Often Cloudy

As I prepare to move into my new house I am forced to deal with all kinds of services: Utilities, Internet, Cable, etc. In the interest of saving some money I am going to decline cable TV service and see how it goes. Here is a list of just a few of the other things I have to fill the void left by cable TV.

Netflix
I already have a healthy subscription to Netflix, which keeps me sated for movies. If you are a subscriber, you should know we can now watch movies online for free. The library is a bit limited still, but I was able to catch up on classics like Soylent Green (good) and Andromeda Strain (yawn).

Internet
I may not be paying for cable TV, but not paying for internet would be like pulling my feeding tube. The bonus here is I can continue to interact with others online, continue writing here, and can watch episodes of many shows online for free.

Video Games
Just because a televisions primary service isn’t available doesn’t mean you need to throw it out! I know the TV and my Xbox will appreciate some attention now and then.

Books
Some afternoons are perfect for just lounging on the couch and diving into a good book. I believe books are can also be more mentally stimulating than any of the options above. I also have some studying to do to stay on top of things at work.

Yesterday there was an article at The Simple Dollar describing why you should turn off your television completely. I agree with most of the reasons they give except for this one:

Stress When we spend a lot of time watching television, we put off other things that we should be doing, like paying bills, playing with the kids, and so on. After a while, these things build up and we begin to feel stress in our lives that wouldn’t be there if we didn’t spend so much time watching television. Over time, elevated stress leads to health issues.

Television, or the use of the television is the opposite of stress. I never sit down in front of the tube and think “Oh man, now I have to sit here and be entertained.” Its one of the few places I can find to sit, relax, and concentrate on someone else’s story for a while. I don’t think removing the entire television is the answer, just that there are certainly better ways to use the machine than watching a cable broadcast filled with ads and nonsense.

That said, if a cable company offered me a pay-per-channel option, I would dive all over it. But $80 a month for the 5 channels I actually watch just doesn’t make sense.

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