I’ve not had a real television in the house for several years. Mrs. Likko banished television when, way back when we were still living in Tennessee, we had a shameful run-in with Iron Chef on a work night. “No, let’s watch the next one, too, it’s Battle Sea Cucumber.” So it’s now nearly seven years since then, and we finally got DirecTV. With the NFL package built in to the incentive, so the football parties are going to be at Casa Likko this year. (Yes, Ordinary Gentlefolk and spouses/SO’s are invited, but we’re watching the Green Bay game when it’s on, just so you know.)
So last night I entertained myself with the Olympics. Track and field was surprisingly compelling. And there was a lot of talent working that women’s 200-meter race towards the end; every single one of those athletes was walk-into-a-pole attractive. Then I stayed up to see that new Matthew Perry sitcom they were pimping mercilessly all the way through the Olympic broadcasts — it wound up being Arli$$ meets Patch Adams, only not nearly as funny. And it was something like 11:30 before I went to bed.
And now, just like the very last night that I had television in my own house seven years ago, my ass is dragging at work. I must find discipline once more.
I feel for you. My TV addiction is ridiculous but I blame the networks for their super-awesome programming. We are in the REAL Golden Age of television right now.
And I second the hotness of the 200m gals. I’ve had a crush on Alyson Felix since 2008. She added some fine-looking colleagues this year.
I just upgraded my satellite subscription in preparation for the football season. No Sunday Ticket, but I have the college package as well as the regional channels, so I should be getting some great college football games.
Then you’ve got the NCAA beat and I’ll take the NFL. We can send Kazzy weekly summaries.
I find myself watching so much less tv over the last few years. I’m more likely to watch bbc and sci docs streaming over the web. About the only thing i do watch is sports. The only series i watch now are Mad Men and Dr Who which obviously doesn’t occupy a lot of time. I have to admit i can’t imagine paying for extra sports packages since there is so allready available. If its not on in my area, well i won’t watch it. I will admit i have watch some nfl games streaming though.
I, like you, have a difficult time turning the TV off once it’s on. I’m thankful I don’t have cable or satellite because I just don’t have the time. It is a little easier to put down the book than turn off the TV.
I am the exact opposite. TV episodes END. They say: Stop Here.
A book says “read me! Finish me! To the end!”
Maybe we read different books?
Don’t get me wrong, there are certain books I have stayed up until 4 am to finish because I just couldn’t put them down. But as I get older I’m able to tell myself that I will enjoy it more if I read when I’m fully rested. TV is different because I don’t need any brain power to enjoy it. The machine does all the work by feeding the information/entertainment to me.
I can’t read either when I am tired. I find that if I read before bed, I retain so little I must go back and figure out where it was my mind checked out even though I was still reading. I can mindlessly watch TV without ever feeling like I’ve missed anything of importance.
One of the drawbacks of the Kindle is that I can turn the type size up high enough to read in very dim light with no eyestrain, and thus read until quite late without getting tired.
I do not understand what people mean by television addiction. We don’t have cable, but we do have Netflix, which means a whole lot of great streaming TV.
I’m up for maybe 45 minutes a night, but even that feels like an imposition. I just don’t get it.
Yet when I say that libertarians are some sort of alien being, you get mad at me (or whatever emotion your people experience that seems to correspond to anger.)
Back when we still had satellite service with a DVR it did become something of an addiction for us. At some point the DVR would fill up and we had to make agonizing decisions over what to kill to make room for more “important” shit. At some point we actually got to to the point of seeing watching TV as akin to housework or something. Of course the reality is NONE of it is actually important.
Fast internet + Roku + Netflix + Huluplus is much more civilized. And, oddly enough, having (at least most) all of it available whenever we like has restored the proper perspective it seems.
“Fast internet + Roku + Netflix + Huluplus”
This is my exact set up and it is wonderful. And so much more affordable, I might add.
We’ve been without a physical TV for many months and no TV hookup for many years. I want a TV, but mainly so I can play my Playstation again. I patient enough to wait for shows to come out on DVD.