No News Is Good News?

I've always watched the news...morning and evening editions, as well as read all the local papers (religiously). I like facts and figures and am not big on fiction/fantasy. That goes for everything - tv, reading, whatever. But a month or two ago I decided to "give it a rest" as I was being bombarded with negative images and stories. I was ingesting far too much "bad" news and it was affecting me. It was starting to make me depressed and a worrywart so I decided to put it down for awhile.

Stories like this one did nothing but create hysteria in me...so, why bother? I mean what would it have mattered if I'd seen this during all the urgency? Sure, I would've "prepared", but I've actually already done that. As much as I can anyways....I mean, really - if there's a huge earthquake of the magnitude they're predicting, what the hell can I do? Nothing much as far as I can see. And, just in case it's not in my lifetime, I don't want to exert too much energy worrying about something I can do nothing about. Not long ago a story like this would've put me over the edge and made me a wreck, a complete basketcase.

I learned of this story/warning "after the fact". And I'm glad for that because, in my panic heyday, I would've been heading for the highest hill with my flashlight, blankie and water bottles (and my kids, of course). Last time we had a quake here I ran out of the house, thought about my dog and ran back in to get her. Carried her down the street...all 60 pounds of her (she'd had a stroke). I wasn't leaving her behind so I did the worst thing possible and went back into our shaking building to get her. Broke all the rules and threw everything I'd learned out the window at that point. I went on instinct and my gut said "don't leave her behind". So I carried her all the way to my kid's school, despite also being told not to go there.

I guess my point is that I'm going to live life and take whatever it dishes as it comes. I'll still "listen" and "prepare", but I refuse to "worry". I won't bury my head in the sand but I'm also not calling 911 every time someone predicts something catastrophic that may or may not happen. I'd actually like to pour a glass of wine, put on my favorite song and think of all the things in life that have made me happy to that point. I mean what else can I do?