Mukilteo Musings

The Ads are Getting to Me

I just got back from the dentist. I had to cancel my regular appointment a while ago because with the chemo and feeling ill, going to the dentist was not a priority. But, chemo can be hard on gums and teeth so the oncology nurse suggested I make a visit. The dentist told me everything looked just fine! Whew! I must say going to the dentist now is not so bad when put in perspective alongside colonoscopies and chemotherapy.

At home now, the last thing I want to do is turn on the TV. At least I saw a hummingbird today. I was surprised to see one approach my hanging basket in November but seeing him was certainly more interesting than televsion now. I am tired of the political ads. Aren't we all? We have on our ballot a right to die initiative. For a cancer patient such as me, the ads both for and against are devastating. They either have a dying cancer patient begging us not to vote for it or they feature a family member of a cancer patient urging us to vote for it because the family member took advantage of the same type law in Oregon once the cancer had spread to vital organs. I just do not need to hear all of this a hundred times a day.

The most stupid ad on our TV is in our governor's race. It features several people passing around a baby clad in just a diaper. Of course, they all wrinkle up their noses at the terrible smell. It ends with the baby crawling away on the floor and the explanation about how things need to be changed. I seriously hate it.

Another ad that truly disturbs me is also in our tight governor's race. It shows a man with a gas can and a match. It starts out with him asking, "Why would you listen to a man with a gas can and a match?" It ends with him dousing a big pile of money with gasoline and lighting it on fire with the match. The idea is to persuade people that our governor has wasted money. The first time I saw the ad weeks ago, I thought it was irresponsible. I hope with all of my heart that it did not influence the man at the University to kill himself in exactly the same way.

Tomorrow it will all be over with hopefully and I can go back to hating or loving my regular commercials.