Hi Thane,

I can't stand TV most days for some of the reasons mentioned. And it's hard, because I'm an information-a-holic.

You're in a beautiful part of the country. Wake up early some Sunday morning and go for a drive out into the hills. Walk around for a few hours; have a simple lunch. Take in the sights and smells. Think about how beautiful everything is that you're seeing and smelling.

You might want to stay away from Mt. Ranier though, what with the glaciers melting and so forth, and the forest fires, etc., etc. :-)

Seriously, it's easy to get caught up in the bad news out there. But things are getting better. We're very lucky to live in the time and place we do, even with all the bad things happening. E.g. We didn't have to spend several years in the military like many of our parents did...

The world will go on if you don't watch TV or play computer games for a week. Try it. Spend that time walking around and looking at the beauty in life instead.

Hang in there. Best of luck.

Cheers,
Scott.