Electrified in-home storyteller

Questions: How much TV do you watch, and how do you manage that?

I don't want to come off as self-righteously anti-TV. I like TV. I don't doubt that we are in a much-vaunted (provide your own links here) new Golden Age of Television. Great, great writing and acting is happening on TV regularly. I do not doubt this. And how cool that our electrified in-home storyteller has gotten so good at its craft. Humans are story animals; this is good news for us in that sense. I understand something really epic happened on Game of Thrones last night, and I admit that I wish I were following GoT so I could participate in the afterglow. But I don't know how to make room for it. I already don't have time to do so many other things. I perceive that most people both watch more TV than I do and have cleaner houses. This feels like a paradox.

David and I manage to watch one, maybe two shows at a time. Last week, discovering that the British hospital comedy Green Wing was available on Netflix for a limited time, we made a devoted effort to gorge ourselves on it. I think we watch 2 and a half episodes, and I feel like it nearly killed us. David discovered Green Wing on a trip to the UK a few years, and somehow shared the first few episodes with me when he returned  - how? We both agreed that it was among the funniest things we have ever seen. It's the kind of simultaneously smart and grossly sophomoric humor at which Brits excel and Americans seem incapable. Ridiculous, howlingly funny stuff, with terrific wordplay and fantastic self-debasing performances. But the only time we can watch it is after the kids go to bed, when we also have the kitchen to clean up and books to read and email to catch up on, and last week, a chest cold to fight and a yard sale to prepare for, and, and, and ... I came Saturday and felt completely, exhausted, by two and a half extra hours of TV.

Luckily, I've found that we can also watch Green Wing on Hulu. But tonight, we'll be going to see Gatsby in the theater, so  Dr. Todd and the gang will have to wait.

Reading: Finished Gatsby. First time I've read it since high school (!!) and I was surprised at how much the Greek inevitability of the plot strained my credulity, but was also pleased to find passages I truly admire. The whole scene of confrontation between Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby in the hotel suite is really masterful. Still working on the Dillard, almost done, and wondering what I will read next.

Writing: Trying to find my way to the next chunk. This morning finally took up the wake scene.

In other news, my friend Nora wrote this fun piece about writing in books that I contributed some thoughts to.

Dinner: Last night, sweet and spice chickpeas over whole wheat rotini and a freaking awesome cucumber, celerly, red onion, lime zest salad, dressed with rice wine vinegar, a tiny bit oil, tiny minced fresh ginger, salt and a sprinkle of sugar. I just invented as I went. Best salad I have ever made, ever. Seriously. The lime zest was the clincher.

Soundtrack: I'd forgotten how good The Pixies are.

Random thing: My dear friend Harris, fellow CCNY English gang member, ex-boyfriend, and all around weird and good guy, is at long last a college graduate. I am so proud of him!