Klostermans observation is of course true. We do get many of our ideas of what "ideal romantic love" is from movies and television. We also get many other ideas as to what is important in life from the big and small screen. After reading the chapter, I began thinking about what other things we've learned from television and the movies.

In particular, I began to think about what I've learned from them. Then, I made a list.

Since I've spent much more of my life watching television than I have at the movies, I've compiled a list of ten of my favourite TV shows from my past, and the things, whether they be true or false, that I've learned from them. You'll note that I have decided to exclude cartoons. I've learned too many things from animated television to simply make it a part of a list. It would have to be a list on its own.

The list is chronological. I think.

Ten Television Shows, and What They Taught Me

1. Mr Dressup: I watched this show every single day when I was a kid - until I started grade school.

Things I learned from Mr Dressup: How to draw; how to make stuff out of old egg cartons and paper towel tubes; owl's are scary; puppets make good friends; dressing up is fun.

2. Battlestar Galactica: Quite simply the greatest space/sci fi show ever. I remember making so many excuses to stay up past my bedtime so I could watch this show.

Things I learned from Battlestar Galactica: Outer space is really cool; Cylons are scary; I vowed to name my firstborn son "Starbuck" cuz he was such an awesome character; even if the earth is somehow destroyed, mankind will find a way to survive in big spaceships.

3. The Dukes of Hazard: "Just the good ol' boys, never meanin no harm". I never missed an episode, had Bo and Luke action figures, and a poster on my bedroom wall.

Things I learned from The Dukes of Hazard: Cars are cool; jumping cars over rivers is even cooler; if you don't like guns, buy a bow and arrows; some cops are corrupt; short shorts are awesome.. on girls; find a mechanic you can trust; not all rednecks are jerks.

4. The Pepsi Power Hour: The year was 1985 and my mom just got our cable package switched over to the one with Much Music. The Pepsi Power hour became my obsession. One hour of Heavy Metal videos - rock on!

Things I learned from The Pepsi Power Hour: METAL RULEZ!!!; guys with long hair are cooler than you; not everyone looks good in leather pants; shouting at the devil can be fun as long as you don't worship him; Erica Ehm was one hot VJ.

5. Degrassi Jr High: My family used to watch this show together every Monday night. Considering some of the topics that were covered, some of those Monday nights were pretty uncomfortable.

Things I learned from Degrassi Jr High: If girls have sex in Jr High they automatically get pregnant; fedoras look kinda cool on some people; not all sets of twins are super hot; there is SOME good Canadian television; "everybody wants something they'll never give up"; mullets are cool.

6. The Wonder Years: Great show. This entire series should be available on DVD. I'd buy it.

Things I learned from The Wonder Years: The Vietnam war was complicated; working in a hardware store would suck; so would delivering Chinese food; TV can make me cry; high school gym class is a battlefield; best friends fight about stupid stuff; I wish I had a Winnie Cooper.

7. The X Files: I came to this show a little late, but caught up through re-runs on the Space channel.

Things I learned from The X Files: The United States government is not to be trusted; smoking is bad for you; I want to believe; the FBI spends allot of money on weird stuff; Dana Scully could arrest me any day of the week.

8. Dawsons Creek: I once made a promise to myself that I would never watch cheesy teenage soap operas. Then I watched this, and couldn't stop.

Things I learned from Dawsons Creek: I wish I had a neighbour like Joey Potter when I was growing up; teenagers lead much more complicated lives than I do; sometimes the good guy gets the girl; mellowdramatic television can be extremely entertaining.

9. Freaks and Geeks: As I've mentioned here before, this is one of the best TV series ever.

Things I learned from Freaks and Geeks: High school sucks; Neil Peart probably is one of the best drummers ever, but that doesn't mean I have to like Rush; gym class is a battlefield; dodgeball is deadly; being a geek isn't so bad as long as you've got friends; 70's rock and roll ain't so bad.

10. Ed: A show about a lawyer who owns a bowling alley. Who'd a thought it would last 4 years?

Things I learned from Ed: If I owned a bowling alley girls would like me; living in a small town really isn't so bad; girls like it when you dress up like a knight in shining armour; i wonder if they make armour big enough for a guy like me?; good guys do get the girl sometimes; offering your friends money to do stupid stuff is really, really fun.

Thats it. Well, thats not really it. Television has taught me many other things as well. Probably more than I'd care to admit. But i don't have time to go into everything I've learned from TV. That would take too long. And beside, i have other stuff to do.

I think I'm going to go see whats on.