Second sleep.  You know how the Hobbits loved “Second Breakfast?”  I have my own version of “second” indulgence.  On Saturdays, when nothing is on the calendar, my aging body and mind still think they ought to get up at, like, a quarter to 5 a.m.  So, we do.  And we have coffee and putz around, maybe post on the blog.  Then about 6:30, we (my mind and body) slink back into bed and fall into deep delicious sleep for an hour or so until we’re good and ready to get up.  Ummmmmm—love it!

C’mon.  You’ve got guilty pleasures, too.  Fess up! - C

Comments

Zuzana said…
What a great post about the allure of television.;) Before I met my Irishman I spend my time relaxing with TV just like you, as soon as I came home, the TV was turned on I had a few shows I watched, SATC, LOST were a few of them.;)
These days I do watch some of the American shows still, such as Fringe, Life (which I believe is cancelled in the US by now) but the watching is more random as I spend my time in the evenings online talking to my man. We do watch some reruns together on youtube, but those are mostly old British comedies and dramas such as One foot in the grave, Dr. Who, Steptoe and Son etc.
I so enjoyed this post.;)) Have a great Friday,
xo
Vivianne said…
LOL
I do like Reba, but haven't seen that series over here. The word 'feisty' was invented for her :-)
You know... I can't watch those shows because it bothers me too much that their ridiculous lifestyle is given so much attention.. same thing with Jersey Shore. I know I'm in the minority, the shows are very popular so I'll leave it at that.

Chocolate... olives...cheesecake... Blueberry blintzes... food is definitely my guilty pleasure, especially since i'm trying (ha!) to lose alittle weight.

Fun post!
Ayak said…
Well I was half-way through reading your post and thinking about my guilty pleasures when you mentioned them...chocolate and icecream!
As far as TV is concerned I watch a daily programme called Jeremy Kyle. I guess its a bit like your Jerry Springer show. Its full of the most awful people with the most awful problems...and it fascinates me!
There is also a UK programme which is very popular at the moment called Come Dine with Me. Ordinary people host dinner parties for other ordinary people who they've never met before. It's great..lots of disasters and people falling out!
happyone said…
I am not a tv person so I have no guilty pleasures there. I do love my ice cream but I feel my 6 mile walk each day allows me not to feel guilty about that! :-)
I guess my guilty pleasure would be going out to eat often. I feel guilty when I don't cook a meal at home.
Anonymous said…
C, I haven't found a crappy show yet that I really like (ha!), but I like to indulge myself in a Dairy Queen blizzard when no one's looking. While Rick's watching Cops or the History Channel, I'm over here reading blogs, so I guess that is my biggest time waster for now. I also love to sleep in when I can.
My guilty pleasure is a half gallon of Breyer's All Natural Strawberry Ice Cream--all to myself. I also love a wonderful "concrete" frozen custard with cherries and chopped up nuggets of chocolate and salted, toasted pecans on top--of course with a generous dollop of whipped cream! When it comes to savory tastes, I go for the olives too--all varieties with pungent cheese dices. I hardly watch tv at all anymore! Rocking on the porch with my puppy is another guilty pleasure, because all I do is daydream!
Oops! Forgot to identify myself again in the previous comment! Stick Horse Cowgirl V
Even though I've been married 21 years I watch The Bachelor. I have no idea why, it's fluff TV but it makes me happy. My guilty food pleasure would be real-baked-in-the-oven-this-morning cheesecake. With blueberry topping. Oh heaven.
KathySue said…
When I stop long enough to watch TV it is likely to be a show on HGTV where I dream of making amazing transformations to my house for little $$$---in other words total fantasy! Not just ANY show...I am an HGTV snob and only watch certain programs and designers. I would say that my most indulgent "guilty pleasure" is when I set the timer on my phone for 48 minutes...I don't know why I selected that number, but it is the perfect nap time for me. I set the timer and amazingly fall asleep quickly....and unlike most mornings I just wake up refreshed and ready to finish the day! Mornings...I hit the snooze, but these special naps do not require the extra snooze.

My most favorite food indulgence is homemade vanilla icecream...I could make myself sick eating it! There is nothing better and thank goodness we do not make it very often!

I do have a comment though...I really don't feel too guilty about any of these "pleasures". I work, take care of household stuff, serve as caregiver for my mom and assist with same for my husband's grandparents. I stay BUSY...I try help friends and family when I can. Taking a little time for yourself is NECESSARY. FUN is a wonderful energizer. So I think our little lists here need to be applauded and recognized as healthy--in moderation:)
Malinda said…
My guilty pleasure is reading dozens of blogs every day!
lhibner said…
Ouch! You caught me...I enjoy Reba whenever I can find her show. I love, love the olives with seeds followed by chocolate "Hugs" by Hershey. If the truth has to be told here, then I have to confess that my husband and I both watch the Batchelor/Batchelorette series, Dancing with the Stars, and America's Got Talent. He watches these with me in exchange for my watching at least one NCSI or Sci-Fi show with him. Hey what goes on at home stays there. Right? Really well written post! Comments were fun, too.
Michelle said…
Blogging is a guilty pleasure, as it does use a bit of time. But, I do love a glass of wine and some of those Housewife shows!
Too many guilty pleasures I hate to admit.
Sumandebray said…
Liked reading this post ..... if you ever get a chance to watch an Indian soap opera on the television, you will most definitely extend your limit of how nonsense and absurd a story can get .. surprisingly people watches those!
I guess those small guilts keeps our desires alive
oldgreymare said…
I Will deny writing this, but after a 2 decade absence.... I'm now regularly watching..

oh I'm so ashamed.....GH

general hospital.....sigh
this message will self destruct in 30 seconds.

Suzan
Jody Blue said…
A good movie and air popped popcorn with real butter and sea salt. I love your 2nd sleep!

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