4:59 p.m. | 2003-09-27 Self Improvement? I had lunch yesterday with a friend of mine, Buddy, and I shared my new self-improvement plan with him. Here�s some of that. (CI:) I think I need to watch more TV. (B:) What? You need to watch MORE TV. (CI:) That�s probably a misstatement. I need to be more proactive in my TV viewing. (B:) What the hell are you talking about? (CI:) Well see, due to all the years of working and going to school, I lost the habit of watching TV and I�ve never regained it. During that time, I had to give up football because I had to do homework on Sunday and I almost always had a Monday night class, so it was less painful just to give it up. I couldn�t watch a mini-series because, invariably, I�d be in class on the night it ended. Ditto with any show that carried forth a story line; I would miss so many episodes I�d get confused. In fact, I missed some shows altogether. I never saw an episode of NYPD Blues, Spin City, etc. Some shows ran for 7 years or so and, if I ever did see an episode of it, it was always the same one. (B:) Did you watch TV at all? (CI:) Yeah, but I was very passive about it. I usually left home at 7:30am and didn�t return until 10:00pm. By the time I got all settled and flipped on the TV, it�d be 11:00pm so I would pick one of the 3 shows or so that were on, like Enterprise, Victory Garden, or Law & Order. Sometimes I watched The Waltons or Little House on the Prairie, but I�d already seen though shows when they first aired in prime time. (B:) So, what�s your plan? (CI:) Well, this season, I took the time to read about some of the shows that are new, I�ve been listening to people talk about what they watch, and I�ve started making viewing plans. (B:) Viewing plans? (CI:) I�m so rusty, I often forget what night things are on and the channels, etc., so I have to write it down sometimes. (B:) You have to write out a schedule to watch TV? That�s funny. (CI:) Well, I forget. Like Big Brother� I was gonna watch that show but I kept forgetting when it was on. When I finally figured it out, it was the middle of the season and I had no idea what was going on or why one person was pissed at the other and such. (B:) Oh, I love that show. Do you know who won? (CI:) Uh, no. (B:) It was so-and-so. (CI:) I�m watching Survivor, are you? (B:) No. I don�t like that show. (CI:) Well, I�ve never really seen it before. Occasionally, I�ve caught a bit in the beginning, middle or end, but I�ve never seen a season all the way through so I don�t know if I like it or not. Anyway, I�m trying to get my TV groove back. (B:) So your plan is to watch more TV right? Hmmm. That sounds really weird. (CI:) I know. Now, I must say that Buddy cut his teeth on TV and has never stopped watching it. His TV is always going. I, on the other hand, often forget to turn it on. And, I must admit, it does sound strange to say that you think you need to watch more TV. However, I do. Now that I�ve been practicing and all, I�ve found that it can be a great stress reliever, especially when I don�t have the concentration to read. Don�t get me wrong though, reading will always be my first love, but lately my attention span has been rather short. Interestingly enough, I do believe that I�ve managed to watch Law & Order through all those years, but then, I think you have to be proactive NOT to watch it. Thank god it�s a great show. your thoughts? seed flower