The first step:
I have a problem.
I thought I could live without it, but I'm just not strong enough on my own. I had a good run, but without a constructive support group surrounding me and encouraging me to be strong, I have fallen back into old ways that frighten and worry me.
My name is joelg, and I love TV.
I thought I could live the pretentious-art-boy fantasy of not having a TV (which automatically gives me the right to mention that at every given opportunity, and also grants me instant indie cred amongst emo types around town), but when I got my 32-inch RCA flatscreen, I told myself it was only for movies (old/foreign/genre movies -- more indie cred) or my PS2 (geek cred).
I even had trouble believing that when I told myself that in September.
Fortunately, my roomates decided that they didn't want to pay for cable -- despite my bitchin' four-speaker surround sound audio/visual system that is just begging to be used. I thought I was off the hook; there's no way that I could justify paying for cable all by myself! But then, a series of events unfolded, on par with the greatest conspiracy in history:
* one roomate disappeared. Aimee's either in Montreal, or in her room -- but I'm putting my money on Montreal. [Evidence: 1) Her car is gone. 2) The phone isn't in her room. 3) I can use the bathroom at my leisure. 4) She left a note saying "I'm in Montreal." 5) Her MSN name is "Live from Montreal."] She was the most vocal opponent to cable in the apartment.
* Ryan, the other roomate, has watched all the movies I own. Literally. He watched The Fifth Element and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within on purpose. He has been reduced to watching "Land and Sea" and "Medical Investigation" for entertainment. I pity the poor lad.
* And then, to top it all off, I get a considerable raise at work. Enough to easily pay for cable on a monthly basis.
So, I'm fairly certain, I will indulge in the mind-numbing, trash-talking, intelligence draining, free-time-eating, electronic squawkbox that is extended cable.
I miss Jerry Springer and Trailer Park Boys. I miss MXC and Teletoon. I miss Seinfeld reruns and ER first-runs. I miss seeing Compass in full color. I miss coming home drunk from nights at the Wave and watching utterly crappy British skin-coms with a gaggle of equally drunk people. I miss being able to say "What is this shit?" on MuchMusic, and then flipping to MuchMoreMusic and saying "Why don't they play videos anymore?" and finally flipping to the country music station and wanting to gargle bleach. I miss Saturday-afternoon documentaries on ancient history or prehistoric animals or whatever vaguely-interesting topic is in the news that week.
I miss the creamy highs, the scuzzy lows, and the white-noise ambience that has been absent from my life since I quit watching TV a few months ago. Fortunately, I'm a big enough man to admit that I have a problem, and also to give in to temptation.
I thought I could live without it, but I'm just not strong enough on my own. I had a good run, but without a constructive support group surrounding me and encouraging me to be strong, I have fallen back into old ways that frighten and worry me.
My name is joelg, and I love TV.
I thought I could live the pretentious-art-boy fantasy of not having a TV (which automatically gives me the right to mention that at every given opportunity, and also grants me instant indie cred amongst emo types around town), but when I got my 32-inch RCA flatscreen, I told myself it was only for movies (old/foreign/genre movies -- more indie cred) or my PS2 (geek cred).
I even had trouble believing that when I told myself that in September.
Fortunately, my roomates decided that they didn't want to pay for cable -- despite my bitchin' four-speaker surround sound audio/visual system that is just begging to be used. I thought I was off the hook; there's no way that I could justify paying for cable all by myself! But then, a series of events unfolded, on par with the greatest conspiracy in history:
* one roomate disappeared. Aimee's either in Montreal, or in her room -- but I'm putting my money on Montreal. [Evidence: 1) Her car is gone. 2) The phone isn't in her room. 3) I can use the bathroom at my leisure. 4) She left a note saying "I'm in Montreal." 5) Her MSN name is "Live from Montreal."] She was the most vocal opponent to cable in the apartment.
* Ryan, the other roomate, has watched all the movies I own. Literally. He watched The Fifth Element and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within on purpose. He has been reduced to watching "Land and Sea" and "Medical Investigation" for entertainment. I pity the poor lad.
* And then, to top it all off, I get a considerable raise at work. Enough to easily pay for cable on a monthly basis.
So, I'm fairly certain, I will indulge in the mind-numbing, trash-talking, intelligence draining, free-time-eating, electronic squawkbox that is extended cable.
I miss Jerry Springer and Trailer Park Boys. I miss MXC and Teletoon. I miss Seinfeld reruns and ER first-runs. I miss seeing Compass in full color. I miss coming home drunk from nights at the Wave and watching utterly crappy British skin-coms with a gaggle of equally drunk people. I miss being able to say "What is this shit?" on MuchMusic, and then flipping to MuchMoreMusic and saying "Why don't they play videos anymore?" and finally flipping to the country music station and wanting to gargle bleach. I miss Saturday-afternoon documentaries on ancient history or prehistoric animals or whatever vaguely-interesting topic is in the news that week.
I miss the creamy highs, the scuzzy lows, and the white-noise ambience that has been absent from my life since I quit watching TV a few months ago. Fortunately, I'm a big enough man to admit that I have a problem, and also to give in to temptation.
posted by joelg at 11:15 PM
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