I think I have the perfect indicator that I am old. There is no hiding it, I am a news magazine junkie. I like watching programs such as Dateline so much that I opt for wasting my time on these programs as opposed to actually doing fun activities.

Let me back up and explain just a little bit. As I have said before, I rarely watch television…honestly. When I do watch it, I am fixated either on “Bar Rescue,” sports, “Jeopardy,” or non-fictional programs. Except for a short fling with “The Mindy Project,” I don’t do sitcoms. Lumped into non-fictional programs you have documentaries, Forensic Files, and my guilty pleasure, news magazines.

I think my love for news magazines dates back to my childhood. On Friday nights if we were good, my mom would let my siblings and I stay up and watch the 10 p.m. episode of 20/20. This was back in the heyday when Barbara Walters and Hugh Downs would host and John Stossel would contribute his “Give Me a Break” segment. Nerdy as it was, this is what excited me when I was a kid.

Well, old habits die hard. I am still a hardcore fan of news magazines and with the explosion of cable television and the infinite library of re-runs available, my fandom is well-fed.

For the first time in my life I am going to admit this embarrassing fact. Are you ready? I occasionally watch OWN…yes, that is the Oprah Winfrey Network for those who want to rub it in. About two times a week, the network will show around three or four Dateline re-runs and then back it up with three or four 20/20 re-runs. When I am home working and there isn’t a game on, I will keep my TV muted on OWN and check in every now and then to what is on. If it is an especially interesting episode, I will unmute it and watch.

Want to know something perhaps even more embarrassing? Most Friday nights these days, Sidney and I elect to stay in and watch the new episode of Dateline as opposed to going out and engaging in activities that other twenty-something couples do. Yep, I managed to date someone who shares my love for news magazines. But is it really that bad? I mean in all honesty, many of these episodes are pretty engaging. Also, how can you say no to the storytelling of Keith Morrison?

Not that I needed to convince you even more that I am a little strange, but I guess I wanted to get my love for murder mysteries, investigative reporting, and intimate interviewing out there. I am aware that I missed the Dateline last week that took place in Missoula but I plan to watch it as soon as it is posted to the show’s website. Now I need to deal with my disappointment that it is Monday, basically the Sabbath for news magazines. Have a great night, everyone. Don’t Blink.