Cable Free and Proud

Yes, I am cable free. Well, sort of. We have some sort of package that lets us have channels 2-28 for a cheaper rate. However, all of my favorite channels are missing such as MTV, VHI, the Style Network, Bravo, the Food Network, TBS ... (wow, I had a LOT of favorite channels.) The lone channel that is even worth watching is the E! (entertainment network for those of you cable illiterate) and a very snowy, but still watchable HBO. Don't know how that one slipped in, but I will certainly take it.

Yesterday I had the realization that cable was not my problem, I think TV is -- and I think I have a drug-like addiction to it. This all became clear to me while in a TV-induced coma on one particular commercial break. One of the commercials was Sarah Jessica Parker dancing around in her khakis singing a nice little diddy and throwing flowers up in the air. I've seen it before, no big deal. But then, in the same commercial break, there she was again! This time in a hair color commercial, looking perky and brunette. That's when it hit me. Wow, she is actually a busy lady. I bet that she doesn't sit at home and watch cable (or non-cable) with a Mexican blanket wrapped around her in her fleece pants. She has a job! Many jobs (as displayed by her two commercials of totally different products.) Then my mind starting to see my actions the past week for what they were.

You see, I thought that not having cable would automatically transform me into a book toting, intellectual that spouts off about the current political climate or the stock market. Instead, I now am cranky that I am missing my favorite crappy MTV reality shows and instead choose to settle on E!'s crappy reality shows (which by reality show standards, are much less entertaining). I have even lingered on the Michael Jackson case re-enactment show, which is not only WEIRD, but very confusing. Do these people memorize their "lines"? Who does the faux-Michael's hair? Who is in charge of everyone's wig? Will they be considered for an Emmy? Even QVC looks good to me. "Wow, those Diamondique earrings are even MORE sparkly than the real thing," I think to myself, agreeing with the host. When I am not watching QVC I am flipping to our snowy HBO channel and have proceeded to watch pieces of Cheaper by the Dozen (twice), Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, Just Married and one that I am sorry to admit New York Minute starring THE Olsen Twins. I have gone to a new low.

So now that I have admitted to my addiction (Step 1 I suppose for those in the special "step" program), I need to figure out how I am going to fix it. Hmmmm ... I could read a book. I could clean the house. I could do some laundry. I could workout 2 more hours. I could bake some cookies. I could learn another language. I could write my Congressman. I just don't know. I will let you know how it all works out. In the meantime, I will try to wean myself off of the non-cable one channel at a time.