So a combination of factors has lead me to the decision that I am going to give up, or at least try to ween myself off of TV until 2008. From there who knows. Small steps…

I think I could go cold turkey, out of spite if nothing else. Just put the TV out in the street and notify freestuff@craigslist. That would be marvelous, however I would rather ease into a more vivid reality rather than be slapped in the face by it. So there are a few stipulations which I have not yet even fully enumerated to myself, but here are some of the guidelines I know I want to follow:

  1. If the TV is on, the program in question must be one of the following.
  • a) a music channel (as in Sirius sat broadcast of actual music not music videos is a blank screen more like radio on your tv).
  • b) a program directly related to one of the following topics: circuitry, math, physics, programming, chess, Go, or important news items (no fluff), other topics may be expanded but with reservation. (and no "the big bang theory of CBS is not relevant, nor NUMB3RS)
  • c) a workout program in which I am actively participating.

  1. Any video/show I decide to watch must be downloaded to my laptop and viewed at most 25% of the screen, and just to really drive the point home, for any episodic TV show, if the episode can be viewed on it’s network’s website, I must use that version rather than any version which may be available of higher quality. I am thinking of switching this to Iphone only content, which would require me to download, and then convert to iphone format, and then only when I am working out. (I have one reservation, which is “Dexter”, this will be my carrot at the end of this week).

  2. Major Sporting events are allowed as long as there are at least two other persons watching with me, in attendance (may require this one to be only allowed outside my apartment).

I don’t have any qualms about playing video games, and there is a good chance they may end up just substituting for the TV, but at least video games are interactive. I have a bunch of small projects that I have wanted to do, and have just been lazy about getting started with them. Most of the projects involve lower level circuits and sensors or are computer related, so will try and post more of what I am doing as the month progresses.

I just can no longer stand the feeling that I am too much a passive observer, with no critical thought about what is going on around me. This and there really must be more to do and accomplish.

Mooooooooooooo