Saturday, October 12, 2013

Going Dark

It's finally come down to it.  You know how I said everything seems to be going up except for paychecks?  Well, that's still true.  Prices have gone up, quality has come down, and I have gotten really tired of it.  Last week we received our "new" cable price.  The deal we've been enjoying for the last 2 years is now over, and the cable company would very much like to double what we've been paying, and charge us that. 

Um.....no.

So my husband got on the phone and said "No", and they played "let's make a deal", and the best the company could do was still too high.  So you know what?  We're turning off the cable.


I know....how un-American.  No TV.  How will we go on?

I imagine, just fine.  I will be honest with you--I watch just about nothing right now.  There is nothing to watch.  I have tried to watch some of the more "popular" shows that I hear about, like Modern Family or that new one with Robin Williams which was so good I forgot it's name already.   I have never seen American Idol, sorry, and I don't watch any of those challenge shows like the dancing one or the cooking one, or that other cooking one.  Or the ones where the guy goes and yells at everybody and makes them feel bad.  Reality TV?  Nope.  And HGTV, which I used to love when it was a craft channel, is now all about flipping houses, people buying HUGE houses because their two kids "need more space" (puhleeze), and other people renovating houses in ways I could never afford.  In reality, my husband and I would sit down for an hour at the end of the day and look through however many channels we had, and nothing would be on.  With rare exception.  And we were still paying for it.  Not to mention the number of commercials.  Don't even get me started there.

So we are saying sayanara to the Idiotbox.  I think there will be a bit of a transition--maybe even a withdrawal period of sorts.  Especially with the kids, who love their Disney channel.  But in the long run, I am truly hoping it will bring us together.  For me, I'm going to be glad that my children won't be told what they "have" to buy to be "cool", and we won't be subject to being berated because we didn't buy a Lexus or some other expensive car, haven't traded in our old cellphones for the latest and greatest (we don't even own cellphones--well, my husband does, but it's technically his company's phone), and then be shown how to accessorize said phones, and I will be triply glad that my daughter will not be barraged with the message that women can never get grey hair, never get wrinkles, and have to dress like prostitutes to make others jealous.  Gee darn.  Seems like I'll be missing out on a lot.

Yes, I've had it.  So finally, finally, I am doing something about it.  Instead of TV, I am looking forward to buying a bunch of board games for us to play as a family (suggestions are very welcome), and finding that our nights are more productive and possibly that our sleep is more restful.  I don't know.  And yes, this is going to be fairly controversial in my family, and I expect a bit of blowback from others.  I realize that TV is an American institution of sorts and that many people take TV very seriously.  I know my own parents are probably going to argue with me about it, from the viewpoint that I'm "taking away" something from my children.  But hear this: I truly believe I'm giving them something back.  I'm giving them back their otherwise wasted time.  I'm giving them back their creativity and imagination.  Though my children have been very limited in the amount of time they are allowed to watch TV, an hour is still an hour that could have been spent elsewhere.  I'm giving them back that hour.  And most of all, I hope against all hope, that I am going to be giving them the gift of time spent together.  All of us.  Together.  As a family.

To me, that's the best part of all.  So TV, adios!  Via con Dios.  Good luck in the house next door.  Because come next month, when our time is up, Chicken Scratch is going dark.  See ya!
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14 comments:

  1. you're doing an admirable thing. we got rid of our tv 4 or 5 years ago and it's been wonderful. of course you can always find something to watch on the internet if you're in the mood for a show.=)

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    1. Totally true, and that's what we told the kids. I am looking forward to seeing how this plays out, but I have hopes.

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  2. We still have a tv...with a converter box and HD booster...but no cable.
    In 30 years of marriage-- we had cable for 1 year. I paid a small portion to get out of the contract. Frivolous...but in the long run worth it.
    I don't watch that much---like you, the new shows out there just don't do much for me.
    We're not big sports fans--(well,...I do like to watch Baseball...when the Rangers are WINNING! and...the World Series , in a couple of weeks.) other than that. Nothing. The Hubby watches more tv than myself. But all the channels are overrated.
    I don't ever think it's crazy to get rid of something your paying for ...if it isn't worth it. Good for you!!!
    ...now, going dark with the internet...a TOTALLY DIFFERENT RANT. ;)
    Pat

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    1. We could not go dark with the internet--my husband needs it for his job, but truthfully I like it because of all the people I can talk to and all the information. I use the internet almost as much as books when I have a question!

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  3. Very cool! We have a few shows we watch weekly, but with the exception of one or two, they're not on cable. I could easily go without TV...my Achilles heel is music, not the Boob Tube. My partner, though, no way. She LOVES TV. The cost of cable is prohibitive, ridiculous, frivolous, silly almost to the point of stupidity, but it makes her happy to have a thousand movies available to her at all times. And DVR, forget about it. I can't even tell you how many time we'll be watching one show and she's recording two others. Anyhow, I digress. It makes her happy, so it's not even worth the battle right now. But again, I could easily go without it all (and be happy for the savings). Good for you guys! Enjoy the games and time together :-)

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    1. Music? Me too! And no, I agree, it's not worth the battle. If my husband were not on board, this would be a lot more difficult.
      Oh PS--I said it before, but CONGRATULATIONS! Your little girl is beautiful!

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  4. good done!
    i live without tv since 6 years and never missed it. the last 20 years german tv goes in that way that the american does. brrrr.
    sometimes we watch a movie on the notebook, but thats it. if i had kids there would be no tv too. for adults it only steels time, for kids it does worst things i think.

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    1. I agree. I think it's bad for children. Way too many bad messages!

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  5. I support your decision 110%!!!! There aren't many shows that I watch (only two: Newsroom and Sister Wives) and I feel like I have a head full of sawdust after watching TV. I also have the stupidest TV-face ever - it just sucks me in, I stand there completely oblivious to the world around me, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, watching the colours flash across the screen. If we had kids their TV time would be very restricted as well. I'd get rid of the TV if hubby didn't love it so much, and he knows it. However, as we lack ADSL (we rely on mobile-based internet, which is expensive and has data caps), Netflix isn't an option either, so we'll keep our satellite package for now.

    Board games are awesome! We have a weekly game day with a group of friends, but I think most of the games we play are better suited to adults than to kids. I enjoy Settlers of Catan, Cosmic Encounters, Pandemic (a great cooperative game!), and 7 Wonders.

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    1. Newsroom,. which I've only seen clips of, looks like a good show. We used to watch Breaking Bad, which is now over. And there is just nothing else.

      Thanks for the game ideas. I'm going to look them up, if only for my husband and myself.

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  6. I haven't had TV since 2004. I absolutely cannot stand commercials. And this is from someone educated in advertising. I love my movies thought and documentaries etc. So we do netflix and the girls have never complained all these years. Board games will work for awhile. We have never lacked for things to do. The only time I ever see TV is in a motel room and spend all my time flipping channels for something interesting - because I can't ever find it. You will be surprised how much you WON'T miss it.

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    1. I'm thinking that will be true. I like a good movie myself, sometimes one to make me think, and sometimes one that doesn't need me to. I know we'll adapt!

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  7. While I do enjoy TV especially right now since I'm partially laid up still - I know without it is not so bad and actually better. On all of our trips camping I read dozens and dozens of books, go through them like candy because I have the time - and board games is a great thing to do with family! I bet you won't miss it and I agree about the price, it's ridiculous. I also feel like these companies feel like they can just keep increasing the price because people just won't live without it... must be a huge shock to them when someone says they will!

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    1. My kids are I are now reading the Lemony Snicket books together (kind of--I read them, they read them, we talk about it). It's been really great. No TV required.

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