I’m beginning to think television might be the work of the devil.
During my date with Mr. Tuesday night he mentioned that until recently he didn’t have a TV. He also discussed all the amazing things he has done already in his life -- seriously at one point I started to wonder if I wasn’t on a date with a smarter Forrest Gump.
Then, on my way home from San Francisco a guy that was sitting behind me was chatting up the good-looking girl sitting next to him. He too had a long list of accomplishments and adventures. Later in the conversation, when the television screens lowered and an old Office started showing, she asked him if he was a fan of the show. He answered, “I’ve never seen it. I don’t own a TV.”
At this point Lana and I were both trying to get to sleep and thus annoyed by the budding couples chit-chat. Lana opened her eyes as did I and we gave each other knowing looks, complete with raised eyebrows.
See, because I share everything with my mom and Lana (and the world) she knew that Mr. Tuesday Night didn’t have a TV. And as his exploits were already under suspicion by my mom, Lana and I started to wonder if it was really all that unbelievable. That maybe, when you don’t have TV sucking up all your time, you find time to do all sorts of other things. With this second young, world traveller now behind us, claiming he never watched TV, it was no longer mere speculation -- we have a pattern developing here.
Now, when Bridie and I first moved in together, we didn’t have cable. At the time it was a matter of money. Neither of us had it before (well, Bridie did, but I think she was stealing it) and so we didn’t see a reason to get it at our new pad. But those two months or so that we didn’t have cable didn’t prove all that productive for either of us. In fact all we really managed to accomplish was a lot of wine drinking.
Still there was no ignoring this new evidence. I wonder if I could do it, get rid of my cable live without TV. It would sure save me a bundle -- oh my god, I just did the math and it would save me more than $1000 a year. That’s a Marc Jacobs bag.
I would probably also lose weight. I do a lot of snacking on my couch, while watching Law & Order reruns. Plus, most of the time that I am watching, I am sitting. And I just read recently that the amount of sitting we do has dramatically increased over the last several years and with that, so has our collective waistlines.
Not to mention with all me free time I just might finish my novel.
I just may have to try this.
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5 comments:
My parents didn't bring our tv with us when we moved from Buffalo to Puerto Rico when I was growing up. Since I was ages 7-13 then, I can't say it broadened my horizons much (and boy did I suck it up like a vacuum during summer break when we visited my grandparents who weren't so evil and I could watch sat morning cartoons like the rest of the planet) with physical travels (mostly due to my age limitations and my parent's inherent laziness I'm sure), other than it taught me the pleasures and benefits of reading. Lots and lots of reading.
I think you should try it! Other than Project Runway, there's nothing but crap on tv right now anyway. :D
Good Luck!
I generally don't watch TV. I don't have it at all in my apartment, but I'll certainly watch when I'm at my parent's house or I'll sit through the occasional show on the internet. Can't say I'm all that productive, though, since I simply find otehr ways to occupy my day.
Maybe you have the wrong end of the stick, here. People who are whirlwinds of activity may simply find television watching too passive an activity to make it through, and so not worth the bother. I do think the weight loss might be true, if for no other reason than you'll have so much more time to jog when you don't need to schedule around "Glee."
No TV here, but I'm not saving the world, either. Making costumes, yes. I regularly download two TV shows per week and watch them when I can.
It can be done.
You could also spend even more money and buy a stationary bike/treadmill and only watch TV whist moving on that contraption. (You can purchase some sort of removable frame to attach to your existing bike to use it as a stationary bike. One of my friends does that.)
I'm going to do it. I think starting in November/December and Marie is going to do it with me. We just need to work out the details. Gabriel, I find your hypothesis interesting (that maybe the adventurous are bored by TV) but I'm hoping I'm right and that it will free up my time to finish my novel and learn French.
When I was growing up, I watched Seaseme Street and nothing else... I was pretty smart in those days. Like Rachael, I read tons of books.
I never really got into it - preferring a good movie - but lately, I've become addicted. It seems to be a barometer for my stress, and the more actual things I try to do, the more television I watch.
But I'd love to see Le Tatiana publish a book! Go for it!
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