I just made a decision that feels both good and a little anxiety-producing.
I ditched my cable TV service except for the handful of basic channels—channels that with the exception of PBS, I rarely watch anyway. I kept those just to have some connection with the world of mainstream news in case of some historic event I would want to follow. But short of that, they're not very tempting.
I haven't been watching much TV lately. But to my surprise, canceling it still feels strange and even scary. That seems so weird, doesn't it?—feeling anxious about shutting off what is at best an intermittently entertaining pastime, and at worst a depressing and destructive waste of time. But embarrassing as it might be, that is what I feel.
The huge array of channels I was getting with even my minimal prior service, one step up from basic, were my "go to" * when I felt exhausted, irritated, or too distracted to do something deliberate. They were sort of like the friends I made during junior high, that profoundly soul-shattering nadir of my popularity, coolness, and confidence. I befriended everyone who was willing to befriend me (and lest that sounds cruel, let me add that I'm pretty sure they were willing our of the same desperate I felt.) We all knew that it was better to sit beside someone in the lunchroom than to sit at an empty table. This kind of friend isn't popular, isn't even reliably interesting, has nothing in common with you, and doesn't really like you any more than you really like them. But they are THERE.
So it is with the crazy array of channels on extended cable. Mostly not very satisfying...but always, always THERE.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out in both my life in general, and my writing in particular.
But meanwhile, who wants to invite me over tonight to watch "Top Chef"?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment