Halfway Home

I'm really starting to miss television, isn't that pathetic? And I'm only halfway there...but it's not even the shows I miss. I mean, how can I miss such stellar shows like "The Jersey Shore" or "Billy the Exterminator." And it is nice to not have the constant bombardment of ads. Think abut it..for about 22 minutes of show you see 8 minutes of commercials, and that really starts to add up.

I can already hear certain members of my family scoffing and calling me a hypocrite or self righteous. I was hoping to be clapped on the back like a person who had finally quit smoking, but instead I'm looked upon as just a quitter. They are right to scoff; for one I've been an obsessed television watcher for most of my life, turning into a virtual zombie sitting on my bed watching my small screen of reruns with a towel on my head after taking a shower four hours ago. The other question is why now? For that, all I can say is...why not now? I've been meaning to read and write more, figure out what to do with the rest of my life, enjoy walks and being around three dimensional people; all things that television was imprisoning from doing.

And I'm sure my friends out there who do smoke would say trying to quit smoking and trying to quit television are not the same, and they'd be right. Quitting television is MUCH harder. At least the government has gone ahead and done alot of the work by banning it in restaurants, movie theaters, bars, aquariums, museums, hospitals, airports, etc. And if the inconvenience doesn't do it, the cost will, at nearly $8 a pack. I was spending well over $120 a month for television and Internet. And everywhere EVERYWHERE I go there are television sets propped up somewhere, pleading and tempting me to watch their screens. It doesn't matter which side of the table I sit, a television will without a doubt be nearby.

My biggest fear is causing an inconvenience among my friends. Take last Sunday- we went over our friends apartment for dinner and I placed myself purposely with my back to the television, which was showing football. I kept thinking someone was about to ask me an intense question as they leaned forward. Only when they yelled an obscenity or clapped their hands in victory did I realize they were referring to what was occurring behind me. Even at Joe's parents house, I felt compelled to keep my back to the television, trying to make sure I wasn't in the way nor being antisocial. I also feel bad because I don't want anyone to have to rearrange plans or be a problem to anyone. After all, this is my crazy ambition and other people shouldn't have to pay for it.

I don't mind, truthfully. What I really miss is being part of the water cooler conversations. It's truly amazing how much people bond and begin conversations with, "Oh, man did you see last night's episode?" or "Have you ever seen...". Not a day goes by where I don't hear around me people catching each other up on missed moments or neglected scenes.

But here I am, and I think maybe I'll even tighten the strings a bit more and watch less of Netflix, except for movies and documentaries. If I can make it this long, who knows...let's just pray it's a mild winter and we don't get snowed in...