Possibly an Excellent Idea for a Reality Show
Lately, like the past 10 years or so, I have dreaded grocery shopping. And I think it’s getting worse – to the point where certain members of my family frequently whine: there’s… nothing… to… eat… in… the… house… Mooooooooooommmmm
Today was one of those days when there truly was nothing to eat. Not even a piece of cheese that I could grill between two crusts of bread for lunch. Instead I had to dig around the freezer until I came up with an ice-encrusted Amy’s Indian Curry concoction. After I micro waved it (for about 47 minutes) and peeled off the plastic, I still didn’t recognize the vegetables.
That’s when it occurred to me: I would love to watch a reality show of competing households that must stop shopping for anything and everything to see which family can last the longest with what they already have. No shopping for food, drinks, toiletries, detergents, paper towels, itunes, socks, nada!
Think of it, a Tom Bergeron-type knocks on someone’s door asking if they would like to compete on the brand new reality TV show, Dropping Shopping (but with a better title). Everyone in the household must agree to start (i.e., stop) immediately and will compete against 9 other households to see who lasts the longest without shopping. Camera-crews move into their homes for as long as it takes. Of course, the winning family receives $100,000 or a cruise for 24 or a trip to the moon or something equally excessive.
I bet my family could win. There is so much food in this house that we will NEVER consume…and my husband has a thing for buying giant packs of toilet paper at Sam’s Club so we’d be all set on that front. Ninety percent of the time we all drink water anyway. Obviously, clothes don’t run out. And if we use up all the laundry detergent, I can slice up those tiny hotel soaps (doesn’t everyone nab those?) – same for shampoo.
I can just see the improvisational tension and creative problem-solving played out in front of millions:
“I’m starving, what can I eat?”
“How about that 14 year old can of sardines in the cupboard.”
“No more beer?”
“Drink some cough syrup.”
“We’re out of deodorant?”
“Try Lysol.”
Easy!
On second thought, it just dawned on me that the success of this show – like everything else in life – would fall on good old Mom.
Sigh . . . I might as well just go grocery shopping. Anybody need anything?
EXCELLENT!! I would so watch that show! But my family would NOT win. Our frequent moves have resulted in purged supplies. And, since money’s been so tight for so long, we’ve already burned through most of our surplus. They’d have to vet these families really well, though – I don’t want to see some group in week 16 huddled around a pot containing what used to be the family iguana!
Yah, I think the only audience would be Moms looking for ways to avoid shopping and then, of course, no advertisers would buy spots . . . would have to be on PBS
Gawd, never thought of the iguana in the pot!
Can we forest forage? Move over squirrels – I’m gonna win this one.
I have a very competitive spirit….and I have enough food and cleaning an dpersonal needs supplies to last a very long time. I have just moved all of the foremetioned items recently as I am moving to a unit next door. I love the idea of winning a cruise for 24 of my closest friends….you would certinaly be among them, Beth, as long as I am not competing against you….
By the way…I HATE grocery shopping….and teh thought of cooking another meal makes me want to go on a starvationb diet. Thank God for restuarants! Wanna go out??
I also love all those take out places – today after the grandkids soccer game in the frigid cold, I picked up 2 veggies in one of those fancy take out places on the North Shore of MA to go with the last 2 slices of the meat loaf that I made last Sunday.
2.5 minutes in the microwave, open the bottle of red wine that my husband bought and we had a delicious Fri. night supper.
We would win. Come on by I say Tom Bergeron. We have so much food in our pantry I almost can’t stand to open it up. I have a few pack-rat tendencies shining through. What if……we are like “Jericho”? Loved that show. I know I could survive for a long long time. I guess maybe I should think about my family though. They are not as tough as I am. I say that proudly and confidently and humbly as well. I am the only true-blood yankee amongst us and I have been born with the qualities of survival of the most frugal and making do.
Uh oh…….the toilet paper department storage is at a low point. We do have many old books and magazines and oh yes…..that forest forage that I saw Jen-Jen write about.
Ha, this is fun because I get the last word in and they can’t defend themselves…..
I almost forgot and can’t leave here without mentioning…….we do have enough beer for awhile too!
That’s great!