Binge-watching... and eating!

Honestly, I don’t understand people who don’t like re-watching movies or TV Shows. The only thing I love more than watching a good movie is re-watching it. I find that almost every time, when you see the plot unfold again, you notice something you had not paid attention to before. Sometimes I even grow to love characters I did not like the first time around. It is amazing to me that I can still have fun rediscovering movies and TV shows that I have watched numerous times. I love Disney movies, action movies, crime series, Harry Potter (yes, big fan, and boy have I watched them often!), comedies, dramas, name it! I think there is a genre for every occasion and every mood. I can easily spend a whole day in my pajamas with my buddy Netflix and a whole lot of snacks while being completely and happily entertained. Although sometimes, I must admit, I tell myself I am just being lazy or procrastinating. It is probably true to some extent, but I am also very passionate about stories. Whether it is a book, a documentary, an article, or a movie; I love hearing people’s stories. I love reading other bloggers and writers, I love listening to people sharing a little bit of their lives, I like getting to know an artist through their creation. So yes, I am a good procrastinator, but I realized it is also just something I love, and that I should allow myself to take an entire day, once in a while, to just be entertained and to connect with other people’s stories, without judging myself or feeling lazy.

Another hypothesis about my love for re-watching the same content: maybe it is because I am anxious and need to feel comforted and safe. Sometimes, it is reassuring to watch a movie for the 9th time. When you have only one night off, you do not want to spend it wasting your time watching a bad movie, you want to be entertained, moved, and watch your favorite characters find love or elucidate murders. There are times for watching the first movie that pop-up, put there are those times where you just need a good classic. I guess this is where eating my emotions come in; goes really well with watching Avatar for the 12th time. Brownies, cookies, candy, chips, so many ‘’great’’ options to choose from… My body and I aren’t exactly seeing eye to eye lately on what to eat and not to eat, it is in progress…

Or maybe it is because I am still attached to my DVDs that were my only real entertainment during high school. I had health issues at that time, which led to a lot of time in bed. For 3 years I moved to Texas with my family (coming from Québec, it is a pretty long way!), and I did not have many friends, hobbies, or fun. I just loved watching movies and re-watching my favorites. When I felt sick and nauseous, mom’s comfort food literally revived me. Nothing like chicken noodle soup and salted soda crackers to get a girl back on her feet! (I wish).

Being frank here: I have watched some Grey’s Anatomy episodes more than 10 times (only the entertaining ones). I know it is dramatic and not very realistic, but it is my guilty pleasure. If you have worked in a hospital, you know what I mean. Surgeons doing blood draws, scans, and charting? Yeah, right. On top of that, every character you get attached to either dies or leaves. But at the same time, it tells stories that resonate with me... You have the families that spend a lot of time in hospitals, the health workers that change lives, the young adults in unstable relationships just trying to feel complete, and the people who really just want to have an impact on the world. They talk openly about racism, sexism, the COVID pandemic, and so much more. I freaked out when I saw the first episode of the new series, which takes place in the real (COVID pandemic included) world. It made my heart bleed a little bit, since I quit working in health care right before this pandemic happened. I might have unknowingly saved myself from such a tough life-changing experience, but I definitely made my professional life is quite a bit less meaningful, in all honesty.

I can’t remember the last time that I watched a movie without eating at least one snack. Most of the time, not very healthy snacks. Deep down I know I could replace these habits with something involving less screen time, less sugar, less fat, less redundancy… but I really like my Disney movies and cookies. So be it.

Photo credit to Tetiana Bykovets on Unsplash.