Hola, Juan,

Well here goes….

Interesting TV choices you’re making.

We couldn’t be more different, I would say. I’ve always been a TV addict.  It’s never changed over the years.  Now it’s just frustrating because there’s SO MUCH stuff available.  But that let’s me choose better quality I guess.

I have a few normal series that I view.  All Rise, the new Star Trek and Picard, Seal Team, Bull, and a couple of sitcoms.  I DVR them so I can watch them whenever I want and not have to see the commercials.

I like British TV too, but the fictional detective shows.  I specify ‘fictional’, because Isabel prefers the true crime procedural accounts…and there are about a million of those.  She also watches from DVR.

Lately she has taken to watching the YouTube Monkey Boo channel.  It helps keep her spirits up.

I occasionally watch the monologs of the late night comedians.

I love certain movies …different types…. and good series on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.  I’ll pick one and binge watch one of them over a week or more.  Too many titles to list.  Right now I’m doing Homeland.  I also enjoy documentaries about all subjects.

I’ve also been a news fanatic….since high school, probably.  I used to watch the political conventions, for crying out loud.  What high school kid does that?  And I’ve always devoured newspapers and Newsweek/Time/ Rolling Stone.  Since Trump’s campaign to today I take in a bunch of news — now pretty much exclusively MSNBC…but finetuning to the following shows/anchors – Nicolle Wallace (Deadline Washington), Ari Melber (The Beat), Chris Hayes (All In), Rachel Maddow, and Lawrence O’Donnell (The Last Word).  Also some MSNBC shows on the weekend with Joy Reid, Ali Velshi, and Rev. Al Sharpton.  I say this about MSNBC – yes, it leans to the left.  Which is fine by me because that is where I firmly reside (I’m fine with most of Bernie’s ideas, for example, I just have issues with his personality, Trumpian arrogance, and lack of ability to cooperate with others [not talking about the Republican fanatics…but with members of the Democratic party] so I worry about his ability to win, but also to govern and get anything done.  And WE NEED A TON OF THINGS TO GET DONE…RIGHT AWAY!!!….)

Anyway, back to MSNBC – so they give you the facts, and they give you the left’s viewpoint.  But they also let me know the latest viewpoints of people from the Republican side.  I’m not in the dark about any of that.  They show Fox excerpts and what the Republicans say, from Trump on down. They just don’t dwell on it, limit themselves to it like Fox, or, also like Fox, pretend it’s accurate and true.  They are also quick to point out when those guys are lying or wrong.  I see that as an important function of our free press.

So I’m able to keep fully ‘woke’ and what I like to believe is rational/reasonable.
I don’t have to dive headfirst into the rightwing soup and guzzle down all their Koolaid to know what they’re preaching and doing.

While I always have wanted to be aware and informed, I never watched this much news before Trump.  There wasn’t anywhere as much NEED to.  Now while so much of it is aggravating and scary, I feel it’s my responsibility to keep up on it all.

I also donate a fair amount to candidates around the country who I think will make a difference.

I read a whole lot of Twitter (following experts, journalists, and other members of the Resistance from all walks of life – no nutsos)  and the Seattle Times and Washington Post, along with magazines.  I read while I watch TV… so it involves a lot of multitasking.

I also read and write poetry and my blog posts.  In terms of books, I concentrate on mysteries, but am lately doing other things.  Just finished the classic, Rabbit Run by John Updike…about a guy who was successful basketball star in high school then can’t figure out what to do with his life in Pennsylvania, of all places!  It’s part of a trilogy.

I post on Facebook a lot of the better things I find on Twitter – trying to keep the message as factual/ real and succinct as possible – all meant to ‘educate’ whoever may read them.  I see this as somewhat of a ‘lonely’ and who knows how successful civic duty.  Most people who are Facebook friends (I only have about 40)  probably think I’m a ranting left-wing lunatic, but I’m not at all.  It’s all civilized and truthful, I swear.

Sometimes I write something of my own on Facebook…

Example from today

Just a pop-up thought as I was watching today’s exasperating daily news conference with Trump and the medical experts behind him. People say we should support the president and I get that. but that’s in normal circumstances and we haven’t been in normal circumstances for 3 years+. And even less so now.

I couldn’t help wondering though as I listened to his usual bragging, insults, distortions, and lies … the same ones we’ve heard again and again… his off the top of his head (or straight out his butt) bold pronouncements with no specificity, dramatic pronouncements that are contradicted immediately by people standing around him, or by other leaders and workers on the front lines.

Why would I ever ‘support’ someone, who by much of what he does could conceivably cause my family or friends to become ill and die? Yes, that’s what is now at stake when a leader plays with the truth and behaves in a vindictive, uncaring manner. He needs to step away from the camera and the microphone. It is way past time to leave it to the experts and give them what they need to solve the problems of our society.

With this accompanying tweet…

That gives you an idea of what I put on Facebook.  I try to stick to about 5 postings throughout the day.  Sometimes a post will include a meme or copies of 4 or so tweets.  Sometimes they speak for themselves. Sometimes I will include some comments.  Like today.

So with all of the above, we mainly stay at home.  Isabel mainly concentrates on her work on ebay (selling mainly dolls and accessories and some toys…along with an occasional piece of clothing).  So these new suggestions about the coronavirus about sheltering in place… are right up my alley.  Not much of a sacrifice.  Pass the remote and my phone and my beverage.  Come here close little doggy, Wookie.

I take the dog out for walks…and I’m pretty much the only one who drives here so I do all the shopping and errands.  I have a movie theater membership so I will go a few times a week to see movies.  Or we’ll go as a couple on occasion.  Now, even that stuff has been cut back.  Movie theaters are closed.

D