Tuning Out the Television

[dchoneyb916]

TUNING OUT!

I recently decided I was watching way too much TV. In the evenings, after braving my hour and half commute, I am usually brain-dead. I don’t want to think about work, feeding my cats, washing clothes, cooking dinner, or anything else that requires brain activity. So what have I been doing? Turning on the television and giving my brainwaves a chance to flat line.

This wouldn’t be such a bad thing, if I were watching oh, let’s say the History Channel or Discovery Channel. But I’m not. I am watching silly little shows about people who have mundane little problems. And while they might have teenagers who are out of control or neighbors who pop over without a key—these storylines do nothing to improve my quality of life. (Maybe I need to pitch a reality show about Bericka’s life…more bills than money, more boys than real men, more calories than exercise, more drama than one cares to experience, etc., etc., etc.—I wonder what the ratings would be on that pilot?) And it is not my intentions to badmouth any television station, so I won’t mention the stations that I gravitate towards, but I assure you, none of them provide high-quality educational programming. So that being said, I banded television in my house. Over the course of the last two weeks, I‘ve abided by the following rules:

1. I can watch the news in the morning as I get ready for work.

2. I can watch one sitcom in the evening if I am doing chores such as cleaning, washing dishes or washing clothes. But I must always be moving, never sitting or lying on my bed. I must also consider listening to my IPOD first. If I’m not in the mood for music, then the television is allowed for 30 minutes.

3. I cannot go to a friend’s house with the intention of watching television. If I visit a friend and the television happens to be on as background noise, I must treat it as just that—something in the background.

4. I can watch television if I’m at the gym on a treadmill. (I must be walking, jogging or running! Standing does not count.)

5. If caught in the rare situation where someone holds a gun to my head and forces me to watch tv, then I choose television over death.

Two weeks later, I find that I don’t even miss it. I actually spent the entire Labor Day weekend doing things other than watching tv. Imagine that. And since losing my remote, I have read 2 books. One of them is called “This Book Will Save Your Life” by A.M. Holmes. Very good! Laugh out Loud funny! I suggest it. Did it save my life? Who knows? But I am certainly inspired to be more present during everyday life and enjoy a donut from time to time—LIFE IS SHORT! The main character, Richard Novak is a funny guy who goes through some wild and crazy adventures before understanding what has gone wrong in his life. Google it, get the book and then tell me your thoughts about it.

Lastly, if you decide to cut off the television, tell me about your experience with that as well. I’ve found that spending less time looking at Hollywood’s idea of the perfect body has done wonders for my self-awareness. I haven’t lost any weight, but I certainly feel better about my body. I’ve also probably saved myself a few extra calories, since I wasn’t mindlessly eating while plugged into the boob tube. All-in-all, my experiment was great. I suffered a little in the beginning, but I am okay now. And I gave myself some slack when it came to the political conventions—I can’t live under a rock.

Tune out the television. Tune into your life. Tell me how it goes.