I understand that the longstanding and contentious strike by the Writer’s Guild of America is over. Except for coverage of the strike occupying time during the morning news for the past three months, I really wasn’t affected by it.
You see, I don’t watch too much TV. However, that hasn’t always been the case. A few years ago, I began to change my attitude about TV. Instead of seeking shows that “weren’t too bad,” I began looking for programming that was actually good – and didn’t find too much of it.
Frankly, I am realizing that there are better and far more rewarding things to do with the time that was once wasted on mind-numbing television passivity. And my life is much better as a result. There have been more books read, more meaningful conversations had, and more significant time spent with others.
The last program that I regularly watched on a major network was Joan of Arcadia, which went off the air almost three years ago. Right now my only regular viewing is Monk on USA and Flip that House on TLC.
Our Satellite service provides us with over 200 channels. I only include 47 in my program guide, several of which I have never watched. My actual viewing is limited to six or seven channels. (So if my provider ever lets me pick my channels – instead of forcing me to buy a package – I should really be able to slash my bill!)
However, I could even go one better; it won’t be too difficult to scrap television altogether (as long as I could still watch an occasional movie).
So much for the writer’s strike, so much for TV; neither has mattered too much to me.
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is an author, blogger, and publisher with over 30 years of writing and publishing experience. Check out his book The Successful Author for insider tips and insights.