Monday, February 1, 2010

No TV, no beer make Homer...something...something

As of today the Paul and Wendy Weitzels are instituting a NO-TV FEBRUARY. Why? Because we came home from a date night a few weeks ago to find our babysitters (much to our surprise) reading books! My first thought was, "Who does that anymore? That's so 1945." Then I realized, "Wait, I LOVE reading books!" and I have been going through a serious process of repentance ever since. So for that reason, and also because we figure it'll make us more interesting people (and because we need more time to beat World 9 in Super Mario Wii), we are going TV-free for a month. Why February? Because it's the shortest.

As part of my addiction-kicking process, here's a list of shows that I will truly miss:

1) The Bachelor: Will Ali and Vienna ever accept one another as potential loves for Jake? Where will the RV road trip take them next? What do all the girls have against Vienna in the first place?

2) The Biggest Loser: I am addicted to this show. I love it. It inspires me. It's part of the reason I'm training for a marathon. I fast-forward past all the product endorsements 'cause I think they're lame, but I love seeing people accomplish things they never thought they could do and come out stronger (by the way, I ran 10 MILES! on Saturday...never thought I could do it...thank you, Biggest Loser). Who will leave the show in the time that I'm gone? Who will win the at-home weigh-in between Blue and Yellow?

3) NBC's Thursday night line-up of Community, Parks & Recreation, The Office and 30 Rock: Yes, I watch them all. Afterward Paul and I vote on which show was the funniest. The Office hasn't won yet this season. And last week's episode was horrific. But we watch it so as not to prove fair-weather fans, and because we're too lazy to get up from the butt grooves we've formed on our couches to change the channel.

4) Anything on the Food Network: No more Chopped. No more daytime cooking shows to get me through my workouts. No more Alton Brown to tell me why my food cooks the way it does. I may starve to death.

5) Morning cartoons with Reece: He loves Handy Manny and Dora the Explorer. He never watches a full episode (poor kid's got a short attention span), but he loves the songs and it's one of the only times I get to cuddle with him now that he's all big and cruising around the furniture and opening cupboards and what not.


So that's it. Will I survive? Only time will tell. Will this be the longest February in my 27 years of existence? Quite possibly. Will Jake pick Tenley and send home the cheesy swimsuit model Gia? Well, friends, ask me in March (wait a couple of days because I might spend the first week or so glued to my DVR).

Also, if you have any books you think I should definitely read in all my spare time, please let me know!

8 comments:

Pauly said...

Lol,somehow I started watching the Bachelor this season. I am so embarassed to admit it but I am so hooked! Go Ali!

We actually canceled our tv last Feb. Saves us 80 bucks a month and alot of wasted time. I still have my favorites that I watch on the internets but it is nice not to always have access to endless entertainment cus even when i don't want to the couch seems suck me in.

You can do it!

The Hulls said...

Ranger's Apprentice Series is awesome! We haven't had cable or Dish since Oregon. I'm actually thinking of getting it for this next move. Ironic, isn't it?!

Ryan said...

Not having TV is great. We actually get French TV cable, but it's so crappy we don't even bother. We also don't have to worry about watching TV on the computer, since all the sites are blocked for international.

Not having TV frees up more time for important things, like computer games, facebook, and searching vainly for American TV on the internet.

Svedi Pie said...

I would have a hard time living without the Food Network, The Biggest Loser and 30 Rock so I totally admire you!! I'll keep you updated on BL if you want ;).

You should read Born to Run (I think I mentioned that before, maybe?) I think it will be a great motivation for your marathon quest! Good luck!

Nicole Moultrie said...

Hilarious that we watch, and are addicted to the exact same shows..great minds think alike.
Good luck! Even if I had the gumption to try it, my husband would divorse me without sports center..Check out my Mario post.

Krysta said...

Go team Weitzel!! We have no TV and go to Pippi's house every Thursday to watch the NBC lineup. I still like other stuff from hulu like Burn Notice but we love not having the TV. We have it on a rolly cart and it goes away when we don't use it. I think makes the house feel good. I know so weird. But I am excited for you guys. Good luck. PS you are my goal setting hero. I just always think of you when I need to set goals. Thanks so much!

Sara Lyn said...

You're missing the Olympics?!!! Otherwise, I think you'll have a great month. What kind of books are you interested in? Children's novels? Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace or "Eight Cousins" and "Rose in Bloom" by Louisa May Alcott. Biographies? "Charles and Emma: The Darwin's Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman. Non-fiction? "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson. (LOVE some of his travelogues, too - be careful. Some of them have quite a bit of language. Short History does not.) Chick lit? "Enchanted, Inc" by Shanna Swendson. Hilarious? "The Actor and the Housewife" by Shannon Hale. (At least, I thought so. Some people can't stand it.) Interesting historical? "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer. (One of my favorite books from 2008.) Christian Lit? "Stars for a Light" by Gilbert Morris. (I also enjoy Hannah Alexander, Dee Henderson, Janette Oke and Judy Baer.) Need more ideas? What kind of books do you like? (This is obviously my favorite subject.) :) Sorry to go on and on. :)

Dave Carr said...

I'll keep you up to date on Community...otherwise, I've fallen out of love with NBC's Thursday lineup. I do love Psych, though. I've also fallen in love with NetFlix via my PS3, with it's instant downloads and such.

We actually did a full year without tv back before kids. Then the year ended...with a kid! Strange how those two coincide. You do miss a lot of cultural references in conversations, though.