You Know You're a Little Bit Too Into "The Bachelor" When...

I'm very defensive of but also very upfront about the fact that I watch a lot of bad TV. I blame this primarily on working from home, where I'm left to do my work in a silent, coworkerless home. I want background noise, so I turn on the TV (or, in most cases, Hulu on my iPad) - but I have to work, so I can't actually watch anything. I've got to turn on something I can listen to without having to follow closely. When I had cable, the Disney Channel was perfect for this.

One bad TV show I actually watch, though, is The Bachelor - &, actually, all Bachelor-adjacent shows. I also watch The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and, now, Bachelor Winter Games (much to my husband's disgust & amusement). For awhile, I didn't have an actual TV hookup, but I love waking up on Tuesdays knowing that a new episode awaited me on Hulu - & yes, I religiously avoided Twitter the night before.

This season, unarguably one of The Bachelor's worst, is somehow the season I've gotten the most into. Want proof? Fine, fine. You know you're a little bit too into The Bachelor when...

1. You follow the contestants on Instagram. 

This goes first because it's the thing on this list I've been doing the longest - though admittedly, I've started following a lot more past & present contestants this season. I follow Rachel Lindsay, Nick Viall, Carly Waddell, Sarah Herron, Becca Tilley, Sharleen Joynt, Taylor Nolan, & Andi Dorfman, & from this season, I've added on Seinne Fleming, Bekah Martinez, Kendall Long, Marikh Mathias, & Bibiana Julian... whew. OK, this is an embarrassing start, huh? And no, I have not purchased tummy tea or those hair gummies, thankyouverymuch.

2. You hook up your TV just to watch live. 

When we moved into our new apartment last May, I didn't bother hooking up our TV. We don't watch much in-the-moment TV, anyway, aside from Game of Thrones, so why bother? I was comfortable watching everything, even my beloved Grey's Anatomy, the next day on Hulu - until The Bachelor came back on. Suddenly I needed to watch it as it aired - & so on January 1st, just before the season premiere, I moved a spare TV into my office & set it up & cheered aloud when it worked & allowed me to tune into "Januarie" in real-time.
 

3. Your talk to your boss about The Bachelor. 

My Tuesday afternoon check-ins with my supervisor, Jill, eventually get around to focusing on work - but first, we recap The Bachelor. Jill is in her early 50s, so I never would've expected her to be a fan, but her love of it has really elevated our work friendship to the next level, boss or not.

4. You join a fantasy pool. 

One of my best friends, Christina, lives in Cleveland, TN, where she & her friends get together every Monday to drink wine & watch The Bachelor. They even created a Bachelor fantasy pool on ABC's website, where they've each taken guesses about which contestant will win the final rose (& Arie's heart, I guess). Though the game is strictly limited to their in-person attendees, Christina petitioned to add me to the group as a long-distance member because I have no one to watch with in person. I joined a couple weeks late, so I'm far behind & losing, but hey, I'm in a fantasy pool for a reality TV show.
 

5. You start listening to recap podcasts. 

That's right, I've escalated my Bachelor love to a disturbing new level by adding a second medium to the mix - podcasting. At the recommendation of friends & fellow bloggers, I've started looking forward to my weekly listening of Here to Make Friends & Bachelor Party. Despite my general dislike (on TV, at least) of former Bachelor contestant Ashley Iaconetti, I've even started listening to Almost Famous, her podcast with Winter Games co-star Ben Higgins.

6. You sent this card to someone.

For Valentine's Day, I made this Bachelor-themed card for my aforementioned friend, Christina, using Postable. I couldn't resist! (Use code MRPF5WB8 for $5 of credit on this fun, easy card-sending site. Not sponsored, I just use it a lot.)

There you have, five signs that I've become a bonafide crazy person when it comes to the Bachelor franchise. Are you a Bachelor fan? What's your guilty pleasure TV show?