TV

The reason I don't read nearly so much as I would like, apart from the running a household of five people and working four to five days a week distraction, is that I also like to watch television. Not commercial television. I have never seen Packed to the Rafters or MasterChef for all that everyone seems to love them. Jossie watches Dancing With the Stars (thanks Dad) but we otherwise manage to avoid things like Australian Idol or The Biggest Loser. SBS occasionally tempts me with something interesting but only the ABC commands any loyalty from me.

Wednesday night is a must watch television night for me. It starts with The New Inventors and Jossie and Toby enjoy this too. If I am busy I sacrifice it. I watch Spicks and Specks even if I have uni assignments to mark because I love it. The next slot is a bit dodgy and I often do washing/cleaning/cooking or reading during this half hour. I had completely had my fill of the Chaser before they managed to finish and I can't bring myself to watch The Librarians. I feel a bit bad about that as I do like to support Australian shows and it is not a common thing to have a comedy about my chosen profession. Doctors, nurses, lawyers and policemen must be used to it but there aren't many shows set in a library. Sadly, it makes me cringe so I don't watch it. I come right back for The United States of Tara though, it is brilliant.

Other than that the only night that I am attached to something is Sunday night, 8.30 on the ABC. I know it makes me much older than I am but this is where you find Midsomer Murders, Miss Marple and Poirot, all of which I watch for the scenery. I watched the first three weeks of The Last Enemy and quite enjoyed it. It did give us a bit of a surprise when the main character (the actor has the most delightfully improbable name of Benedict Cumberbatch) sleeps with a lady he met that day who happens to be his sister-in-law and the day happens to be the day of his brother's funeral - that was a classic. I missed the last two episodes because of our habit of watching TV on DVD.

A church in 'Midsomer'

We own lots of television series on DVD - The Office, Midsomer Murders, Firefly, As Time Goes By and Ashes to Ashes being some of them. Every now and then we bring out a series and start watching it again from start to finish. The best thing about having the series on DVD is also the most annoying. We don't have to wait a week to see the next episode but we have the terrible habit of watching 'just one more' and going to bed very late for a week or so. We have just watched Life on Mars again - such a great series. We will, I suppose watch Ashes to Ashes as a follow on (we couldn't wait for it to come on the ABC but bought it from the UK at Christmas ) but at the moment I am watching a series I borrowed from the library. It is called The State Within and is a political thriller set in Washington DC. I think it is a joint production between the UK and the US as it is about the British ambassador who is played by Jason Isaacs who only occasionally shows flashes of Lucius Malfoy.

Life on Mars

I really do want to spend more time reading. Obviously blogging isn't taking up a great deal of my time (I do mean to post regularly). I really have to blame Facebook. I don't spend time on quizzes or even checking status updates, my problem is Scrabble. I have six games going and when I am at home I am constantly checking to see if it is my turn again. I'm not ready to go cold turkey. Do you think I can do moderation? It isn't exactly my forté....