To those who are with me on this one, I thought that we could post some of the results here. Remember this week is the week for the challenge. Can you last one whole week without television? I think it’ll be cool to let everyone know what doing this has freed time up to do….ie how much time have you discovered for other things?
Good luck everyone!
February 11, 2007 at 9:09 pm
Good luck guys. I will probably try this some other time. Hope it is a good experience.
February 12, 2007 at 9:49 am
Piker
February 12, 2007 at 9:50 am
I’m in, but not including Wed night. I cannot miss prisonbreak and 24. Plus that’s the ironing night!
But other than that, nothing for a week!
February 12, 2007 at 11:27 am
Forgot about the challenge and watched sunrise this morning before work. That’s me out.
February 12, 2007 at 11:36 am
Justin – you are doing about as well as I am in the ‘fast’ from this blog!?!
February 12, 2007 at 1:25 pm
This is true, although I’m doing a lot better in length of time. I may be participating, but it doesn’t take all day like it used to!
February 12, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Well I forgot about it last night, but I won’t be watching any from now on! I’ll let you know how I last.
BTW last week we decided as a family not to watch TV on weeknights (after 5pm). It is amazing how it frees up your time!
February 12, 2007 at 4:58 pm
An odd one for me. I watch a lot of tv shows, but I rarely actually watch them on tv. For example I like my sci-fi shows like Stargate but I never actually watch them on tv. I just get them out on DVD/VHS so my wife (who’s also a nerd) and I can watch them whenever we feel like it, in sequence, without ads, often more than one in a row.
It’s quite common for us to sit down for a movie or a few episodes of something when the kids are in bed but we never actually watch tv. I guess that would count as watching tv though. Going without computer would be far more difficult for me. Probably going without PC games would be hard enough since with my 3 jobs I couldn’t go without the computer for very long at all and still function well.
February 12, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Well first night has been absolutely fabulous so far. I was able to partake of a 20min guided meditation that was outstanding. Feeling very positive about doing this fast.
I’m with you Steve. I also don’t watch much TV, just shows that I, yes download, off the internet. So it was a big thing to give those up.
It would be a really big thing to give up the PC…perhaps that is next.
February 12, 2007 at 8:15 pm
I know what you mean Steve. My website host changed servers in the last week and I was without Internet and email for about 36 hours. Talk about stressful!
February 12, 2007 at 9:52 pm
BTW Steve, another Stargate fan aye? Looking forward to the Stargate MMORPG??
February 12, 2007 at 10:58 pm
I avoi d MMORPGs. Not because I wouldn’t like them. I worry that I’d like them too much. :p
And yep, I like my sci-fi shows. I’ve always bee a starwars nut ever since the originals were at the cinama (greedo didn’t shoot first by the way). Then my wife and I decided to start watching startrek from the very first episode. Before too long, we were all the way through TNG, DS9 and Voyager and since then we’ve worked our way through Babylon 5, Enterprise, Farscape, all of Stargate SG1 up to currently halfway through season 10, just finished Atlantis season 10, Dr Who, Battlestar Galactica 2003. I know, we watch a lot, but for us it’s become kinda like a date night, where we spend an hour or two watching things together. That’s about all we watch other than the odd simpsons episode and AFL games. I’ve never had any interest at all in soapies, reality tv etc. which I consider to represent the main reason for avoiding tv.
February 12, 2007 at 10:59 pm
That should have said Atlantis season 3 for those who were wondering how we got so far ahead.
February 13, 2007 at 9:56 am
haha I thought as much…
February 13, 2007 at 7:53 pm
Perhaps fasting from talking about TV would be the real challenge!!!
February 13, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Couldn’t help myself. Had to watch Howard on the 730 report.
Having said that I am not really a TV watcher. I’m into the Wed nite shows, and occasional abc news/ current affairs (like once or twice a week) and that’s literally all.
It’s amazing how, when the TV’s off, we can read so much, do extra exercise (I walk when the kids are in bed and listen to lectures or devotionals on my mp3 player) etc etc.
February 13, 2007 at 8:22 pm
I think having a TV fast is an interesting idea. Often in our society we tend to watch what ever is on simply out of habit without thinking about the alternative uses of our time.
February 14, 2007 at 9:02 am
Dudley – I agree with your sentiments.
Last night I intended to work on an economics assignment after the kids were settled for the night, instead I channel surfed and watched the movie on 7 with J-Lo and Richard Gere “Shall we dance?”
It was kinda a nice film in the end, but needless to say, the environmental economics questions remain unanswered….
February 14, 2007 at 9:03 am
I agree Dudley. If we approach the television as simply a means of dulling our brain for a few hours and take whatever it serves up then there are problems.
However, as I’ve stated, I don’t see any problem with carefully selecting specific programs that I really want to see and limiting viewing to a small amount.
February 14, 2007 at 10:55 am
Let me get myself straight here. I have no problem with watching TV for some light hearted entertainment away from the stresses and problems of day to day life. There are some really good quality shows out there that touch the nerve of all of us. Seachange was a great show that demonstrated this. House, although not entirely believable, I really enjoy. Plus there are others that make us laugh and put into us a bit of fun. Like the Simpsons or Seinfeld, etc.
The TV fast was designed to give our minds and bodies a refresher to what can be achieved by alleviating the television away from our lives. So much time is wasted as Brucifer so aptly showed on watching mindless dribble instead of doing what is most important.
February 14, 2007 at 11:39 am
happy valentine’s day – I hope you are all flowered/chocolated/lunched/dinnered or whatever else takes the fancy of yourself and your significant other….
February 14, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Point noted moulmein. Thanks.
Brucifer, I’m having a valentines day fast!
February 15, 2007 at 6:10 am
I agree with Dudley. The real danger to TV comes when we watch TV just out of habit rather than picking specific programs.
February 15, 2007 at 6:12 am
Justin – is Kylie having a valentines day fast too?
February 15, 2007 at 10:23 am
Update:
Kylie and I are having a baby. Kylie is sick and was asleep by 5.30pm. So I went to my priesthood meetings and the Valentines Day fast was a success!
February 15, 2007 at 10:37 am
Congratulations Justin. It’s good news then. Going to be a hectic year for you let me say that much.
February 15, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Congrats Justin. With any luck your new parcel will get it’s looks from it’s mother’s side instead.
February 21, 2007 at 1:31 pm
FYI I’ve just posted a blog about television at http://www.happyfamilies.com.au that you might find interesting.