No TV Update

Well - for those of you who missed the newsflash...Friday was the day that we shipped our "household goods" to Hawaii. Everything that we wanted to take is gone, and all that's left over are the items we decided not to take (including a bed, gratefully) and some toilet paper. We have no dishes, no silverware, no pots (to piss in or otherwise) one set of towels, and daily necessities (i.e. deodorant).

And guess what everyone keeps asking us? "What is it like to live without TV?!" Before I answer this question, and if you are one who asked this, you are in excellent company. Not one person has asked anything else first, regardless of age, sex, or race.

So here is the "no TV" update. Its surprisingly easy and refreshing. Jeff and I are both on our computers quite a bit more, and I can honestly say that if I had to live without my computer that would be the worse hardship. We read the entire paper today, we have seen two movies, we have been in bed at decent times. Its quite. No trying to talk louder than the TV, no commercials blaring in the background. We talk and listen to one another without distraction. I urge you to try it -- put your TV in the garage for a weekend. Granted, its a little easier to do right now given the writer's strike..but try it. Call it an experiment in communication.

I have to be honest - when I realized that we would be sans TV, I did have a moment of panic. Then I remembered I am reading a good book and Vanity Fair should be in my mailbox soon. But I do have to ask: "What does this say about us!?" What does it mean when not one person has asked how we are eating since we have no cooking or eating utensils? What does it mean that no one has asked if we even have a bed or sheets for said bed? What does it mean when TV is so incredibly integrated into our lives that it is almost part of the family? It means just that: we have so accepted this intrusion, it has become like any other addiction: a friend you can not imagine living without. It's a little crazy. It's a little sad. When I was a child, we were not allowed to spend endless hours in front of the TV, but that didn't stop me from becoming an adult who does..even as I watch "The Biggest Loser" and know that my time would be better spent getting back to the gym. I WATCH cooking shows...and occasionally I even cook. I watch the "Dog Whisperer" then turn around and scream at my dog. So I guess what I am wondering is just like every other addiction, what does this device ADD to my life? Entertainment...OCCASIONALLY. What it really provides me is the opportunity to escape - escape any serious discussion, any serious thoughts and any challenge. While I need to veg as much as anyone..I really think I can do that without completely tuning everything else out.

Before I leave you, I must tell you - this will probably be the last "No TV" update as we are borrowing one from Jeff's brother. =)

1/7/2008 Editor's Note:
Jeff has found out that you can watch Family Guy on YouTube and I figured out you can watch Desperate Housewives right from the ABC site (with about 2 minutes of commercial - TOTAL) WHO NEEDS TV?!!??? COMPUTERS ROCK!!!