Remember how a couple of entries ago I complained about watching too much TV and needing to cut back? Well, I've gone and done it... I've scaled back my cable to the "broadcast basic" package, which is essentially only CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, UPN, PBS and some local affiliates. I think it's a total of about 22 channels. No more ESPN (if you know me, you KNOW I'm a sports nut); no more FX (Rescue Me, The Shield, Nip/Tuck); no more MTV and VH1 (Pimp My Ride, Best Week Ever)... hell, I've even given up CNN, Fox News, TBS, TNT and a host of other channels. It's supposed to go in effect today or tomorrow.
Besides the savings of close to $40 a month, I really needed to do this because I was watching WAY too much television. Since I've been unemployed, and subsequently bartending nights, I was vegging out in front of the tube all the time. I love TV, but it had become a crutch for me. I was planning my day around different shows, I was even watching a daily TV show of a radio sports talk show... a telecast of two guys talking on the radio (WFAN's Mike and the Mad Dog), even though I could easily turn on THE FUCKING RADIO AND LISTEN TO THEM. I watched this practically every day. Ridiculous.
So, I decided to try to cut back. I even cancelled the weekly TV Guide I was getting in the mail. Right off the bat, I know I'm going to go through withdrawl... I'll reach for the remote to catch SportsCenter on ESPN, but I won't be able to. Friday night, I'll look to watch Best Week Ever, and I won't be able to... and on and on.
I'm doing this (at least I'm trying to do this; the jury is still out as to how long I'll last) for several reasons, mainly because I want to get off my ass and start doing things. I want to read more; I want to workout more, or at least more consistently; I want to listen to more music and spend more time on the computer (hopefully chatting, flirting and joking with many of you); I want to take on more projects, like clean my condo (embarrassing, but true) and, ironically, I want to watch more of the 200 DVDs I've amassed over the last few years. That's right, I want to watch TV; I've also got volumes of TV shows I've taped over the last several years that I've never watched. Tons of stuff, yet I never watched them because I was too busy watching mindless TV and taping more stuff.
To many of you, this will seem kind of funny. You're saying, "Man, this guy is a loser... how hard is it to not watch TV? Most of it sucks anyway." Well, I'm not a loser, I'm an addict. And just like the guy who has trouble quitting smoking, or the woman who just can't seem to stop falling for lousy men, or the person who would rather withdraw from their friends than give up their pot, I suffer from a similar problem. So today, while I'm nervous and a bit anxious at the prospect, I'm taking back my life. I'm not saying no to TV entirely (Alias and 24 start up in January! Yeah, baby!), but I'm going to try to ween myself off of it as best I can.
This is the first step. Wish me luck.
Besides the savings of close to $40 a month, I really needed to do this because I was watching WAY too much television. Since I've been unemployed, and subsequently bartending nights, I was vegging out in front of the tube all the time. I love TV, but it had become a crutch for me. I was planning my day around different shows, I was even watching a daily TV show of a radio sports talk show... a telecast of two guys talking on the radio (WFAN's Mike and the Mad Dog), even though I could easily turn on THE FUCKING RADIO AND LISTEN TO THEM. I watched this practically every day. Ridiculous.
So, I decided to try to cut back. I even cancelled the weekly TV Guide I was getting in the mail. Right off the bat, I know I'm going to go through withdrawl... I'll reach for the remote to catch SportsCenter on ESPN, but I won't be able to. Friday night, I'll look to watch Best Week Ever, and I won't be able to... and on and on.
I'm doing this (at least I'm trying to do this; the jury is still out as to how long I'll last) for several reasons, mainly because I want to get off my ass and start doing things. I want to read more; I want to workout more, or at least more consistently; I want to listen to more music and spend more time on the computer (hopefully chatting, flirting and joking with many of you); I want to take on more projects, like clean my condo (embarrassing, but true) and, ironically, I want to watch more of the 200 DVDs I've amassed over the last few years. That's right, I want to watch TV; I've also got volumes of TV shows I've taped over the last several years that I've never watched. Tons of stuff, yet I never watched them because I was too busy watching mindless TV and taping more stuff.
To many of you, this will seem kind of funny. You're saying, "Man, this guy is a loser... how hard is it to not watch TV? Most of it sucks anyway." Well, I'm not a loser, I'm an addict. And just like the guy who has trouble quitting smoking, or the woman who just can't seem to stop falling for lousy men, or the person who would rather withdraw from their friends than give up their pot, I suffer from a similar problem. So today, while I'm nervous and a bit anxious at the prospect, I'm taking back my life. I'm not saying no to TV entirely (Alias and 24 start up in January! Yeah, baby!), but I'm going to try to ween myself off of it as best I can.
This is the first step. Wish me luck.
VIEW 19 of 19 COMMENTS
gilda22:
Good luck with no tv! I used to do the same thing back in CT, but now I forget to watch even the one show I don't want to miss! Maybe it's the air. 
And yes, Aaron is super duper lucky! The bastard. hehe
And yes, Aaron is super duper lucky! The bastard. hehe
knocturnal:
nah Dude I totally understand, Im addicted to tv, and it can seriously become a fuckin addiction its fucked up. Here's to taking the first step in a new direction.