ATWTI have a secret vice. A vice that helps me unwind and cope with the stresses of my daily juggle. A vice that might draw mockery — or at least some serious teasing — from colleagues and friends if they knew.

Well, now everyone will know: I like soap operas. In fact, I’ve been watching one of them — “As the World Turns” — regularly for decades. I watched it with my mother when I was a kid, and started taping it when VCRs became popular. To this day, I look forward to relaxing on the weekends with a week’s worth of taped “stories.” It’s a relief to forget about office politics and the fate of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for a just a little while. Passively soaking in the fictitious dramas of Oakdale, Ill., gives my brain a much-needed rest.

Many of us have little crutches that help us cope and that we’d be hard-pressed to give up. Some are classic: a glass of wine with dinner, fantasy baseball or maybe knitting. And some can be a little embarrassing.

Readers, what are the hobbies or vices that help you cope with modern life? Trashy novels, cigar smoking, horoscopes? Do you collect international beer cans, or go on a Nintendo bender on the weekends? What “mother’s little helper” gets you through the day?

Photo: Katie and Brad’s wedding on “As the World Turns”