Signs

Not watching TV is hard.  No, really.  The first week or so was surprisingly difficult.  I had no idea I had become so dependent.  Hi, my name is Heather and I am addicted to streaming stupid shit on Netflix.  We're talking Piranha, (actually, Piranha was highly entertaining -- in a cheesy horror, show-all-the-boobs kind of way), The Vampire Diaries (I should be ashamed, but I'm not.  I regret nothing.), Without A Paddle (I have no excuse for this one).  The list goes on.  With the exception of Breaking Bad and maybe a few others, we're not talking quality programming here.  I'm filling my brain with utter tripe and I miss it.  I miss tripe!

The word "filling" is key here.  I realized I use TV as company.  I'm alone most evenings after work (no "woe is me, I'm so alone" -- just stating the facts) and having the TV (or laptop) on is company of sorts.  It's noise, it's laughter, it's man-eating, boob-shredding, demon piranhas from the depths of hell, etc.  The first few days of no TV I felt very alone and I almost caved on numerous occasions.  It was also reminiscent of my 'Mediate Every Day' challenge in that, again, any time I am faced with quiet or an opportunity for introspection, I get itchy and uncomfortable.  That's a sign of ... something.  Yep.

But, as the month has gone on, it's gotten much easier.   I'm listening to music, tackling the pile of books (virtual pile, in the case of my Kindle), Snickers the Cat and I have had some deep, philosophical discussions about life and the joys of tuna, and that pesky junk drawer is still full of junk, but it looks neater.  It's been grand.  I also started drawing this:

I have nothing of my own to show yet, but I'll share the finish product when it's done.
I'm sure it will look exactly like this.  Only better.
(And maybe with an ox.)

When November rolls around, I have no doubt I will spend the first week huddled in bed catching up on all the shows I missed in October (I feel a cold coming on already), but I am starting to wonder if I'll go back to watching six straight hours of White Collar (... well, not that I've ever done that; it's just an example).  It's been nice not wasting hours watching bullshit and actually reading the book I want to read but normally set aside to instead get sucked into a show laden with teenage angst and werewolves.

That being said, I still have two entire seasons of Breaking Bad to catch up on.  Those episodes aren't going to watch themselves, folks!

In other news, walking down the hall at work this afternoon I realized I am supposed to be walking 15 miles this month.  I haven't done that.

Also, our team, Have Fun Storming the Castle, won at trivia tonight.  Don't hate.

Picasa does a great job of fixing 'red eye'.