DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a serious TV buff, but I am not into vampires and horror and stuff like that. For the past few weeks, that seems to be all that is on TV. I'm sick of it. I know that Halloween is a big celebration and all, but don't the networks know that not everybody is into this gory content? What am I supposed to do while all this stuff is messing up my vibe? -- Against the Gore, Salt Lake City
DEAR AGAINST THE GORE: Now's the time for you to turn off the TV and do something else. Honestly, as much as what my father calls "the idiot box" can be engaging, distracting and a huge time consumer, it also should not be your primary source of entertainment. Get up, go out and explore your town. Or stay home and read a book. Seriously, you should mix up your entertainment so that you aren't reliant upon TV.
Finally, you can also write to your favorite TV networks and complain about the narrow programming during this season and request the genres that you prefer. You never know what will happen!