So, I’ve been thinking of getting rid of the TV.
*gasp*
Seriously. Chris and I have been talking about it for a while. Yet nearly everyone I tell thinks it’s a stupid idea. They tell us to give it to someone who can just “hold” it for us until we, too, realize it was a stupid idea and want it back.
Seriously?
I’m not one of those cocky types who thinks TV is entirely full of garbage and I’m way too good for that. No, actually, I love TV. There has been plenty of laughter, tears, anger, and enlightenment over the years of shows I’ve followed, and I’ll always be nostalgic over a little “Boy Meets World” and the like.
But recently, there are so many things Chris and I talk about doing in our spare time that don’t get done simply because it’s too easy after a long, hard day to fall onto the couch, remote in hand.
The ridiculous thing is that getting rid of the TV is just another one of those things that we’ve been talking about doing but doesn’t get done because it’s too easy to say, “We’ll get rid of it next Saturday! It’s the season finale of this show on Thursday!” or “Make that next Wednesday; it’s the season premiere of this other show tomorrow!” And so it’s a vicious cycle.
But deep down, at the end of every night I’ve wasted watching more finales and premieres, I regret not having read a book, written a journal entry, gone for a walk, run or swim, called a friend I haven’t talked to in a while, spent time cooking a new recipe or learning new photography techniques, or simply had a good conversation with Chris.
Every one of these things and more are activities I want to make inherent to my daily or weekly life over the next few months. They’re the things that define me, and when they’re missing from my life, I end up feeling useless and miserable. They’re the things that would make me feel better after those long days, terrible commutes, cold/flu attacks, emotional breakdowns, baby tantrums, etc, but it’s like the TV drowns them all out.
Now, I know getting rid of the TV isn’t going be the magic solution to tackling everything else I want to do. But I do believe it’s the first step.
Having said that, I need a little encouragement. It’s not just about getting over the fact that there will always be more finales and premieres that seem necessary to watch. It’s also the fact that as we get closer to the end of the year, there’s a whole list of Christmas-time movies that I make a point to watch every December. There’s nothing I love more than snuggling up with an Irish coffee, roaring fire in the background, and “It’s a Wonderful Life” lighting up the room.
Not to mention flu-ridden days when all you want is a bowl of soup, pint of ice cream, and a chick flick. Or sleepy Saturday mornings when delicious cooking shows get you motivated for the day. Or times when you’re in early labor at 4am and can’t sleep and documentaries about whales and dolphins somehow distract you from the contractions. Yeah, that happened.
So you see, my brain is making this whole “getting rid of the TV” thing much harder than it needs to be. Any words of encouragement?
