Shrill Shouting in the Public Domain

This week I've taken a "news break." That means that I have watched no television, except for Monday night's Operation Iraqi Stephen, hardly listened to NPR except when I first wake up, and kept away from nytimes.com, well that's a lie. I do check it periodically during the day, but I've avoided reading much more than the headlines.

I decided to listen to music instead, and although I've been warned not to do this, I have had my iPod on while driving. Instead of arriving at work agitated, I get there in a state of ecstasy. Not bad.

Since the switch from analogue to digital television, my cable provider has taken MSNBC off of the basic cable service. With only one cable box, that means I can't watch Rachel Maddow or Keith Olbermann in bed anymore.

Not bad. They were beginning to sound too much like Jon Stewart anyway.

I haven't turned to television now that "In Treatment" is over (Gabriel Byrne as a flawed therapist). I didn't watch American Idol, although I did catch Adam Lambert singing "Mad World" and he broke my heart with his voice and talent. No dancing, no housewives, just music and reading.

And the world seems a bit quieter to me this week, which isn't so bad.