Wondering how that is working out? Now you will know.....
No television broadcasts of any kind are coming to my house. None. I don't want it!
My home is now a peaceful sanctuary. No longer ruled by a television schedule I am well rested because when I am tired I go to bed. There is no questioning what is on next, and no time wasted channel surfing because I am bored.
The outside world only invades my peaceful sanctuary when I choose.... I may pick up the "smart" phone and check the weather, or look at Facebook,... sometimes look at Twitter... but when I choose.
And I have to tell you that it is very nice to close the world out! (just look at the chaos! of the world today,... try closing it all out for a day or two, or a week.... I DARE YOU.)
If you know me well then you know that I was once a total television addict. I always say that my Dad invented "couch potato", at least when the working day was done. My God! I think my Dad would have been a television geek. He loved variety shows, and, probably in order of like: Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Andy Griffith Show, The Beverly Hillbillies and it's spinoffs.
My Dad,... the television was ALWAYS on at our house, from early in the morning until, well, early in the morning -although in those days the broadcast day ended!! in the wee hours of the morning, at least for an hour or two.
When I was small my bedroom door was just across the hall from the television set, and many a night I was awakened by the strains of The National Anthem, which was played at the end of every broadcast day. The hum of the test pattern screen lulled me back to sleep. I can also remember, on a few occasions, my mother's voice: "Jim,...Jim,...wake up and come to bed. There's nothing on."
 |
| Jim's was red, and I still have it. |
Anyway, there was a time in my life when I could recite the evening television lineup for every channel,... back when there were only 3 or 4 major networks, and perhaps a total of 15 channels in most households.
Can you believe it! Once there were only 5 or 6 television channels!! And now over 500! As the world turns, there is only one life to live, and it's better with no television!!! (wink, see what I did there?)
But I digress.... here is the situation: there are 3 or 4 television shows that I give a damn about,... if I cannot find a way to watch them for free, within hours or days of original broadcast, then I read a recap, and I am satisfied with that! Anyway, at some point it all becomes available for free, or I will purchase the show from an aftermarket venue like a Disc Replay store, or on eBay or some such website.
Shows I know I will purchase are: Fargo, and Better Call Saul. Fargo being stand alone series, meaning I don't have to wait for a full series boxed set..... and Better Call Saul -I will be waiting to purchase the entire series box set. I know what I like and I know what is good enough that I will pay for the entire series.
I read recaps of The Walking Dead, because it jumped the shark for me in Season 6,....as I sat, finger poised above the remote, waiting for the first appearance of Negan, because I knew I would HATE Negan beyond reason, and that would be the end of TWD for me. I admit that, someday, I will watch the rest of TWD, .... and I know that I do want to watch the first 5 seasons again, despite the heartbreaking loss of Beth Greene. But to rewatch Rick's journey from moderate badass to wimp and back to BADass! (when forced to rescue Carl - end of Season 4)..... and Carol's amazing journey from submissive wife of a real dick to the biggest BADass woman warrior ever (season 5)...... So that's that.
Now, I must confess.... I stopped watching soap operas entirely at the end of 2013. The great Jeanne Cooper (The Duchess, Katherine Chancellor) had died in May of 2013, I had seen her final appearance on Y&R.
On December 31, 2013 I watched the final broadcast, an episode of General Hospital,... Robin Scorpio stood on the doorstep of her husband's home (long story), having returned from "the dead",... Robin rang the doorbell, Patrick opened the door, ..... and I felt a sense of release. I was done. There was no longer any reason for me to watch a soap opera on a daily, or any regular basis ever again. RELEASE!!! I felt so free in that moment.... it was... nice.
And then....
Well, then.... Jason,... the inimitable Steve Burton returned to General Hospital,... but, but... there was another Jason! Another actor, Billy Miller, had taken over the role of Jason Morgan. What would happen? Ok, ok, I was lured back,.... but more than the Jasons --Roger Howarth as Franco! who could miss that!!! So,... I follow the Gh support group on Facebook, and I watch General Hospital --1 episode a week. I watch GH only on Friday afternoon, when I can find the Friday episode on the internet. But I am adamant that I can stop! I can stop watching it, and I probably will stop watching it in the near future.... I love some of the actors, but I am no longer tied to television programs.
That's right. Television does not rule my life.
My father bought a television set, but he NEVER PAID for television broadcasts to come to his television set. He would have been so outraged..... At the time of my cancellation of DirecTv I had been paying just over $100 a month for satellite television service. I know that I can get some type of satellite or cable -supposedly for around $40 a month (that's a joke if you ask me!),.... OR I could purchase an antenna; for around $80 I can get an antenna that MIGHT bring in broadcasts from Chicago television stations (I live 75 miles from the city)..... BUT I DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR ANY OF IT. thankyouverymuch, no television at my house. thank you, but no thanks.
My home is a peaceful sanctuary.
I am not a slave to the television schedule or to any television program.
My home is a peaceful sanctuary.
what was Soapnet? <-link
the late, great, AMAZING Jeanne Cooper <-link
that's right, I don't watch broadcast television at home.... I do watch dvds.... and: no, I don't get more done around the house, or work on projects.... I'm lazy, television or not! and that the plain truth.\
 |
| don't be this guy |
No comments:
Post a Comment