Fritzy 22's Journal, 30 April 2020

News was stressing me out as well, I'm much better since I've cut back. I allow myself one hour of news per evening reported by someone I respect. I don't have a yard, just a balcony, but I bought some birdseed and scatter it on the roof my balcony overlooks (not a pretty sight). So far I've attracted a squirrel, 3 kinds of doves, a pair of cardinals, a bluejay and a mockingbird. Not too bad for the middle of the city. A hugh river birch overhangs my balcony, so that gives them a place to perch. Much better than watching TV. 🌈 

Yeah... really minimized news watching. Try to watch some local news daily. My husband love it though... OH well. Glad you got some foods. I can still get all things but it is getting more expensive. Glad your cat is doing better. So sad when they are ill 

News are not helpful these days. Btw, I could live on bread too! 😂😂 

I'm glad you got some sleep! And I love bread! We don't get any news channels or local channels and I assume it helps the worry when you're not so tuned in. And to Shirfleur, that sounds nice! 👍🏼 

i don't listen to the news they are liars and fill people full of fear if oeople turned the news off alot of problems will be fixed 

I agree, pick a respected news source and check the overnight news and catch it again in the evening and turn it off the rest of the day. The news is very bad and will not get better anytime soon so we can’t bury our heads in the sand. There are things that are happening that will impact how we live our lives for many years to come and we need to be prepared and knowledgeable enough to make adjustments 

Mountain man— the news media does not have to exaggerate our health/financial problems to create fear. The fear is real on many fronts. Hiding won’t help. 

That's awesome on the sleep. So glad your kitty is feeling better. I've been limiting the news also. I catch the local weather and that is it. I definitely had to stop reading, listening to the news. I love bread! It does not love me though :/. It is time for me to go grocery shopping. I have no fresh stuff.  

Good news about a full nights sleep & your kitty. 😊 You made me laugh when you commented you wouldn't make a salad for any reason on your previous post. I do love a good salad but I wouldn't be tempted to eat one in the middle of the night.  

Oh and I cut back on watching the news, too. Still watch but not as much.  

Thanks Draglist - no TV at all? Not sure if I could do that but might give it a try for a day or so. Shirfleur - I let the birds and squirrels entertain me as well! I sprinkle bird seed on the deck and sometimes peanuts. Love watching the blue jays coming in for the peanuts. I swear that sit in the branches of the oak tree waiting for me because no matter when I put out peanuts they are there within a minute or two. And sometimes I don't put peanuts out for weeks. Liv - I think after I get through a week with no news at all I will just check out the local news. They don't give their opinions, just the news and I also watch to get the weather. Eva - the cable news seems to be 100% about the coronavirus and although I want to know what it happening, my community isn't nearly as impacted as New York or other places like New Orleans. There is a county website that gives the numbers of cases. I checked it yesterday and it showed a total of 41 cases of the virus and one death. 38 people have recovered and there are 2 active cases. That was somewhat comforting to see that most people have recovered although I feel bad about the person who died. Watching the news, they cover the deaths so much that I just worry and worry. DP - I remember years ago I changed the cable service to just local stations to save on the monthly charge and it really changed the way I watched TV. Mountainman - I don't think the news people and reporters are liars. If I did, I wouldn't watch so much. But I do think they offer their opinion too much. Just the facts, and I can figure out how I feel about things. Kenna - I am going to give the news a break, just for a week. And then probably just watch the local news in the morning and/or evening mostly for the weather and maybe watch just one of the cable news shows - I have my favorites but have been watching way too much. I'm bored, and at home, so that's what I've been doing. My sister talked to someone who works at the local (rural) hospital and was told at one time there were 2 people in the hospital and now there is one. That lines up with the website that says there are currently 2 active cases. It's nice to see the hospital is not yet overwhelmed with patients and I hope it stays that way. 

Tatauu - didn't sleep so good last night, but not as bad as usual. I bought a box of Bisquick at the store - there were only 2 boxes. I love to make biscuits with Bisquick. And I bought ciabatta rolls and some bagels. I bought 2 packages of 6 bagels each and cut them into quarters and froze them. That's enough for 42 breakfasts of 1/4 bagel and a cup of hot tea or hot chocolate! I can easily overeat some bread so I was careful not to buy a loaf of fresh French bread. Callie is feeling better today so we are taking her lymphoma a day at a time. Thanks Sherrye - I like salads when I go out to eat, but just don't like making them at home. I've tried - I even went looking at the thrift shop for a dish to have a nice "presentation" for a salad. I bought some avocados and have a couple of things I can put in a salad so will give it a try. Funny how I started craving fresh vegetables and fruit after not having anything but canned food for a few weeks. Hope to figure out how much news is just right for me but I know for sure I've been watching too much. 

Yes! Avoid the news if it peaks the anxious sensations. Find pleasurable shows and music. You have power over those choices. Best to your cat - I can relate to loving my cat companions. 

try audible. audio books are great and you will learn in the process  

I used to be consumed by politics and news, I took about 3 years off and felt so much better 

I don't watch the news either. haven't for a couple of years. I can read what I need to and check online if things are happening around me. I also don't watch that much tv anymore. weather permitting, I'd rather be moving around and doing stuff. I sleep with a white noise machine these days. it helps me not wake up for noises. there are two kinds: dohm and 'lectrofan. I have the 'lectrofan. it's distracting the first night, but because there's no loop in the sound, my brain can't obsess over the repeat the way it did with recordings. we put my cat on leukeran and cut his carbs back dramatically. Helped him live an extra 1.5 years once diagnosed. he lived to 18.