"The media can wreak great harm on the family when it offers an inadequate or even distorted vision of life, of the family itself and of religion and morality."-- Pope John Paul II, May 2004
CONFESSION-- My name is Jenifer Moss, and I'm an addict.
In high school health class I heard that some people can be genetic alcoholics... after drinking just one beer they could become hooked. Seriously, this is one of the reasons why I've never tried beer.
I'm an addict personality... obsessive compulsive?... yeah, that's me.
I read books straight through... after the first couple chapters, I can't stop.
I stay up all night to finish a quilt.
I can't pass through the kitchen without eating one piece of chocolate from the leftover Halloween stash.
I go INSANE when my pregnant friends don't find out the sex of their babies.
And, TV is my drug of choice. It helps me to ZONE... I watch TV to numb out my life.
Not so good...
My TV addiction ebbs and flows... some months are worse than others. I'm a serious all or nothing kind of girl. Aside from my addiction tendency, I HATE when I'm watching TV and the kids come out of their rooms (most of my addict television happens AFTER bedtime)... I find myself telling them to get in bed quickly because I don't want them to see what I'm watching. I HATE that I make rationalizing excuses for the CRAP I watch. (It's just one lesbian kiss, they are all sleeping around with each other- but most of the show is clean, it's real life, people are like that...) The first time I see a show it shocks me, but after awhile I get numb to the evil... I don't want to be numb.
I stopped watching rated R movies when a friend of mine said, "If you though Silence of the Lambs was a good movie, it's because you are desensitized to the evil that was in it." So true!
You know, there is so much good in the world, so many things that I wish I had time to do and I don't, I can't afford to waste my time watching CRAP semi-sin TV.
And so today I say goodbye... I may never know whether or not McDreamy and Merideth find their happily ever after... I may not know whether The Practice will be saved... Samantha will be forever who?.... It's hard, I may shake all Thursday evening as my addiction eases, but ultimately it is for the best.
Side NOTE-- There are some shows that I still think are pretty cute and clean. (Eli Stone, Pushing Daisies, Dancing with the Stars, and our Sunday favorites-- America's Funniest Home Videos and Extreme Home Makeover)...
Side NOTE 2-- My boys are wrestling/fighting too much these days... it starts out fun and ends in tears... I'm done. I've BANNED all fighting TV/Computer/Gameboy etc. If there is fighting it is out... I feel a bit powerful-- There is so much in life that I can't control, but I CAN control the outside influences of my children when they are in my home.
Side NOTE 3-- This post may seem a bit extreme... don't worry. I get on these kicks every now and then. Remember I told you I'm an addict- all or nothing type. Just because I'm obsessing doesn't mean that I'm judging your TV habits... I have spent many months obsessed with the Bachelor-- in my glass house I'm not throwing any stones...
Tis the season for media cleansing in my home... I'll let you know how we're spending all of our new free-time.
Side NOTE 4-- Yeah, I really am writing this at 3 in the morning... I woke up to feed Lily and got sucked in... I TOLD YOU, I'm an addict.
My name is Taneil and I am a tv addict! I know what you will be doing with your spare time! Quilting, PTA, church, and talking on the phone to me. Blogging is also getting to be very addicting, but well worth it don't you think?
ReplyDeleteI must say that I am proud of you!
ReplyDeleteEver since we moved to sugar the tv isn't a priority & I am so glad. For one we only have an antenna, so cbs, nbc, abc & pbs are what we get. When six p.m. hits and pbs is over the tv goes off. Like you said "too much crap". I think that you will be amazed that you don't miss it, this will be very healthy for everyone. Another reason for no tv is that I am not willing to pay over $50 to get HGTV. One thing that I love is netflix. We get three movies at a time and I have Veggietales and Disney coming all the time, so they do get to vege out. So again, I say way to go!
I admire your will power! You'll have to let me know how that works for you ~ : )
ReplyDelete