Tuesday, July 29, 2014

My Challenge Starts in 3 Days!!

So I'm preparing for a month without tv.  Ok, 2 hours of tv per week for about 4 weeks.  Yesterday I "prepared" by getting in as much tv as possible.  And a movie.

...there was no time for dishes or dog-walking - I was one with the couch!

And then I couldn't sleep.  Our movie of choice ended at about 11pm.  I fell asleep for a little while, only to wake up at 3am.  I laid there for what seemed to be FOREVER.  In reality, it was only about an hour.  I couldn't get comfortable.  Right side, left side, back, stomach...too hot, too cold.  ugh.  I took my pillow to the couch and curled up under Haley's zebra-striped blanket and listened to my dog, Charlie, snore.  I finally fell asleep, only to be woken up by the sun in my eyes and my alarm coming from somewhere in the couch.  The start of another day.

After taking the pups out, a cup of coffee, and a long shower, I resolved that I would survive work.  So far, so good (I'm on my lunch break).  And I won't have much time, if any, to sit in front of the tv tonight because we have dinner plans.  So I guess that'll be helpful in my crazy transition from zombie-tv-binger to...whatever I am at the end of August! 

Sunday, July 27, 2014

It's Been a While!

The last time I sat down to write a post for this blog was over two years go.  So much has happened in that time.  I met a guy after my divorce with whom I was in a polyamorous relationship.  He taught me a lot about myself and relationships.  He helped me be comfortable with my sexuality, which I experimented with as well as labels, including bisexual, pansexual, gay.  So, obviously, I am not in a sexual or romantic relationship with him anymore, but he was the one who introduced me to my beautiful wife.  There will be plenty of writing about all aspects of my life, I'm sure, but that's not why I'm writing tonight.

Recently, I've been examining my life, thinking about all the things I want to do but don't do or haven't done.  Things like crochet (I'm working on a huge blanket), take the dogs on a walk for some exercise and time in the sun, read my vast collection of books, and actually keep my kitchen clean and floors vacuumed.  But there's a problem: I always make the same excuses.  "There's no time!"  "I'm so exhausted..."

Where does all my time go?  Why am I so tired all the time?  I'll tell you.  I spend an enormous amount of time on the couch or surfing the internet.  I have cable, Netflix, high speed wireless internet, a smart phone - and as soon as I'm home from work, it's like I'm glued to the tv and facebook...at the same time!  Then I don't want to make dinner so we eat unhealthy, "convenient" food.  I don't want to take the dogs out because my gut is full of gross, heavy dinner.  Bed time comes around and I can't sleep because I haven't done anything all evening, physically or mentally.

So I am embarking on a 31-day personal challenge.  I'm reducing my tv-watching to two hours a week to watch my favorite shows: Longmire and Tiny House Nation.  Also, I'm only going to use my phone for communication, checking my work schedule, getting directions, etc - not to be on facebook or play games.

Start date: August 1
End date: August 31

This gives me a couple days to prepare myself.  Because this is going to be a big change for me.

...I say as I'm watching my fourth hour of tv tonight.