As Long as I Don't Read a Book about Lemmings

I remarked to a friend the other day that I've always been influenced by what I read.  When I was young, I liked a series of children's mysteries about The Happy Hollisters.  Not only did they solve mysteries, but they went to a lot of interesting places to do so.  I wanted to visit those places, too.

I also remember Dennis the Menace comic books (the American version, not the English version) in which Dennis and his parents visited London, the Queen Mary, and the Winchester Mansion.  I've been to London (and, coincidentally, have 30-year old copies of The Beano saved for posterity) and the Queen Mary, but I haven't visited the Winchester Mansion yet.  My record for tracking the Hollisters is worse; I've only been to New Mexico and New York City, not Italy, Switzerland, Denmark...

Earlier this week, the protagonist in a mystery had poached eggs with corned beef hash for breakfast.  "That sounds tasty," I thought, "and I haven't had corned beef hash for a several years."  So, when I was at the grocery store this afternoon, I picked up a can.  We get the day off on Friday, for spring break, so I'll treat myself to a large, once-in-several-years breakfast.

It's funny, though, that TV commercials don't affect me.  Correction:  they don't influence me to buy any of the products they promote.  They do, however, turn me off to a number of products, simply because I find the commercials annoying.  (And I never can reach the mute button fast enough when political ads come on.)

I guess I'm swayed only by what I read, not by what I view.