Six months and nine days without television and no regrets. Instead of wasting hours a day staring at a blinking screen, I have read twenty-four books from my TBR bookshelf and traveled to four foreign countries, one make-believe place, and seven cities outside my hometown. So far this year, I’ve traveled to:
- Las Vegas, Nevada,
- St. Augustine with a group of amazing women,
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios,
- St. Maarten, Bahamas,
- St. Kitts, Bahamas,
- San Juan, Puerto Rico,
- Grand Turk, Bahamas,
- Maggie Valley, North Carolina,
- Charleston, South Carolina (for a writer’s conference),
- Jacksonville, Florida (fly-in with hubby to visit best in-laws in the world),
- Lakeland, Florida (to report for General Aviation News on Sun ‘N Fun),
- New York City (for funeral of beloved uncle),
- and Tarpon Springs (to help a writer pal move).
I’ve learned how to load, shoot, and clean various handguns. (Serious fun.) Hey, writing suspense demands first-hand research for authenticity, right? And I’ve sent out two of my manuscripts to colleagues for final critiques in preparation of publication.
It is getting easier and easier to walk by the big screen and the remote with each day. Like friends who have non-stop schedules since their retirement, living without television has enriched my life by freeing more time for 3D living instead of two-dimensional vicarious spectating.
To readers following this blog–next year, an presidential election year in the U.S., you can join me in turning off television. If not to enjoy the peace and quiet for serious contemplation, then for the avoidance of the attack ads and divisiveness of modern political campaigns.
So far, the gains of hours more time each week to pursue my own interests has greatly outweighed the inert entertainment of television with its disturbing growth of sleazy reality television shows. I gain nothing from such shows, save a depressing view of humanity at its worst. Without television, I have gained an hour or more a day to pursue higher goals.