Not to alarm you, but… I haven’t really been watching tv lately. Or, at all. Except, maybe some OPB.

Before you send the gentlemen with the white coats and the butterfly net over, I’ll enlighten you.

It started months ago. I had a Comcast DVR at my studio apartment. A girlfriend of mine would come over each week to watch Big Love with me. We’d usually start watching it at the time  it actually started, but often  had to pause the show for, you know, discussion. Well, this became tougher and tougher, because the recording was distorted. So, after I was unable to bear this ANYMORE. I called Comcast. And, they brought out a brand new DVR box to me. Well, this one was worse. It just didn’t record, or if it did, I’d get to a really good part of whatever I was watching and then, BLACK SCREEN. So, each and everytime I called Comcast, they’d assure me that all I’d need to do is unplug my DVR for 30 seconds and then the software would reboot and it would be ALL GOOD. Heh. Really? Because after that, it NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. Then, after that, it would just stop recording things, and tell me my DVR service was unavailable. So, I called Comcast again. “Don’t worry, they said! Just unplug your DVR for 30 seconds…..” I did this at least twice a day. Then, I started watching DVDs. And, Hulu.

So, I decided that when I moved into my new apartment, I’d get satellite. Well, through my phone company I signed up for some fancy package with satellite, phone, DSL, and a discount on my wireless. So I thought. The satellite people have NEVER CONTACTED ME. But, do you know what I’ve noticed? When I have the tv on lately, it’s just for background noise (and it’s  been playing Season 1 of The O.C. non stop), and more and more, I find myself listening to awesome cds that some girl makes me, or podcasts (we won’t discuss the lack of new episodes of This American Life), or I even read (sssshhhhh). So, I think I’ve cured myself of my tv addiction. Not that there is anything on anyway.

But, what I have been missing is turning on the news in the morning for the weather report. So, today, I ordered myself a voucher for one of these babies. So, I at least be able to watch network tv.  I’m sure I’ll still partake in the occasional online tv show, heck, I may even up my Netflix subscription to 3 at a time. And, I have a stack of books just waiting for me to jump into. But, for the most part, I think couch potato Rhi is gone for good.

And, that is how I decided, or was forced to give up tv.