Don't you just hate when....

Do you watch Fox's hit TV show '24'? I do...religiously. Most often used line this season? "Chloe, just do it." If you watch the show, you know what I am talking about.

Funny thing about entertainment such as dramatic TV, movies, novels...half the fun for most people is trying to figure out what's going to happen next. Solve the mystery. Figure out who's the bad guy. I am not one of those people. When I read a murder mystery, I just read it. I don't analyze it. I don't try to solve the murder. I don't try to predict the next twist. Why not? Because I would prefer to let the author take me on a ride. Same with TV shows and movies. At a particular point during '24' my wife might say something like "Oh I saw that coming" or "That's so predictable," and usually follow it up with "What, you didn't figure that out?" No woman, I did NOT figure it out, because I didn't WANT to figure it out! Let me enjoy the ride. I spend most of my days solving problems, analyzing situations, figuring out what should happen next. That's the last thing I want to do when I am supposed to be relaxing and enjoying some pop culture. So don't tell me who you think did it. Don't say "I bet 'so-and-so' is really a bad guy." Don't tell me when you've figured out the Wheel of Fortune puzzle. Enjoy the entertainment in whatever way you choose to, but don't ruin it for me with your predictions. I just don't want to know. For that very reason I avoid watching the "Next week, on 24" segment after the show, and would much prefer to see a movie without having seen the previews. There are so few surprises left in life, why take these away from me?

Until next time, Hershberger...out.