Binge watching is nothing new to me. In my college days I loved to rent six (the limit) VHS movies from our local video store, pick up Chinese takeout and live off the two for the weekends my mom might be out of town. Once I had my own apartment, I carried on this ritual for many years, devouring one movie after the other. Following these binges, I would have huge spurts of productivity and creativity, accomplishing all the things I had guilt over not doing while I was watching the movies. Over time this has become a part of my creative process, the movies setting the tone for what comes next.

The first television series I can recall binge watching was cable series about two brothers. I knocked out an entire season in three days, and coincidentally ran into one of the lead characters in Trader Joe’s the day after I completed the season finale. I approached him and told him that I loved the show, and that I watched all the episodes back to back. He seemed really surprised that a person would do that, so I deduced that this was not something everyone does.

But now we have Netflix. No commercials. No waiting for a new episode! I started my love affair with Netflix by watching Arrested Development – all four seasons – in eight days. I am now having to check myself occasionally(frequently), because when I binge watch a show, I tend to take on the attitude of the program and need to remember that I’m NOT IN THE SHOW. I’ll have you know that I started watching season three of Orange is the New Black at eleven pm on Thursday night, and finished at 3:30 am Sunday. I have to make sure I don’t backhand anyone, make my own wine in a jar, give myself a tattoo, or start smoking again. I’m pretty tired, but at some point in the fourth episode I figured out how I want to sketch a design for a silk scarf in the collection I’m doing, so now I can’t wait to get to it. I guess my system still works.

I’m really happy Netflix chose me as a #StreamTeam member, which has allowed me these indulgences that I so love. Recent binges include Grace and Frankie, Bloodline, and the Critter is nuts for All Hail King Julien. Now that I have outed myself, y’all wont be able to stop me from chatting the things I’m watching. I am already planning to watch Sense8 when I go into my next creative torpor.