TV

I don't watch TV.

I haven't for almost 10 years now, I think. I have a TV, sure, and a ton of DVD's, but I don't watch it real time. It's funny how much of American culture I miss out on by cutting TV out of my life. Small things, big things and damned near every-thing in between.

I don't object to it in theory, or in practice, I just don't have time. Or - more specifically - I don't feel like making time for it. What would I cut? Tennis? Gaming with friends? Going out for Pho? Scrabble? Why trade a highly interactive form of entertainment for one that isn't?

As it turns out, there are quite a few things I'd love to see on TV. ROME, The Tudors, BattleStar Galactica, Heroes... All cool shows, that I'm going to end up owning on DVD anyhow. Then there's Buffy.. Ahhh, and the first few seasons of Angel. And the Dresden Files.. (anyone ever see that?) There's a TON of good TV that's not on TV anymore.

Why? Why do shows like Firefly get cut from the air, while shows like Everyone Loves Raymond last forever? To answer that, I'd have to introduce you to the great unwashed. The people who ultimately pay the TV stations to do what they do. The lowest common denominator. (Hey, I laughed at what I saw of Raymond myself, but there's a pretty big disparity, you have to admit...)

Of course, one can't talk about TV without talking about the growing cost of good programming. Cable is just flat out down-right expensive.

Bottom line? After a hard day in the office missing inside jokes about the latest sitcom I've never even heard of, I have nothing but whiskey, extra money and conversations with others to console me.

..... Hmmm, ya know, that doesn't sound half bad. ;)