<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/rhbhills.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-3378" title="Adam Olszewski/Bravo © Bravo " src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/rhbhills-300x243.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="243" /></a>I have a confession to make.  And it's not pretty.

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I am addicted to trash television.  Particularly, <em>The Real Housewives</em> series (yes, <em>all</em> of them) on Bravo.

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I am still puzzled as to how Bravo started airing these shows.  Bravo is an arts channel.  I am an arts person.  I was originally drawn to Bravo for obvious reasons.

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Back in the day, when I prided myself on being an accomplished and educated woman, I tuned into <em>Inside the Actor's Studio</em> and foreign films on Bravo.  I watched <em>Masterpiece Theatre</em> on PBS.  Yes, I admit it.  I was a cultural snob.

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A Welsh friend once told me that I was "very cultured for an American".  I took this as a compliment.

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Well, Catherine, I am ashamed to admit that this American snoot has taken a cultural nosedive.  I now get a secret thrill from watching poor little rich girls and their trainwreck lives.  (Although, I have to say, I absolutely positively ADORE Lisa and on the <em>Real Housevives of Beverly Hills. </em>I want her to be my friend in real life.)

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My current addiction is so overwhelming that I turned a Friday night viewing with Dina <em>dah</em>ling into one of my 365 blog days.  In my opinion, that's cheating.

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But I am also "coming clean" which is the first step in admitting that you have a problem, right?  <em>That</em> is important enough to count as a blog activity, right???

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On Day 111, Dina <em>dah</em>ling and I ordered pizza and plastered ourselves on the couch with our dogs.  I even DVR'd that ridiculous after show with Andy Cohen who made such an idiotic and offensive statement that I will NEVER watch him again.  I may be swimming in the cultural gutter, but I still have some taste and discretion in tact.

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Before my addiction evolves into something more serious (i.e., before I stumble into the cesspool of a show like <em>The Jersey Shore</em>), I am contemplating doing the unthinkable in 99.9% of households:  yanking my cable.

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No, this does not mean switching to Dish Network or another competitor.  This means cutting the crap out of my life to see what might enter into the TV-less void.

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My main dilemma is that I do enjoy my ritual of sitting down for dinner in front of a show.  I live alone.  Who wants to eat alone in their kitchen?

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I've been told that I can hook up a hdmi cable from my computer to my TV and still watch <em>Top Chef,</em> <em>It's Me or the Do</em>g, and <em>Shark Week</em> (come August).  I could also stream Netflix and watch shows that I've always wanted to see like <em>The Tudors</em> and <em>Weeds</em>.

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Or maybe I should just get over myself and relish in the ridiculousness that is <em>Real Housewives</em>.  All of my colleagues at work are just as addicted.  What else are we going to talk about during coffee breaks?

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Have you ever pulled the plug on your cable?  Please share/advise/lecture me below.  Just remember to be kind.  :-)

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*****

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Update:  On Wednesday, April 18th, <strong>2012</strong> I <em>finally</em> CUT THE CABLE!!!!  :-) <br class="spacer_" /><br class="spacer_" />