I'm doing fine
When i’m finished, I just turn it off, or even if my husband is still watching, I leave the room and grab a book. Works nicely with my “read more books” goal.
Comments:
SallyKitt "Action is the antidote to despair" - Joan Baez
good for you
I’ve been doing something similar…just walking away.
It’s odd how TV watching is a thing my husband and I do together. We are a lot more interactive now that we have TiVo than we used to be, because almost everything we watch is recorded, so we can stop it and talk about it.
I thought maybe TiVo would have me watching more TV, but it’s actually made me more selective because I record what I want to see and don’t get drawn into an evening of “what’s on next.”
I work in TV and film as a script researcher, so I can’t completely ignore TV. But the evening lasts so much longer when I’m reading or sketching or anything else.
I don't have TiVo
..but now that I’m sticking to watching only things I “pre-decided”, I think I’ll tape them to watch and fast-forward through the commercials. I did the math, and the minutes add up at the end of the week.
I also didn’t opt for “watch NO Tv” as a goal because it’s something my husband and I do together. We don’t like to mindlessly channel surf anymore, but we’ve chosen a few things we enjoy, and we’ve achieved some kind of balance (or so I hope!).
SallyKitt "Action is the antidote to despair" - Joan Baez
reasonable goals
Sounds like you are finding a good balance. I can barely stand to sit through a live broadcast anymore…so used to zipping through those commercials. I like that you thought about how much time it adds up to. There are 44 minutes of content broadcast in every hour, so that means 16 minutes of commercials. Never thought of it adding up before! Look at all the time my TiVo is giving me back.
TV’s a big part of our culture. It’s hard to drop out completely.
May I ask what you do choose to watch?
My favorites: Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, Dinner for Five, indy or short films on Sundance or IFC, old movies on TCM, Independant Lens (PBS short documentary series), 30 Days.
But maybe this is counterproductive talk…?
Gasp!
You want me to confess… Well, as I have to read serious musicology/philosophical stuff all day long, I should be forgiven for watching Charmed and Tru Calling (though that one’s over), and some movies.
Oh, and Alias…
SallyKitt "Action is the antidote to despair" - Joan Baez
HA!
Funny how we judge what entertains us! I am a big fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, although I didn’t discover them until they came out on DVD. Also have been watching DVDs of Dead Like Me, which is charming and smart. ]
I started watching Alias on DVD, too. Loved it until this past season. Flash! Crash! Gimme that wig!
