Life lessons from reality TV

I've kind of had a rough week. I'll probably blog about that later, but basically, as a result, I'm mopy. And when I'm mopy I tend to indulge in a little escapism. Sometimes I read. Sometimes I sleep a lot. And sometimes I watch marathon episodes of TV shows on Netflix.

As I was engrossed in yet another stretch of TV-watching, I realized I actually get some simple counseling from the shows I watch:

Hoarding: Buried Alive

• Don't dwell on the past --> enjoy the "now" with the people in your life.
• Don't let "stuff" tether you down, and never let your loved ones think that your stuff is more important to you than they are.

What Not to Wear

• How you present yourself to the world can make a positive impression on others ... and if you look good, you often feel good.
• Be classy!

Anthony Bourdain: A Cook's Tour (this one I'm watching on Amazon Prime)

• The world is a large -- and sometimes mysterious -- place. You're just a small part of that large world. Look for the mysterious, new, and different in the world and let it impact you in a positive way.
• People live differently around the world, but most likely find joy in the same things you do.

Comic Book Men

• Never lose your passion!
• Never be ashamed of what you love.

Mythbusters

• Stay curious.
• Learn from your mistakes, and move forward.

As for comedies, I'm enjoying watching How I Met Your Mother, mostly because I watch it with Ian. We spend 20-40 minutes after school watching it together until Maya comes home. We don't talk or discuss anything; we just watch a silly TV show that probably has some inappropriate innuendos and we laugh together. Nothing better than that!