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Giving up TV – Now what?

5 August, 2011 (18:37) | Blog | By: ender

After some serious soul-searching and internal struggle, I returned the new TV, BR Player and Xbox 360 I had purchased. I’ve long been thinking that my life has too many needless complications in it, and could use some simplification. As a result I’ve decided I’m going to minimize the amount of time I waste doing unconstructive, mindless things. Too much of my life has been spent zoned out in front of the TV when there are certainly many more interesting things I could be doing. I will also be cancelling my cable and most likely selling my Tivo. I’ll get rid of the large entertainment hutch I have currently, and replace it with a smaller table containing only a stereo. This should also give me more room for bookshelves. I can’t quite give up the computer, since I do work with them as a career, but I’m also dropping down to a single desktop [plus my work laptop], and will be selling/trashing the rest of my unnecessary gear. I will be trying to use the computer as a tool instead of “something to do when I’m bored”.  I do still intend to do *some* gaming. Some of my friends don’t live nearby and gaming together online [usually coop] is one of the few ways I can ‘hang out’ with them. Plus there’s no way I’m going to be able to stop myself from playing Diablo III when it comes out. :) Still, it is my hope to avoid mindless web-surfing just as much as mindless channel surfing.

I have no doubt that there will be a period of adjustment [aka withdrawal], so I’ve decided to preemptively list some things I could do instead of watching TV.

 

  • Read – I love reading of course.
  • Family – I’d love to spend more time with the kiddo actually doing something instead of zoned out in front of the tube.
  • Photography – I’ve got a nice camera and enjoy taking pictures. I enjoyed the Photography class [B&W Film] I took a couple years ago, and would like to continue improving my technique.
  • Learn to play Guitar – I have 2 guitars and it’s high time I actually learned to play the damned things instead of mashing buttons on Guitar Hero.
  • Learn to play Drums – This will probably come later, but it is something I’d like to do eventually.
  • Learn to Program – Another thing I’ve been wanting to learn for many years, and never felt like I had to time to dedicate.
  • School – I’m still [very] slowly working toward a degree
  • Exercise – Yeah, it’s time to drop a few pounds, no? I can go work out, or ride my bike at the lovely park that’s across the street. At least when it stops being a billion degrees out!
  • Write – While this rambling blog post may not serve as much of an example, I do have the ability to write fairly well and I’ve been told repeatedly that I should write. Perhaps I’ll actually participate in NaNoWriMo this year.
  • Cook – More time spent cooking will probably help with the pounds vs eating fast food.
  • Hang out – The few friends I actually have, I hardly ever see; even the ones that live nearby. I’d like to spend more time hanging out, and doing stuff with friends.
I’m sure as time goes on I’ll come up with many more things to do that don’t normally occur to me because I’m zoned out in front of the TV, but that list should get me started. Feel free to let me know if you have any other ideas for me. :)

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