Deep Space Lazytown?

Sometimes things just take over our attention for reasons that are difficult to explain. Heading into summer, my daughter Randie has become obsessed with Lazytown. It’s a kids show from Iceland (yes, Iceland) adapted for American consumption on the Nick Jr cable network. It was a show my daughter watched when she was a much younger child. Now she’s spends an inordinate amount of time online watching episodes of Lazytown and obsessing over a variety of minutia like the original Icelandic plays the show is derived from. Of all the things in the world to capture her attention… Lazytown? Really?

Meanwhile I’ve been caught up with my own obsession: clips of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine on You Tube. DS9 was the most mature of the Star Trek series, dealing with long form story arcs and character development. In many ways, I consider DS9 the best of the Star Trek TV series.  I haven’t watched an episode in years but lately someone has been posting 3 to 5 minute clips of DS9 episodes on You Tube. I’ll watch one. Then another.  And then another. And then another. And then another. And then another. The next thing I know, I’ve killed several hours. I mean, what the hell? 

I think Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is on Netflix. If I want to go ahead and watch episodes, I can. But no! I keep watching this show in bite sized chunks like a stoner with a bad case of the munchies and a family sized bag of Doritos. Seriously, I have better things to do with my time, don’t I? But nevertheless, I persist, one clip after another of deadpan Odo, obtuse Garak, intense Sisko, sneaky Quark… Oh great. I need another bag of Doritos.  And I keep watching.

It’s weird what reaches out to grab our attention. Whether it’s my daughter obsessed with a Nick Jr import from Iceland that she supposedly outgrew 10+ years ago or my habit of glomming onto dozens and dozens of Deep Space Nine clips on You Tube until I’m tired and bleary eyed? What accounts for such things taking up so much of our time? Maybe it’s a self-defense mechanism. I think we are often overwhelmed by our choices, too many different movies, TV shows, videos, too many options vying for our attention. So our brain picks something, one thing to focus on, something born of nostalgia, of familiarity. But it serves as an anchor in a storm tossed sea of choices.

Or maybe I'm just crazy. Or lazy. Clazy?  

And I'm so glad my suffering amuses you.