Some of life's questions to which there are no answers or explanations

There are issues we all face - okay that I face - which are most perplexing and to which there are no logical explanations, at least in my eyes. You know the type of inane thoughts that keep one up at night because they're so inane?

SO LONG SOAP OPERAS

As is the case with many TV viewers, I admit to watching soap operas or as many (okay - me) call them, "day time drama-dies." Most likely my attraction came about as a result of genetics in that my mother watched them when I was a child and I in turn absorbed the content (such as it was and is) over time and have carried on the tradition. My day time drama-dies of choice are "General Hospital", my favorite, and "All My Children." My mother liked "As the World Turns" which was cancelled a while back. Perhaps that act in itself was an omen or writing on the wall as they say. For their part, the networks are claiming that the rating numbers aren't there anymore. While I don't doubt this claim, perhaps had they offered viewers a plausible story line at least for "All My Children", which has turned into a sad joke with characters returning from the dead via a doctor who has somehow acquired God-like qualities. The shows in themselves can only be viewed as an escape from reality since everyone living in soap opera-ville are rich but don't work, become surgeons in six months to a year and never deal with real life situations like employment loss. Such is the appeal. Escape from reality.

Viwers who have stayed with the show over the years deserve better, writers and powers-that-be!

Word has it that General Hospital is also on the chopping block down the line and will be replaced by the new programs, "The Chew" a food whatever and still another food preparation show, "The Revolution". Just what viewers need. I find it difficult to believe that day time TV viewers are interested in basically cooking lessons. That's what it comes down to in the end and what's with this sudden fixation on cooking? Not to dismiss the male cooks and chefs, are we returning to the olden days where the  woman's place was in the kitchen cooking meals? Count me out as a future viewer of both of these shows. In as far as General Hospital is concerned, the word is that Katie Couric is slated to move in with a talk show. Again, just what we need - still another blah-blah-blah program.

Pass...and pass again.

MY INVITES ARE NOT AND NEVER WILL BE IN THE MAIL

In addition to not receiving an invitation to "the" royal wedding with my invitation somehow mis-directed by the mail delivery service and now stuck with a hat, there was also no invite to the Kardashian nuptials. It would have involved the purchase of a new dress and an airline ticket so I view it as saved money. Being in the "older" age category, how did this Kardashian family become a fixation virtually everywhere you look? What makes them special? Anybody want to share?

WOOKIE - WHY?

As a blog writer, I'm still amazed that the "lost cat" story that still has paws from last December, and is still being read by people dropping by here? No new information has been offered or forthcoming at least yet, as to the fate of Wookie the cat, who lives or once lived in England. Whereabouts or even whether the feline is still in the land of the living is a mystery, as are the cyber surfers who are intent on keeping the spirit of Wookie alive. As mentioned in previous Wookie-related comments, any Wookie updates as to his fate is appreciated and shared.

ETC. ETC. There are other issues of personal concern like Twitter un-followers who have me perplexed, supermarket sprays gone amock, rude shoppers who use their shopping carts to block access to bargain food items and as weapons of pain, dented cans that are only discovered dented upon arriving home, packaged cheese that goes blue/green/rancid within a week or two of purchase, lipstick shades that look  copper/orange-y in pharmacy light but end up pink at home (what is this obsession with pink lip color anyway!) - it just never ends! In the last three months, I've amassed 5 "reject" lipsticks that looked rust/beige-y but ended up pink.

As my mother used to say: "what cannot be cured - must be endured." Amen mom!

The children have left the building along with the other soap operas

Shocked initially but not surprised that two more soap operas have been cancelled. One of my used-to-be-favorites, All My Children, received its walking papers and now I'm faced with how to fill the hour but I digress.

Over the years there has been a deterioration of plots and story lines along with the addition and sudden deletion of characters. Some, as is the case in any soap opera, suddenly vanish never to be seen or heard of again, while others disappear for a while to suddenly show up as a twin of the deceased or suffering from amnesia or serving a term in jail... Things that we normals rarely encounter. The story lines were at least plasusible if that's possible living in Pretendville and seemed to have a direction to sustain interest. However, over the past year or two, missing a day or even a week of Erica's love quandries or Tad's PI investigations and the frequent appearances of love children didn't really bother me and therein lies the problem.

A soap opera or day time drama as some people call them, requires the telling of a story that holds the interest of the reader and in this case, the viewer. In the end, it's the story that is the glue to hold things together. Unfortunately, the writers of AMC seemed to have forgotten this. It was as if they were trying out various ideas and then if the ratings didn't pan out, suddenly try something else. The low ratings can't entirely be blamed on the viewers, who stop watching when they are presented with stupid premises that are...dumb. Seems that people are hooked on reality TV, which is where the industry appears to be heading. Cheap to make and attracts sponsors, which is what it's all about: $$$$$

Perhaps in the end, the TV soap opera which was a main-stay in the 1950's to now, has grown out of fashion with this generation. Back in the day as they say, there were stay-at-home moms who lived vicariously through the glamorous and exciting lives of soap opera heroes and heroines. Many women these days are actually out of the house and contributing to the work force, while teens and tweens are busy texting and involved in social networks.

It's sad to see their demise especially since word has it they're being replaced by talk and reality TV shows. How many talk shows do we really need or want to watch? As for reality shows - been there, seen too much of that.