Giving Up on TV
 

Okay. I've had it. I'm officially done watching TV. Last night's primetime lineup of Cheers reruns (Fox), Desperate Housewives (ABC), and Law and Order: Criminal Intent (NBC) was the final straw. There's just no good, interesting, thought provoking shows on TV anymore. I kept holding out hope for HBO to launch a new show in the 9:00-10:00 PM slot (previously held by Six Feet Under), but they're currently running The Wire, which I can't stomach.

So, I'm giving up on TV. Sure there are still shows I want to watch, like Jeopardy, Good Eats, Scrubs, Bernie Mac, Lost and ER, but that's what TIVO is for. I'm going to record the shows I want to watch, then catch up with them all on Friday or Saturday night. The only exception is the Daily Show, which I'm still planning on watching every night, because the only thing worse than fake news, is stale fake news.

Any suggestions as to what I should do with all my new found free time? I'm already in the middle of a good book (The Confusion), but I just can't read for three or four hours a night. Believe me, I'd like to, but I just can't sustain it for that long. My eyes get tired, then I fall asleep. So, what else should I be doing with my time?

If anyone else has given up on TV and has any advice, I'd love to hear it. TV has been a big part of my life since I was a little kid, so giving it up cold turkey won't be easy.

video games :P
build an airplane
solve world hunger...
drink (those 3-4 hours will go by real quick then)
surf TFP more

go out somewhere, watch a movie, meet some friends, go program
the more you think about it the more their is to do!

Take up the classic art of penis puppetry. ;)

~NSFW~ http://www.puppetryofthepenis.com/background.html ~NSFW~

once you stop watching TV, you might suddenly find this strange unsettled feeling stirring inside you. This is the feeling of years and years of supressed desires comming back out... the feeling of wanting to do *something* that will make you truely you. Relish in this feeling... most of all, by leaving the house. Leave the house, take a book, a pen and paper, and go exploring everything you havn't had time to do for years because you've been trapped behind the radiation box.
When I stopped watching TV (as much=), I found out I really liked to write. Then it dawned on me that I used to write ALOT as a kid... until one day I just stopped...
I've also honed my DJing skills, and have been working on music production alot.

For me, less TV = more art.

Go out and socialize. Take an evening class. Join a choir. Go to a movie on a weeknight, or a play, or a museum. Invite somebody along. Start working out or, when the days get longer again, take an evening bike ride through neighborhoods you don't know. In short, get outta the house.

I know that the Silicon Valley seems like a vast wasteland sometimes (believe me, I know), but if you take the initiative, you can find things to do that'll broaden your life and make good memories. And as I say all too often: when all is said and done, our memories are all we've got.

You and I have the same taste in TV, Good Eats and Lost are great.

The key to responsible TV watching is to only watch the shows you like. As long as you don't sit in front of the TV with no agenda, then I think it's alright. Once I quit spending hours every night, mindlessly flipping channels, that fire to do something came back.

Good for you, but don't give up Good Eats....are you nuts?

I'm not giving up Good Eats...I'm just catching it on my TIVO and watching it on the weekends. Although, it seems like I've seen most (if not all) of the Good Eats episodes. I sure hope not though, I love that show.

Oh, if you haven't seen it, check out The Good Eats Fan Page, you can get transcripts of most of the shows. And, lately they've been compiling their own recipes from the transcripts so you don't have to try to rely on the lousy recipes on foodnetwork.com. (The macaroni and cheese recipe on foodnetwork.com is so messed up you'll never end up with Good Eats).

how bout learning to play an instrument?

Digital camera and start doing photography and learn photoshop.
Then teach me.

I only watch minimal TV these days, and then only The Simpsons and documentaries I notice really...

I've taken up sculpture recently, I suck, but it's pretty fun...

I've actually been playing with digital photography lately, and have an account up on Flickr. (The greatest photo sharing site, ever). I'm actually quite bad at it, but it's still fun.

I've done a little bit of Photoshop - I first picked it up in the Photoshop 2 LE days (before layers!). But, to date my greatest accomplishment was taking a picture of a necklace my wife made, and extending out the chain so it looked more centered. It was actually a slick little piece of Photoshoppin', but certainly nothing impressive.

I've already cheated on my promise to give up TV. Last night I watched Scrubs and a rerun of the Daily Show. (To be fair, I didn't actually sit down and watch The Daily Show, it was just on the background while I got ready for bed). And tonight I plan on catching the last debate. But, I think that gets special dispensation.

i dont watch tv.
i use the monitor to watch dvds--that way, if what i am watching is stupid, it is my own fault.
the only drawback to this is that, on the rare occaision when i want to watch a sporting event like the red sox, the world cup, or even some goofball presidential debate, i have to go to a public house with friends. poor me. boo hoo.

i gave up on it about 3 years ago. there has been no withdrawal. i read more, maybe. i definitely listen to more music. if i had a piano in my place, i would probably practice more--but i dont because i have to go outside and a piano in my place is an obstacle to that.

i guess the point is that i would not worry about structuring the time you gain by siwitching off tv. i would just pull things that you enjoy into that space. which is, i think, what everyone here is also saying.

you have a tivo and still bother to watch LIVE TV?

sheesh.. I usually have at least 3-4 different shows hanging out on the Tivo waiting for me to watch them. They are setup to record them on a daily basis but keep only 2 episodes so that I have a good selection of pre surfed surfing material :)

I haven't actually watched TV in about 8 years, and I'm only 21 (almost anyone). I just get this disgusting, boring feeling whilst doing it. There is NOTHING on anymore. And even the good shows bore me now. It's pretty bad. I love a lot of shows (X-Files, MacGyver, Dragonball Z, all sorts of stuff) but it's got to the point where I don't watch anything at all.


Videogames are your best bet. Rotate from videogames to movies to novels, back and forth, everyday. And of course surf the net.


I don't even see how people watch stuff on Tivo. I just can't stand watching TV at all. I hate it with a passion. It's so grungy......or something. When all the girls my age sit and watch trash television for HOURS upon end, I just get disgusted....

I know it's not much worse than videogames, but at least videogames require thought.

The last video game I played with Legend of Zelda (the original, none of this fancy schmancy 3D rendering for me). Of course, it was on an emulator, so it's not nearly as impressive as it sounds at first glance.

My feeling about video games these days can be summed up by Cranky Kong in Donkey Kong Country:

Anyway...I'm glad to see I'm not alone in giving up TV. I'm sure I'll start watching more though once the NBA season starts. I'll justify it in saying that at least it's not scripted crap or a farfetched reality show.

I say pickup a hobbie. like game production , art , legos. ! The works.