As previously extensively blogged about, I wasn’t really a television watcher before I met Jess. When she moved in, however, for the first time I had cable installed in my (or, rather, our) apartment.

Jess watches relatively little TV. And, when she does, it’s mainly as relaxing background noise while multi-tasking: replying to emails, paging through magazines relevant to her job in the world of fashion design.

I, however, am far less able to healthily cope. Sitting at our desk, with my back to the screen, I find myself frequently swiveling around to catch more of what Heidi, say, might be saying to Spencer on the latest episode of The Hills. I even watch the commercials. And then I try to discuss them with Jess, who, having built more effective defenses against the tube, stares at me blankly, having completely ignored such unwanted interstitial content.

I don’t know if I’ll develop similar immunity with practice, or if I’m simply congenitally unable to sit in a room with television playing and not pay attention.

Either way, though, at least for the time being, if anyone needs to know exactly what Sanjaya said to Paula this week, or who does the Marshall’s celebrity voice-over, I’m pretty much your go-to guy.