Day Thirty-something
Well, no follow-up courtesy call from Sky to check I was of sound mind and spirit when I cancelled so that's good. Just a short note thanking me for all my "past support" and they look forward to me joining them again in the future! Do they know something I don't? Hmm, a little presumptuous but you can't blame them for trying. The first line of the letter says, "We're sorry to see you go"... I'll bet they are. £240 for a year's subscription is an awful lot of cocktail sausages at the Sky 2005 Christmas buffet. I'm sorry minions of Sky, I apologise in advance if the festive buffet is not as fruitful as years past. On a plus note, I will be able to use the money to buy more cocktails sausages then any man dare dream. Hurrah for my cancelled satellite TV subscription!!
Only a short waffle tonight. I must confess to having allowed further televisual feasts to pass my eyes in the last couple of days. Well, Sunday at least. My moment of weakness was while my girlfriend was here. We'd been out all day and flopped on the sofa with some dinner staring at the blank TV screen. I resisted but then I've been practicing for over a month now, however, she couldn't resist it's lure and activated the beast... what delights would it reveal? What wonders would it share?
BEHOLD... the last 15 minutes of The Antiques Roadshow, 30 mins of Coronation Street (soap) and a 14 year old "edited for US-TV" film, Bird On A Wire with Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn.
Lavish entertainment for a sunday evening I think you'll agree.
So, anyway, that was sunday and it was only a couple of hours out of the past week. Still keeping it in moderation and keeping it in check. It's not running my life as it used to and I'm enjoying the lack of force-fed advertising. It's really great to savour the bliss of sales-free time... no more in-my-face, in-my-head adverts for soap, Coke and hope. They sell dreams.. If only I had that deodorant, that razor blade, that soft drink, that pair of jeans then everyone would love me. No, really they would.. the TV says so. Anyway, it's off and I'm loving the silence.
Do you think the adverts are there for the benefit of the programmes or the programmes for the benefit of the adverts?
Only a short waffle tonight. I must confess to having allowed further televisual feasts to pass my eyes in the last couple of days. Well, Sunday at least. My moment of weakness was while my girlfriend was here. We'd been out all day and flopped on the sofa with some dinner staring at the blank TV screen. I resisted but then I've been practicing for over a month now, however, she couldn't resist it's lure and activated the beast... what delights would it reveal? What wonders would it share?
BEHOLD... the last 15 minutes of The Antiques Roadshow, 30 mins of Coronation Street (soap) and a 14 year old "edited for US-TV" film, Bird On A Wire with Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn.
Lavish entertainment for a sunday evening I think you'll agree.
So, anyway, that was sunday and it was only a couple of hours out of the past week. Still keeping it in moderation and keeping it in check. It's not running my life as it used to and I'm enjoying the lack of force-fed advertising. It's really great to savour the bliss of sales-free time... no more in-my-face, in-my-head adverts for soap, Coke and hope. They sell dreams.. If only I had that deodorant, that razor blade, that soft drink, that pair of jeans then everyone would love me. No, really they would.. the TV says so. Anyway, it's off and I'm loving the silence.
Do you think the adverts are there for the benefit of the programmes or the programmes for the benefit of the adverts?
posted by Alan at
11:17 pm
7 Comments:
Hi Alan, I couldn't find your email on this site. My name is Ron Kaufman and I run TurnOffYourTV.com. I'm interested in knowing how your non-TV life is going? Do you find it difficult replacing TV time with other activities? Thanks. If you have a moment please email me back at comments@turnoffyourtv.com.
By
Anonymous, at 24 January, 2005
My name is Tony, from Dallas, Texas, and I have read your blog thus far, and it was fascinating. I also have given up the TV all together, since 1/3, and it has been rewarding. Like your girlfriend, my wife watches, but slowly she is coming around to my way of thinking. She dropped into bed last night after watching two hours in a row, and said, "Why can't I just turn it off." I would suggest that if you are truly earnest in your desire to get rid of the tv, that you stop watching with your girlfriend. No big deal or lecture is necessary. Just say that you are glad to see her, but you don't want to watch. Go for a walk together or something.
By
Anonymous, at 24 January, 2005
I am so proud of your commitment to escape from the "boob tube!"
You are an inspiration to many including myself, who is beginning to ween off from the visual stimuli i've become accustomed to having to occupy my available time...
Keep up the good work!
By
Anonymous, at 27 January, 2005
hey,what has happened to your blog,hope youre not watching TV again!!!
I am now about 6 weeks into the same experiment of a TV-free existence.At first it was difficult at work having conversations with people,as all they talked about was the previous nights TV....now I realise just how sad they are.
In the last 6 weeks,instead of wasting time watching TV,I have read over 10 books,done an hour of yoga practice daily,gone swimming daily,started some weight training,taken up cycling,joined a woodwork class,gone out socialising more,and I am now looking to join a Tae Kwan Doe class.
Certainly more of a life than watching TV!!!
What have you found that has enriched your life in the time that used to be 'TV time'??
By
Anonymous, at 28 January, 2005
I found your blog through Kaufmann's Kill your TV site...and am contemplating a TV turn-off myself. I live in the U.S. near Washington, DC, and I totally use it like a drug to zone out after work for hours and hours. I realized that when thinking about eliminating something from your life gives you anxiety, as it did for me, it's time to cut the cord! Anyway, enlightening blog. Keep it up!
By
Plangal, at 31 January, 2005
I've been following your blog and it has been interesting.I'm a student in waterford,ireland and i don't have a tv.it's not by choice, my housemates are bone idle!In nearly 4 months without tv i've gone from a B and C student to an A student.i'm thrilled and wish more people knew what a drug tv is.My classmates are shocked when i tell them i've no tv and can't see how i'd live without it.i tell them "i do just fine".Keep up the Good Work.
Ronan
By
Anonymous, at 31 January, 2005
Hey I'm new to giving up Tv 5 days or less and suggestions
By
Anonymous, at 27 August, 2007
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