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It's five o'clock somewhere

You have to love country and western radio stations. Although I mostly tune into CBC's mighty 540, I sometimes take a break and move the dial around to a different AM experience.

You have to love country and western radio stations. Although I mostly tune into CBC's mighty 540, I sometimes take a break and move the dial around to a different AM experience. Thursday morning as a pulled into work at an early hour I was serenaded with the strains of "It's five o'clock somewhere." There's a concept to take with you as you start the workday.

Earlier, on the same station, I listened to a rant about the trashy TV programs produced to fill up the thousand-channel universe. There's no doubt the editorial had a point. There's some really bad stuff on the tube.

After a recent unfortunate connection between my finger and a ball on the "wrecked" volleyball court, it was suggested perhaps I am too old for such pursuits. As I observed the chosen activity of the one making that pronouncement, I said I just wasn't yet ready to devote my life to watching American Hoggers on television.

There's a wonderfully simple solution to TV trash. Turn off the tube! When the denizen of the remote is taken away from our household overnight, even for days at a time, the big screen presence in my household goes blank. I admit I do enjoy watching the Riders (wells sometimes) in high definition, but I've been known to have to say, "Can someone find me the game. I don't know how to run this thing."

Check out this Wednesday's News-Optimist or go online to www.newsoptimist.ca and read children author Helena Long's suggestions for creating a screen-free month in your household. According to her family's experience it's an excellent way to reconnect, foster love for reading and simply a refreshing break from all that banal blather.

That's it from my corner. How about letting me know what you've observed from yours? Email me at newsoptimist.news@sasktel.net with "my corner" in the subject line and I'll share your observations with our readers.