Why I Should Be Banned From Watching HGTV

I loooove watching HGTV. So many great shows - so little time to watch them. Of course, for Ms. Grass is Always Greener, the shows on this channel are not helping my condition.

Take for instance, House Hunters International. This show features a couple (or individual) who wants to move abroad (or buy a vacation home) - they look at three properties and eventually settle on one at the end of the show. Can you see why this spells trouble for me? I have already talked myself into the fact that we could easily afford a fixer in Italy, a bed and breakfast in Peru and a vacation bungalow in Figi. Blaaah.

Next up - this one requires some background. Earlier this week I was househunting online for houses we can not afford in my preferred neighborhoods. I found a bunch of great ones in Berkeley and in Oakland, for the not-Heather-and-Taki-budget of between 700-800k. We are talking 3bd either 1 or 2 bath, some that still need work. Flash forward to tonight when Taki and I are working out in our garage and My First Home comes on with a profile of a a young couple buying their first home in...Doylestown, Pennsylvania! Oh fun, what a delightful show to watch while we are burning off a bunch of calories. THINK AGAIN. The first house that they looked at was listed at 407k and was 4bd/3ba. Huh...what? Top it off with a huge yard. They ended up settling for a 3bd/2ba for 367k (needed about 10k of work). Really??!! You can imagine the conversation that I had with Taki after the show wrapped. The following phrases may have been uttered "But our kids can go to school for FREE!" "We can eat at Nat's ALL THE TIME." "Yes, totally, there are jobs in Philadelphia!"

Good times people, good times.