As a creature of habit (it’s just the way my brain is wired), I have a specific routine when getting ready for the day. I take a shower, washing the bits in the same way, in the same order. After my shower is completed, I go to the sink, fill the basin with a bit of water, turn off the overhead fan that’s been roaring for the past 10 or so minutes and then I announce, “Siri, read me the news”. There’s an Apple HomePod mini in the room so it’s not weird. I then squirt some Barbasol into my hand from the shaken can, apply to my face, and listen to the news while going through my shaving routine. While Siri is reading the latest news update from NPR I finish shaving, splash some cheap aftershave on my face, apply deodorant and finish up my routine just as NPR is wrapping up their spiel with “This is NPR”. I do all the post shower stuff in around three minutes and 10 seconds.
About a month ago I decided I just couldn’t listen to a daily report of the news anymore. At the time the 2024 Presidential Election was still 11 months away but polls and opinion and drama, drAMA, DRAMA has already swung into high gear and frankly Scarlett, I don’t give a damn. Let’s talk about the election in September 2024, thank you. The bombings and attacks in the Middle East are heartbreaking and the ongoing war in Ukraine is ridiculous. Couple all this frivolity with the other news NPR was belching out and my mental health simply couldn’t take it anymore.
I tried swaying Siri to play me a tech update instead of a world news update but in typical Siri fashion that request threw her into a tailspin that involved flashing random lights, music playing in the bedroom, loud questions like, “Do you want to open the Podcasts app on your iPhone?” and such.
After messing around with tech that didn’t do what it promised it did for a day I decided to start shaving in silence, save for the swish of the water when I rinsed my razor between strokes and an occasional purr or meow from the feline one who constantly wants more kibble.
The transition to relative peace has done wonders for my mental health when it comes to starting the day.
It’s not that I no longer care about the world. I very much care about the world. I just don’t want to hear about these things to start my day.
I tried watching the evening news hoping for something akin to a Walter Cronkite type of experience, where news was conveyed without zinger noises telling me to wait until after the break or contrarian opinions being hoisted up like they’re valid or important (e.g. “the sky is blue, after the break we’ll learn why some people believe the sky is green”). There is no longer a Walter Cronkite experience available for the average person. Even the local news has anchorpeople making weird laughing sounds, framing stories in outrageous ways, and weather forecasts blown away out of proportion, all in an effort to keep you tuned in to watch ads so you’ll buy more things.
I’ll find a sane source of news. I have faith I’ll find something that isn’t so emotional in presentation.
