I’m a Recovering TV Addict

I Have Basic TV

That’s right, I am now one of a few thousand folks out there who doesn’t have cable or satellite or digital or whatever it is that gives us 4 million channels to watch but only 4 watchable channels. Up until April of this year, I was beholden to my shows. I got ATT Uverse because you could  record up to 4 shows at once. And yes, I did test that service. I was … how do you say … addicted?! Yeah. That was me. And it’s a good thing we moved because at the end, I was suckering Isaac into shows he shouldn’t be watching just because I had this urge, this need to watch shows immediately! I’d be recording and watching all at the same time. It made no sense. It wasn’t pretty.

Oh, Jack. I do miss your world saving tricks!

So, we moved. And with the move came bigger bills and I decided that cable was just something we’d have to sacrifice if I wanted to keep my pooper scooper lady and the mower guy coming once a week. (no, I’m not lazy, I’m spoiled. I’ve got a post all about my spoiledness coming up very soon). Giving up basic + HBO + Showtime saved me about $130 month. I thought about just getting basic cable, but that would eventually turn into HBO and then Showtime, because basic cable is like pot…the gateway drug. I had to go cold turkey.

Californication: Home to the hottest Dysfunctional family out there.

So far it’s been great. At first, I was obsessively trying out antennas. Moving them this way and that. Happy I was getting channel 8 one day, but not channel 5. THEN, the next day I’d get only channel 4 but it would be blurry. And on the rare day I was getting 11, I’d watch it, but I never cared about the shows. I was just happy it was coming in. During the NBA playoffs, I’d watch games on my iPhone. I’d at least keep up with the score. Or, if it was a weekend afternoon, I’d hang out on my own at The Libertine to watch a game, which was actually quite nice.

Anyway, I decided I needed a babysitter, so I got Netflix. At first, all was good. Isaac had a few shows he’d watch. He didn’t ever seem to really miss all the TV. And now, even his Daddy has no cable, so he’s all off the map. I rarely watched the Netflix. It was weird and clunky and I hated sitting on the couch and watching TV because I really prefer reading in the living room and watching TV in bed. Don’t ask why, I have no idea. So I just wouldn’t watch anything.

My best tv friends! Besides Friends, of course!

That has since changed. I’ve become addicted again. But now, i can watch entire seasons on Netflix, in bed, on my computer, for hours and hours and hours! I’m losing sleep. And I’m reducing my reading time. The Tudors, Hoarders, Rescue Me! Shows I never had a chance to watch, now I can…all at once! It’s awesome!

I guess I’m a bit better than 7 months ago. But still, I’ve fallen off the wagon. Here’s a list of all my old shows. And I don’t think I’m remembering them all. Plus, I’d watch a lot of the reruns of shows when the season was over. It’s a lot of TV for one girl to watch.

1. True Blood
2. Entourage
3. Project Runway
4. America’s Next Top Model (I’m not even watching it this season…surprised? See here.)
5. Snapped (this used to freak the ex out! mwaahaaaa!!!)
6. Californication
7. Dexter (I had to watch EVERY previous season episode over Xmas just to catch up)
8. Shameless
9. Weeds
10. Big Love
11. How I Met Your Mother
12. Unsolved Mysteries
13. 24
14. Damages
15. I Survived

In addition, I absolutely had the hardest time going to sleep if I didn’t watch Friends and/or Seinfeld. I also am addicted to Law & Order. The original. Not all these SVUs, CIs, blah, blah, blah. I’m thinking this is why I didn’t get out much. It’s hard to manage all these shows and watch them in a home with only one TV and a kid who just HAS to watch iCarly and Spongebob every night.

All in all, I love the new situation and at least I’m not spending all afternoon watching shows. Or calling in “sick” to catch up. I’m better. For now.

Tags: addicted, Californication, Damages, Dexter, Friends, Shameless, TV