bye bye television!

[missjo]

I have done something I thought I would never do... I have thrown away my tv!
I got so annoyed by the rubbish thats on it, how ugly it looked in my old fashioned room and how it turned me into a zombie watching the box for hours while I should be doing something useful!

So now I no longer have a tv, dont worry, I wont be completely cut off from the modern world, I still have my computer and can download documentaries, movies, I can watch dvds, etc.

To be honest, I dont know how long I will manage, I might go nuts in a week or so and bring back a tv.
But this first day without tv is a delight, ive actually done something useful again

 

[Pymander]

I only use my TV to watch DVDs! I love it that way -- I really don't miss TV channels and commercials and the bizarre things that are being broadcast these days. Sometimes I feel a bit out of the loop, but after four years without a single TV channel in the house, I still love the feeling of freedom.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

GOOD FOR YOU!! You're much better than I am lol

Really, though, the only reason I have TV is mostly for TCM. I don't really watch much else outside of that.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Another person here with a tv set just for dvd watching and the -rare- news (granted, when i try to watch tv, is fuzzy and snowy).

My tv unit has rolling doors which close it off, so you can't see the actual -set- unless I am watching something.

I have not had -watchable- tv for 3-4 years now.

 

[missjo]

I use bittorrent for any tv i want to see

 

[reetpleat]

I can understand your sentiment. And there was a time I went for years without one, or rarely watched anything but movies.

But I do thnk that with cable, there are finally a wealth of great things to watch. Sure here isa lot of trash, but there are so many quality dramas, funny shows, comedians performing live and of course fascinating documentaries, ahd there is alwasy something worth watching.

Of course, if I was just sitting down and vegging out, I would do the same as you. But I tend to use tv when I am doing work or for fun time on the computer, and put it on and either use it as bckground, or multi task. I would ahve to be doing the work anyway, so it allows me to be entertained at the same time.

Frankly, I have found the internet to be more addictive and time consuming for me than tv ever was or could be. I spend way too much time reading things that ar a waste of time. I know there are a lot of good stuff on the internet too. Such as chatting with you fine folks. But even here, if don't limit my time, I will neve get anything done.

So hooray for cuting down on anything that takes time from things you woud rather be doing.

 

[retrogirl1941]

Though we still have our tv, we threw out our anteanae the other night. And with out it you can watch static and only that. I like living tv free. But we are keeping the internet(the S.O. wants to get rid of it too! ). Maybe we can start a trend!lol

Samantha

 

[Paisley]

Good for you, Miss Joeri!

If I had kids, I'd have thrown out my TV after that Superbowl "wardrobe malfunction" a few years ago. As it is, I like to watch Masterpiece Theatre, DVDs, tapes, and anything to do with dance. I also like to watch something while I lift weights; it makes it easier somehow.

Like Miss N's, my TV is in a cabinet.

 

[missjo]

I had cable plus, a whole lot of channels to choose from, documentaries around the clock.
But now I discovered Bittorrent and it enables me to download pretty much anything made and broadcasted anywhere across the globe, including things that wouldnt have made it to Dutch tv anyway.
So I still see the good stuff but I no longer use the tv as some sort of braincell killing time waster, no more sitting, staring and flicking channels.
But still lots of old movies, documentaries, series, etc.

I think this is the way tv is going anyway, pure selective viewing, no more endless broadcasting and hoping you find the right show at the right time.

 

[ScionPI2005]

The only tv I own is one of those with a built in DVD player. Because of that, the only thing I really use the tv for is to watch DVD's. I hardly ever watch television (one or two hours most per week if even that much). At times, my tv will sit off for weeks at a time.

I don't really keep up with tv shows all that often either.

 

[Mid-fogey]

Well...

...missjoeri, while it may seem you are being retro, you may be on the leading edge!

 

[Miss Brill]

I went 5 years without TV after my satellite dish tore up. I did not miss it at all--but I do love movies, and certain (old) shows. I ended up getting my TV/phone/internet with a bundle deal & about all I watch is the shows I used to watch, and stuff on Animal Planet, GSN, and sometimes the haunted house shows on Discovery and Sci-fi. I have a lot of channels blocked so I don't have to look at them. I blocked all the sports, Spanish channels, the finance channels, Fox News, and the travel and food networks because I got tired of flipping past them & seeing someone eating something that was alive, or seeing something killed

 

[LizzieMaine]

I didn't so much give up television as television gave up on me -- there's just nothing on anymore that interests me, other than the occasional TCM movie or Red Sox games. The rest of it, the bonehead reality shows, the smug hipster dramas, the 49 different flavors of "CSI And Order", and all that sort of thing just doesn't speak to me anymore, so I don't bother with it, and I don't miss it at all.

I haven't thrown away my TV though -- it's a 1954 RCA Victor that I *found* at the dump 20 years ago, and I wouldn't have the heart to send it back!

 

[warbird]

I agree with Reetpleat. I watch certain channels. I like Monk for a modern show. I love the history channel and discovery. Unfortunately I don't get TCM though I wish I did. I am not willing to pay for the package for all the crap to get that. We do watch a lot of dvd's as well. I also agree that the internet can be as addictive as tv and just as mundane and lacking in productivity.

 

[carter]

I use bittorrent for any tv i want to see

missjoeri, Thanks for those links! I just purchased some files that I can't wait to download. These sound terrific based on the brief samples.

 

[Helen Troy]

We just finally got rid of our set yesterday! It hadn't been hooked up for ages, and we found out that we didn't need it anymore.

We spend a lote of time watching a screen still, because we watch tv-series on dvd at the computer. Right now, it's "Twin Peaks."

But the difference is, we now only spend time on things we really want to see. No more mindeless zombie-state channelsurfing from reality show to reality show in the faint hope something better comes on. I'm happy that the tv is gone.

Welcome to the tv-free life!

 

[Smithy]

Well done Helen!

We've done the same thing a few times over the past few years and it's worth it. It's mostly all nonsense on the telly so you really aren't missing much.

I must admit that I have missed the news when we have done it in the past, and also any televised cricket. But here in Norway they never even show a cricket match so perhaps we might have to get rid of ours once more...

 

[Flivver]

At 56, I'm well past the target 18-34 viewer that the networks covet...so most of the programming on TV today is of no interest to me (I don't have cable).

Our local news and weather is sensationalized (Boston stations) so I refuse to watch that as well, but I will occasionally watch the news from Manchester or Portland which is informative and far less sensational. And, of course, there are Red Sox games that must be watched during baseball season.

But I won't throw out my TV because I need it to watch DVDs and VHS tapes. I have a large collection of classic movies and *old* TV shows that I watch all the time.

And I have to confess that I recently acquired a used 36" CRT type analog TV. These are *very* out of style now and are literally being given away by those that want the latest and greatest. I must say, Clara Bow is *great* on a large screen!

 

[AmateisGal]

We haven't had cable for more than two years now and I don't miss it at all. All we watch are DVD's and VHS tapes. Sometimes I'll hook up the rabbit ears and catch some shows on PBS, but that's about it.

When we did have cable, I found myself mindlessly surfing and watching stuff I never would otherwise. It sucks away your time! But if I had my choice, I'd only get the history channels (History International and the Military Channel) and TCM. But then I'd probably get nothing done.

We are starting to collect a few TV series like Hogan's Heroes that we enjoy watching.

Another wonderful thing about not having t.v. is that my seven-year-old daughter isn't exposed to all the commercials for the latest toys and mindless crap that is out there. I don't get bombarded with "Can I have this?" questions for stuff she wants just because she saw it on t.v. Instead, she's developed her own interests (mostly Scooby Doo) and uses her imagination a lot.

 

[BakingInPearls]

Good job on getting ride of the TV! You will be able to make it no problem without one. The only thing my TV is good for is collecting dust, I don't have the heart to throw it away my parents gave it to me and it still works great when I turn it on to keep the parts in working order.