After not having cable in any house that I pay rent in for the past 8 years, I can now say that we have cable. Ah the joys of television. But before I tell you about the TV currently in my house, let me tell you a little back story...
When I was a child, I had a TV in my room. Many of us 90's kids did. Many children have them now. But I also was very unhappy and alone as a child. I didn't have very many friends. I didn't get along with my brother. I lived with my dad and my mom lived in Germany. There were no rules. I actually remember asking my dad to give me rules once. Can you imagine a child that feels so lost in the world that they ASK for a bedtime, That they ASK to be required to bathe, That they ASK to be required to do homework? Can you think about that for a second? I was eight when I asked my dad to hold MY hand to cross the street... because that hadn't been a part of my life and it made me feel more normal.
So, there I was... lost in the world trying to figure out what life was and it was there. Television right there in my room. Did I mention there was a lock on my door? not that anyone came to check on me.
A day in the life of 8 year old me... lets call it Tuesday. Wake up late, say 8:20 and have 10 minutes to get dressed and run to the bus stop. Many many times I could see the bus coming up the street while I was running. School got out at 3 or 3:30 and I was home by 4. The first thing I did when I got home from school? turn the TV on. Then I would watch it from 4 until 10 or 11, whenever I got tired and then I would sleep. I ate in front of my TV.
Some of you aren't comprehending what I mean by "I would watch it"... some of you turn the TV on and catch little bits here and there whole you do other things. I did NOTHING else. NOTHING. There were times I peed my pants because I did not stop watching to go to the bathroom.
OK so fast forward..... High School. Same habits. I think I actually showered less often than when I was a kid. Still watched 7 hours of television on a school day. I only passed school because studying wasn't really necessary for me to soak in the material. I was lucky in that way.
I knew I had a problem. It got so bad that I could walk into a room with a television on (news, commercial, didn't matter what was actually on) and I would zone into that TV from anywhere in the room, I couldn't hear people talking to me. People would be saying my name and I wouldn't hear them AT ALL. One of my friends tried to help me by pointing it out until I could recognize the problem myself.
I'm only saying this stuff for context, so you all will understand why I just cannot handle having a TV in my home. When I have one I don't do anything else.
HOW DID CABLE GET INTO MY HOME?
The internet company called and offered us a free one month trial. Needless to say I was not the one that answered the phone. I also was not informed about the decision until after... even though I was right about us having a TV in the bedroom WITHOUT cable... but that's a story for a different day.
Fine, we have cable, yay for everyone BUT me. SO, I made this really great healthy decision. I am not going to watch cable TV at all. None. We have had Netflix and the internet and I struggle with them, I'm not adding cable to the mix. I flat out refuse.
When they turn the TV on, I find something else to do. Usually that means I leave the room because I really think that listening to it could lead to watching it. I've done OK with Netflix... but I'm don't think I will ever be prepared for the challenge of cable. My boyfriend doesn't see a difference. I don't really know how to explain it to him. I asked my girlfriend (who is home with me all the time) to support me in this one way "Please watch TV intentionally"... that way it would never just BE on for no reason... sitting there waiting for me to get weak and get all sucked in and lose the rest of my day. DO you know what can be accomplished in 7 hours? and now I don't have school to take up any of my time. She has done really well with Netflix but as soon as she was watching TV today... it just got left on.
Have you ever noticed that? People just leave TV's on, like they are some kind of extension of the furniture that needs to be alive. And when I asked her to turn it off she was busy, so she asked me to turn it off. I said no. That is just a firm boundary that I have set for myself. NO I will not watch cable in my house. Not an hour of a show I love, Not a half hour to wind down, Not five minutes because I got interested while I was turning it off. NO. Am I over reacting?
Everyone gets huffy when I mention I'll just go do something else. I don't say it mean. I try not to. It take a lot for me to leave the room and we've only had cable for TWO days. I don't really know how this month is gonna go but my answer to cable in the house is no. JUST NO.
Sorry if that was a little long.
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