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Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
Hi, my name is Skip and I'm a Teleholic. Television is my drug of choice. It all began with innocent experimentation with Pa, Hoss and Little Joe Cartwright on Sunday evenings. This led to regular fixes of living color episodes of the Wonderful World of Disney. It was easy back then...an occasional fix in a social setting. It was all purely recreational. It was just for fun!
And then I discovered...Cable. I began mainlining channel after channel. The *** Pushers kept bringing more and more. It's as if they KNEW how to hook me and draw me into their neat little trap; History, Documentaries, Biographies, Comedy, Science, Exploration, Spongebob SquarePants!!! From there, it's a spiraling whirlwind of countless lost hours wasting away in front of a small, squarish glass screen. My electron starved brain saw it as a window to the world...when in truth, it was little more than a glimpse of life through the bars of my Madison Avenue-managed cell. As soon as I walked through my door, the set would be there...mocking me...calling out to me. I always gave in; turning the set on for "background noise." Then I'd sit down to relax for a moment intending to watch just ONE meaningless case on Judge Judy or ONE episode of The "A" Team. But...the hook was in. There was always SOMETHING ELSE. It kept coming and coming until Jay or David signed off and the infomercials kicked in. Thank goodness, I was able to recover at this point and grope my way, glassy eyed and weary, into bed. So...you here are my witnesses. As of today, My wife and I intend to go at least 30 days without "the tube?" Cold turkey. I don't know if we'll survive. We may well fall back into old habits and begin mainlining again. But, we're going to give it our best shot. I had considered locking ourselves into our garage until we beat the early withdrawal. I thought about consigning the TV to the garage...and it just laughed at me. I feel we should face our demon and regain control of our lives...head on. Withdrawal has already set in...and it's been a mere 12 hours. This diatribe is evidence of the pangs of mental withdrawal pounding in our brains! Wish us luck. If we don't pull through...well...you all are the best! I bequeath my thumbtip collection to Vandy and my X-rated silks to Danny Doyle. The rest of you may split my 35 year collection of enhanced TV Guides as you see fit. Just plant me with a tube in the lid and a remote in my hand...and don't forget the cable! Maybe if I just sit quietly with the remote in my lap... Skip
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
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Jamie D. Grant V.I.P. as seen in Ripley's Believe It or Not! Twice! 2413 Posts |
Skip,
I haven't had a TV in over 10 years. Actually, that's not true (I've got a 57" Hitachi beside me...) but we only have it connected to our DVD player. No cable. No TV shows. I've never seen an entire episode of The Simpsons, Friends, nothing. Who has time?
TRICK OF THE YEAR: Industrial Revelation, BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Approach, The AIP Bottle, and my new book Scenic 52, can all be found over here: SendWonder.com
Kindness takes practice. My TEDx talk |
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Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
Good for you Skip. I used to live in an apartment that would often lose power. It was the only time the neighbors would talk to us. Some of my best night were unplugged.
Nowadays my power is rock solid. I watch TV even if I don't want to. I don't have cable in order to avoid thumb sprains. Good Luck!
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
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Payne Inner circle Seattle 4571 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-12-10 12:58, Jamie D. Grant wrote: We'll if you'd stop wasting all that time putting decks of cards into bottles then perhaps you could finally see an episode or two of the Simpsons.
"America's Foremost Satirical Magician" -- Jeff McBride.
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Dennis Michael Inner circle Southern, NJ 5821 Posts |
Pssssst!
There is a card that fits into your computer and you can watch TV as you read the posts on the Café. Keep that to yourself...
Dennis Michael
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Corona Smith Inner circle Airstrip One 1689 Posts |
It is too late for you to stop now Skip...the damage has been done.
Corona. |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
With me, it's been really strange. When Diana was alive, she enjoyed watching TV alot, and so I watched it with her. There were a lot of great shows I always liked. Old shows like Gomer Pyle, Munsters, etc.
Then in later years it was M*A*S*H, Bonanza, Gunsmoke...Star trek, Star Trek TNG, and a bunch of others. If Diana was watching it, I would often get drawn in. But after she died, I have not turned the television on ONCE. In fact, I switched to basic to lower my bill, because I lost her income. But even then, I have not watched it once..and she has been gone since Nov 14'th. Weird thing is that I don't even miss it. No withdrawals, nothing like that. My house is QUIET. Sometimes deafeningly quiet. Maybe I SHOULD turn it back on to drown out her memory. I just don't know.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Patrick Differ Inner circle 1540 Posts |
I dislike TV.
I distrust TV. Given my "druthers", I druther turn the dern thing off. There isn't anything quite like sitting on the front porch and watching the real world. TV can't and won't do that. Ever. Turn it off, go outside. I say.
Will you walk into my parlour? said the Spider to the Fly,
Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to show when you are there. Oh no, no, said the little Fly, to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair -can ne'er come down again. |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Excellent advice.. Andy and the gang had the right idea in Mayberry, didn't they? Nothing like the old front porch swing.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
One of the other major time wasters, besides watching tv, is surfing the internet, reading and posting on forums, chatting online, and reading and responding to e-mails.
Who here personally tracks how often then do that, and how much of an addiction it is to them? Who has the courage to admit they have a problem with internet / forums / e-mailing / chatting online? - Donald P.S. Good for you, Skip. Think of all the other things you can now do instead.
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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irossall Special user Snohomish, Washington 529 Posts |
Skip it looks like you've been watching too many Dragnet reruns. You're starting to look like Jack Webb.
Iven
Give the gift of Life, Be an Organ Donor.
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leapinglizards Inner circle 1263 Posts |
I gave TV up about 18 years ago!!! I am SO glad that I did! Don;t be suprised if 30 days goes longer.....
Leaping Lizards!!! Who knew it was possible.
<BR> <BR>www.LeapingLizardsMagic.com |
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Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
My wife and I did set one compromise...I can still view my research material - magic videos, new tricks, lecture research material, One Night in Paris, Debbie's Granddaughter Does Dallas...the usual fare. And she can watch the Carolina Hurricane Away games...although why she'd want to lately is beyond me!
So far it's been a breeze. I now know there are 1,264,762 bumps on my living room ceiling. Skip
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
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NiallTL Veteran user 308 Posts |
Don't feel bad Skip, EVERYONE likes Spongebob, so you have to watch it.
Niall (loves Spongebob the programme) |
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Your Twonky tells you what to do using subliminals?
Wow, you must have the model II. Mine only gets static when I'm not paying attention and hides some of my books. It think it's scared of my PC.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Skip you want a cure, move to Mexico. IT cured me. Till I discovered I can get a satelite for very little money, now I am WORSE!
Infomercials really are my vice. I LOVE a good pitch. Oh and Skip, ANYTHING can be research, never forget that.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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Vandy Grift Inner circle Milwaukee 3504 Posts |
LOL! Good Luck Skip. I never even tried to quit TV, but I don't know if I could. When I enter the house, turning on the TV is the third or fourth thing I do. It's automatic.
And Danny, God Help me, I like infomercials as well. I'm a big fan of pitches and pitchman. That must be why I like Don Driver so much. LOL. Now Arnold "The Knife" Morris is doing his knife pitch for Ron Popiel on one of his infomercials. HEAVEN!! (Today, tommorow, next week, next month, next year and for the rest of your life you will NEVER need to sharpen this blade! How much would pay for a knife like that? But wait! There's more!!)If they ever put Mark Hyman on TV doing his knife pitch (the best in the world) I'd watch it 24/7! LOL. Skip, I covet that TT collection, but I'm pulling for you to make it through this Buddy!
"Get a life dude." -some guy in a magic forum
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ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
Quote:
There isn't anything quite like sitting on the front porch and watching the real world. We live on a cul-de-sac. We sit on the front porch and nothing happens...
Things are more like they are today than they've ever been before...
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Josh the Superfluous Inner circle The man of 1881 Posts |
Patrick Differ wrote:
Quote:
There isn't anything quite like sitting on the front porch and watching the real world. Personally I'd watch "Cops" instead of "The Real World". But I don't have cable. Not to mention, that when it rains your porch TV set would get all wet.
What do you want in a site? "Honesty, integrity and decency." -Mike Doogan
"I hate it, I hate my ironic lovechild. I didn't even have anything to do with it" Josh #2 |
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Josh very good point. Plus no air conditioning.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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