There’s nowt wrong with Downton Abbey - lovely costumes and settings and yes, its probably good to see familiar characters each time. I haven’t tried Love Island but again, if its the same group of people each time it would be good. Ive also enjoyed Call the Midwife, Little House on the Prarie and nature and family history shows and have a running joke with a friend who is virtually housebound with hip pain that Charlie Dymock should be the next Queen (she would nominate Kirsty Alsop). More serious or complicated TV however is a total no no. I tried a couple of the Australian comic horror (at least I think that’s what they were) shows and loathed them. Im fortunate in that I can read, but certainly don’t have the concentration that I used to. There is a free book swap at our local shop and I’ve learned to choose my swap by chapter length rather than subject matter. I appreciated the even length of the chapters in the first Richard Osbourne novel and got a sense of achievement from reading it. In contrast I have just finished a book by Melvin Bragg. I enjoyed the subject matter (working class life post WWII) but some of the chapters were sooo long. It was part of a trilogy and I definitely won’t be seeking out the other books
Thats a tough one to answer, I know of old friends who have the same problem as you, the lack of desire to continue. I was fortunate in as much as once the shock of having had a stroke had been accepted I immediately started exercises to offset the damage done. The first night in hospital in a ward on my own and unable to sleep I commenced trying to say out loud the alphabet and ended up practicing being able to say “Good Morning” to the first person I met. I dropped off about 3am and tried to greet the breakfast lady with it. It came out something like “OPLASFY” and I burst into tears!
Controlling the embarrasing tears immediately became my number one exercise and took a few years to control although even after 7years it often becomes difficult.
Deigh