I once unplugged the TV for a month. It was summer,the season of long walks,barbecues,and reruns.But I know if I really wanted to survive a New England winter without it. In the darkest,coldest months,I would no longer be able to escape. This winter,I had my test.
A year ago I moved into my own place. It was just a few minutes awey from my former roommate-and her television. Friends offered me a spare TV,but I said no. Living alone was an opportunity to choose how I wanted to live.And I thought that being TV-free would hlep me do all those things I wanted to do but didn't have time for.
I wonderred if I would feel lonely,but decided it would be better not to try to spend time with my "friends" on TV. In the first month or so,I got away from my favorite shows by visiting real friends. Eventually,I didn't know what TV shows were on when.I could no longer join in conversations at my office about popular shows.
I kept telling people it was an experiment: "We'll see how it goes this winter," I'd say. I Considered buying a small TV to keep in the closet and bring out on specical occasions. But for all I was missing,I could feel positive changes. I found myself reading lots of books. I had thought that I was too tired to read after a long day at work,but not too tired to watch TV.Now I had more time to read and sleep. I also started doing volunteer work almost every week instead of every few months. I called friends who usually heard from me only at the holidays. Sometimes I even enjoyed that rare thing called quiet.