Thirteen Things Things I Don't Miss About TV
In early 2002, I disconnected the television and haven't looked back. Of course, I had severe withdrawals for about a month, but after that? I've discovered how much of my life was getting sucked away sitting in front of shows I didn't really even like. So here's my TT things I don't miss.
1. COMMERCIALS. When I see them now, I can't help but wonder, were they always that annoying or have I lost my tolerance to them?
2. Stupid sitcoms. I'm sick of seeing sitcoms where people, especially black people, are portrayed as bumbling idiots. How is this not causing an outcry? How is it all right to have eleventy-seven sitcoms about black fathers who couldn't change a diaper if they had a gun to their head? It pisses me off.
3. Tear-jerker shows. Lifetime Channel, anyone? Please. Life's too short to immerse myself in borrowed misery.
4. Cartoons. I grew up with Looney Tunes, the Smurfs, He-Man and She-Ra. Okay, the last two had their violent and stupid moments--hey, they're about a man and a woman who run around in bikinis waving swords--but they were NOT as disgusting and stupid as what's on now. Last time I had my boys at a pizza place, we saw (part of, because I changed the channel) an episode of Ed, Edd, and Eddy that was all about how one of those annoying boys had to hide his box of porn magazines from his mother. The hell? This is appropriate for my 8 and 10 year olds, how? I don't think so.
5. Those commercials that suddenly blare out ten times louder than the show you were watching. You KNOW they do that crap on purpose.
6. Food commercials. Okay, they're not annoying, loud, or otherwise obnoxious, but they always made me hungry! I swear I lost ten pounds just by turning the stupid TV off.
7. The TV news. When Anna Nicole's death is the headline story, I can't be bothered watching the rest. I mean, I know there was something a helluva lot important happening in the world that day--I read about it online. How is trash tabloid crap more important than knowing if they've caught the rapist who escaped from the county jail?
8. More TV news ranting--the super-dramatic tone of it all. "A hidden danger that might cause your children to spontaneously combust and die screaming. Are you kids protected? Tonight at 8!" Whatever. I have a fire extinguisher, I'll pass on the drama.
9. FOX. The entire frickin network. Especially since they cancelled Firefly.
10. Morning shows. Oh, dear Lord, morning shows. Hell is probably a room with huge TVs all around you and morning shows on every screen.
11. Paris Hilton. This falls under the 'tabloid trash' section, but she's in the news so much, she gets her own number. Does anyone really care what she's doing? What is she even famous for? She's rich and tasteless. Is that all it takes to be famous these days? Oy, we need better heroes, people.
12. Listening to my kids incessantly sing whatever jingle or show theme tune they last heard. I swear, they're like parrots. There's nothing in the world I want to hear sung 600 times in a row.
13. And the final thing I don't miss about TV? The noise and distraction of it. I've completely lost my ability to tune it out, and now whenever I'm around a television, it distracts me to pieces. How did I ever function with that on? It's so much nicer to be in a quiet house, concentrating on my reading, writing, crafts, or playing with the kids. I love seeing the games they make up, completely from their own imagination rather than reenacting cartoons. To me, that's probably the best thing of all.
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
| 
18 comments:
good for you! i feel that way sometimes but now that i have TiVo, i watch these shows whenever i feel like it!
Kudos to you. I have thought about doing it but hubby and I are reality TV junkies..lol We would be better off if we got rid of them I am sure.
all great reasons to unplug!! Happy TT :)
The commercials are always stupid. :D
Oh. My. God.
This is so true. I have lived for 4 years without TV and I am absolutely with you on everything you said. Especially #9! Hate hate hate FOX for taking away the best show ever.
Nowadays I watch quite selectively and mostly, if I find an interesting new show I just get the DVDs, where I can actually watch the episodes in the correct order and without 27 commercial breaks.
Thanks for your comment on my site. I had a look at that photo and it looks beautiful. Nice place for it, too. You know the funny thing about my 2 tats is, they were both sort of spontanious decisions. Right afterwards I was a bit worried that I might get tired of them, because I didn't think long and hard before getting them. But meanwhile they've become so much a part of me that my body wouldn't be complete without them anymore. But maybe I was just lucky, who knows.
I'll get my next one on my wrist. I'm sure my parents are gonna kick me for it, because it's so visible, but there you are.
LOVE #3! So true, huh? Although, a good cry know and then that's not caused by anything in my life is pretty nice.
I'm a TV nut, and it's a horrible addiction. However, lately? My blog is taking over my life! Not sure what's worse...
Totally agree with #5. I hate and despise that. Also the fact that there seem to be more and more adverts on. Thanks god for the BBC which has none :)
Happy T13
I have given up soda, but TV! Great job!
right on!! i rarely watch tv either. it's the trashy news that bugs me the most. oh, and reality shows. gag. and i hate how when the tv is on, no one hears what i'm saying. they're all just sucked in, and i've got to compete with cartoon network and suite life of zack and cody, and i lose every time.
I wish I could detach myself from TV...I'd have much more time! :) Congrats on sticking to it!
Here from TT.
Hey, I'm with you on these rants!!! Happy TT!
I agree, I don't have cable.
I was with you from the FOX comment. Anyone who cancels Firefly is out of their minds (and no, I don't care about the grammar of that sentence). One of the reasons I love the Simpsons is that they continually dig at the Fox Network.
Over here there was recently a public complaint about commercials being louder than the programmes.
I do actually love TV. I love the entertainment, the information, the sheer brashness of it. I love the box in my living room. Howe4=ver, I am aware that 99% of it is absolute crap (and I'm afraid when I'm in America, this is more like 99.9%).
Of course, we have the BBC, which is funded by the TV licence fee, and runs without commercials. This is wonderful, except when the oven timer pings or you really need the bathroom--in which case, I bow to my new god, the Sky+ (or Tivo for those without satellite!).
But a big up to Hotel Babylon, Top Gear and of course, pleasure without measure, Doctor Who!
5 is why I watch far less commercial TV than I watch the BBC.
I hear ya! The only thing we watch during the day is PBS, and that for only an hour or so... :)
Selena
While we are by no means a TV free household, it is never on just for background noise. I like quiet...not the running blather of TV. My husband has had to adjust...I remember when my kids were little, he would come home from work and turn on the news or something and if the kids made noise, he would turn it up!!! They would make more noise and he would turn it up more. Then I would scream!!!
Are you always this funny? Sheesh. I need to hang around here more if you are!
I agree about TV, but there are a few shows I watch. Maybe three, and only one of those is a regular thing. Mainly because I agree with you. Life is better with the TV OFF.
Happy TT!
Die, die, die Paris Hilton! LOL I don't like her, either. But yes, it's not her fault, but her stupid fans that makes her exist in the entertainment world... Thanks for stopping by!
WOW! I'm hooked! TV is actually one of my favorite things. I'm not sure I could ever give it up. I will say, though, with my DVR (Tivo) I actually spend less time watching TV, I think. I tape my shows and zip through them without commercials in about 40 minutes, instead of an hour.
The one show I'v never seen, though, is Firefly...sounds like I missed a good one!!
Happy TT- Jessica The Rock Chick
Post a Comment