between the ads

I remember the day when commercial breaks were what happened between the "real shows" (at least I was naive enough to think that!)

The ads would come on, and you could afford to tune out for a while, and wait for your sitcom, soap opera, movie, or cartoon to return - pick up the story again, and carry you into the other world of mystery, suspense, tragedy or hilarity.

Sometimes I wonder if there's ever a story of substance between the ads.

I mean, it just seems like ad "breaks" are longer ... and, to be honest, sometimes the ads are more entertaining than the shows (I guess the money of marketing attracts better writers than all the ex-cops who write law enforcement dramas?).

And then, maybe, the commercial stations have reclaimed some talented writers through strategically placing products in their shows - cos that's where the money is. And for those who couldn't manage to lure creative talent back their way, well, at least they have reality TV to pay the bills.

I know it sounds cynical, but sometimes I wonder whether our lives don't reflect the same pattern. Depth, wonder, joy, love and story become crowded out by a non-stop barrage of shallow stories, repetitive jingles and ulterior motives.

A life truly lived is substituted for the sale of the product we hope to be projecting ... we think we're living a great story, but all we're doing is selling stuff.

Seriously, is there anything actually happening between the ads?