It’s been an interesting week.  Removing the television as a constant media backdrop to my time at home has meant the following:

1. Because I’m far less likely to ignore a film I’ve paid money to view, I’ve had to actually relax when I relax and genuinely engage with it.
2. Because I am far more selective with my choices when I am paying for a film, the quality of my media intake has improved greatly.  In the last week I have watched only three things:  A documentary on Sudanese refugees, an animated short about a young girl growing up in Iran and the global warming documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth.”
3. Having removed a constant distraction, my brain has been more fully able to engage with my tasks at hand – as a result, I have been more productive, more creative and had more time to truly rest as I’ve been able to get through my work faster.
4. I’ve also read a book and a half — a thing I’ve not done in a week in as long as I can remember!

So, the verdict is, while there are downsides to not having immediate access to television news, and while I will miss the whitenoise on some level, I am giving up Cable Television permanently.  The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages.

I’m holding off for one week on starting my next challenge, as I have been struck down by the CRUD and won’t be able to give it the concerted effort it deserves.  Next week: Cosmetics.  Which I suspect will be more challenging than it appears.