Thursday, June 28, 2012

Oh, Must I?

Dr. Timothy Leary seeing things.
Apparently I am really missing out by not tuning in to a weekly TV series called "Mad Men." Just yesterday, after I dissed it in a blog post, I got a call from a dear friend saying it was fabulous, and that she is now totally addicted. Several other good friends claim, unabashedly I might add, that they are also addicted. That brings the tally to five people I truly respect and admire who claim the show is a "must-see!" So, will I watch? Probably not. I shy away from anything labeled "must-see," if for no other reason than it seems a bit dictatorial, not to mention insulting to the blind.  Anyway, that's another blog post; this one is about how our critics are running our lives with statements like "The MUST-SEE movie of the summer!" and the "MUST-SEE network surprise of the season!" There are also "must-read" books and "must-see" Broadway shows. What I want to know is, what happens if you don't see a "must-see" thing? Will you drop dead? Will you sicken and die? Will your hair fall out? What terrible thing will happen? Oh, wait a minute, I think I know: The producers and artists and writers will make less money. Got it.

If you ask me, there are plenty of valid "musts" that go undone, like:
1. "MUST-GIVE" to charity.
2. "MUST-CALL" your mother when you go away to the wilderness for five weeks and she wonders if there are any ziplines there. Ditto flesh-eating virus.
3. "MUST-EAT" spinach, kale, blueberries, fish and olive oil every day.
4. "MUST-FLOSS" your teeth and gums daily.
5. "MUST-IGNORE" most of what you hear and read (including this).
6. "MUST-THINK" for yourself.

5 comments:

  1. The more I hear "You haaaaave to see/read/listen to _____, the further I push it from my mind. I smiled the other day when I came across a list titled "101 Books to Read This Summer Other Than 'Shades of Grey.'"

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    Replies
    1. Glad to hear it, Alexandra. We non-conformists must band together to stamp out cookie-cutter thinking!

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  2. Only if cookies are still involved. ^_^

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  3. taking out the "must", see "Intouchable". That was one of the 10 (ten) or so movies I viewed on the airplanes over the past 24 hours.....
    I meant to get to "Mad Men" but missed out. I did see a clip someone had posted on fb with one of the sexier stars saying, "what" about a hundred times. That was good. and I have yet to see "sopranos" too. on the list. to do, not must.

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    Replies
    1. Life without Tony Soprano at least somewhere inside your head is a dreary affair.

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