TV Free Me?

You know it’s bad when you’re trying to make a spreadsheet to track which TV shows to watch and are upset that America’s Got Talent is on at the same time as America’s Next Top Model. Wouldn’t it be great if America had talented top models? No knocks, gals and guys of the modeling industry, I know many of you are intelligent and talented individuals, in addition to being beautiful and photogenic – just easy targets…and stupidity, like assholes, occur at about the same rate in any group. (As for example, the ANTM winner who didn’t know the difference between a bird and a bat – is our education system really deteriorating so quickly?)

After reading this post on The Root, something must have stuck in my consciousness because a couple hours later as I was making said spread sheet (yes, I was in fact doing that, and yes, I was torn between beauty and talent), it finally sunk in. I shouldn’t be watching so much TV. Since I moved in with A, we watch a LOT of TV. He comes home and turns on the tube to chill after a hard day starting at his computer screen. My mom was laughing when I mentioned that “one of our” TVs has a computer hooked up to it as a DVR so we can “TiVo” shows – she said, “Is this the same daughter who begged me not to buy her a TV?” Yes. And no. I’m the same daughter, but now TV addicted.

A and I are only two people, but we have FOUR TVs. Four. One in his office which he keeps out of sentimental value (it’s from his parents old motel); an LCD in the living room which we sometimes watch TV or movies on, but mostly use for playing Rock Band; one in the bedroom in front of which we spend most of our evenings and my 13’’ TV-VCR combo which has yet to find a home, but which I’m planning to put in the guest bedroom. This is too many TVs and reminds me of the days when my housemates and I had three TVs set up all together and would be using them all simultaneously.

In addition to feeling like my evenings are a colossal waste of time and like I’m tied to the house, because I don’t want to miss X show, I have noticed that I feel aware of the TV in the bedroom even when it’s off and that A keeps the volume of the TV and on the rare occasions when we’re playing music, the stereo, godawful loud. I crave the quiet of neighborhood noise and dogs barking. I want to have a quiet music playing in the house that I might have to strain a little to hear. I want to eat at the dining room table and I want to feel like my evenings are my own. I want to spend my evenings engaged in meaningful work and restful recreation. When someone asks me what I did last night, I want to be proud of my answer. I don’t want to keep up with those Joneses.

TV Alternatives:

• take the dog for a walk
• unpack a box
• read a book
• work on a project/hobby

TV Goals:

• no TV in the bedroom after 9pm
• enjoy TV if I choose to watch something
• no more than 3 hours of TV per week