No TV: Day One

When the idea to participate in the Vice Project came to me, I thought about what I could give up for a week. I have recently given up coffee and salt for health reasons. Working out was something that was also given up, but that was because of pure laziness.

Then I thought about how much television I actually watch and the number surprised me a bit. Out of prime time television I watch about 13-15 hours a week. Add to that about a half hour to an hour each weekday morning as I wake up, an hour or two when I get home everyday (news and such). That's not even counting when I'm bored or late at night and can't sleep TV time.

And its the perfect thing to give up for a week. What will I do without television for a week? More Internet? Maybe read that pile of books by my bed? Focus on work?

Right now I have no clue. I am going into this experiment blind with no plans whatsoever.

Sunday night as I got ready for bed I am going to unplug the cable cord connected to my television in my room... and will keep it that way until Friday at 8 p.m.

That and make sure my DVR is recording everything I'll miss.

Day one was hard. Talk about punishment.

I thought I would be lucky since I had to work two jobs today. I could avoid all TV.

Except for that giant flat screen television playing network shows all day long.

It was just to the right of my desk so that every once and a while I would glance over at it without thinking. Then I would catch myself and go “D’OH!”

After 12 times I stopped counting the amount of times I looked over without thinking.

Technically I didn’t “watch” any TV; it was taunting me like a schoolyard bully waiting outside for me.

Tonight was interesting. I got home after 6 p.m. and wanted to watch some news. Instead I surfed the Internet for a while, and then made some dinner.

I settled down and watched “The Proposal” on my computer. I got the DVD through Netflix, so it’s not cheating at all. AT ALL.

After that I sort of walked around the house like Caine from “KungFu.” I did some laundry, and then made myself a lunch for the next day (something I don’t normally do.)

And normally when I go to sleep I watch TV. I listened to my MP3 player instead.