Well, today marked a new turning point in my life. I drove to Cabot to hand over my two cable television boxes and to request to be disconnected from my HGTV, my Weather Channel, and all the other stations that I have come to love and enjoy. Yes, my home no longer has television - other than movies played through the DVD/video player. I know you are probably thinking that she has lost her ever-loving mind...and I just might before it is all over with. I am sure that my withdrawal symptoms will resemble someone coming off of crack cocaine! If you see my shaking and eating lots of chocolate, then please understand where the symptoms are originating from...
A couple of Sundays ago, I heard a relatively simple story of a person watching so much television that that same person was missing out on life. There was little time to go outside, to offer help to the neighbors, to read, and to enjoy time with family members. I was really convicted because my work load (from school and from home) always seemed to be growing, while my time in front of the television was also growing. I was simply becoming an addict, and I knew what I had to do. I had to get rid of it all...to purge my home from all remotes, all cable boxes, everything.
So, I did it today. I drove up to the Suddenlink office in Cabot and walked right through the glass doors, boxes, remotes, and all. I laid them upon the altar of the lady sitting behind it and told her that I was now regaining my life, taking it back from the television companies. She smiled. I am sure she thought, "This person will be back, crawling to me and begging for the reconnection." I also smiled, feeling pretty darn good about the afternoon. I got home, turned on the radio, and got everything done that I had put off all week. Um, if this continues, I might actually get my spring cleaning done during spring! Cool, huh?
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7 comments:
How is that going now? This is unreal. I too agree our lives are so consumed by responsibilities that we miss to many precious moments that slip away. It is crazy though to think that television has become a place where we lose time. It used to be that television was the only thing that kept a person connected to the real world. But I do think there is good news for you, computers and internet will probably keep you abreast of the latest. I just hope you can watch "Survivor" online, because your are writing your own sitcom by doing this. Enjoy life!!!
I think that is a great idea but I don't know if I could do it! Although lately I have been spending more time reading and found that I forgot how much I enjoy it!! I think you have hit on an important fact of life-that you have to take the time to live it.
I am truly impressed. It is one thing to think about doing something like that but to really do it is....Wow! Awesome! I cut my television consumption down to the weekends only. Yes! Television withdrawals are real.
I enjoyed reading your blog and can relate to most of your posts. I've dreamed about saying goodbye to the television for quite some time but I can't figure out how to do so without being divorced by my wife and kids!
Are you still without tv? I would love to do that. I think, no I know, my family would go into shock.
I think that's awesome. When I bought my house in Clinton, I refused to get cable or satellite, etc. I did not want my son or myself to become tv addicts. I even refused to get a tv. However, over time, relatives felt sorry for my son who lived in a house with no tv and gave us two. I still don't subscribe to cable or satellite, but we do have tons of dvds. At times, I want to just throw it all out and say "No more!"
Wow! That's amazing. You're a lot stronger than I am. It's crazy to see how people can't live without their tv. I think that's wonderful. I had to go without tv for two weeks when I moved in my house, and I have to admit I did get a lot done!
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