Checking Out

By Friday morning, I had had my fill.

I've always been a news junkie, even before I went to journalism school. I don't exactly remember when I became interested in the world outside my sphere of family and friends but I have clear memories of watching Walter Cronkite delivering our evening news on the television set, after dinner. My parents would eventually switch over to CJOH News, with Max Keeping, to get a Canadian perspective.

Years later, I'd watch Lloyd Robertson and Harvey Kirk deliver late-night news before going to bed. As I got older, I'd stay up later to watch Leigh Chapple tell me what was going on in Ottawa.

I love following news on TV, over the radio airwaves, and through Internet. But on Friday, last week, I said "enough."

I became absorbed in the occupation that is continuing in Ottawa and was becoming increasingly frustrated by the inaction of our police. It was becoming clear that what was veiled as a peaceful protest was becoming a hostile takeover of the downtown core, one in which members of our police force were sympathetic. I was considering joining Saturday's peaceful counter-protest, led by residents that are directly affected by the trucks and invaders who were digging in and building camps. But because of the pandemic and my aversion to being around crowds of people, mixed with the risk of unarmed residents against armed anarchists, I stayed home, which is peaceful, quiet, and a fair distance away from the chaos.

What does that say about me?

Meanwhile, a similar situation took place in Toronto, around Queen's Park—the provincial legislative building—over this weekend, and as the potential for a repeat of what is going on in Ottawa drew close, I grew anxious and worried about my daughter, who lives a few blocks away, in her university residence building.

I cautioned her to not stick around if the trucks surrounded her neighbourhood. Go to your aunt's place, where it's safe, I told her. My sister lives several kilometres north of Queen's Park.

Thankfully, the Toronto police were prepared, organized, and controlled the crowd. By late yesterday, most of the masses had been moved out.

Ottawa is a total failure.

On Friday, I stopped listening to the radio. I streamed only movies and shows on TV over the weekend, staying away from news outlets. I removed my Twitter tab from my computer Web browser and turned off notifications on my smartphone.

They've been off ever since. I've given up on staying tuned in.

I needed a break. The stress was getting to me. As a news junkie, I felt that the news was hitting too close to home and I didn't know how to deal with it. And so I simply checked out.

What does that say about me, I've asked myself.

Seriously, what does that say about me?