I already have big plans for our next garden and perhaps it is with a sense of giddy joy I make this entry!
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25 October, 2009
Everything New is Old Again?
20 October, 2009
'Nilla
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19 October, 2009
Cookie Time!
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06 October, 2009
Nielsen Family
It would follow that the more televisions one has in their home the more television they watch. It would also follow that the more cable channels one receives the more brain rot ensues. We have one television and what Cincinnati Bell refers to as "basic cable" so I thought our collective t.v. watching was probably infrequent. Huh.
One day, not so long ago, we were invited to become a Nielsen Family. For one week we were asked to keep a diary of every program that each household member watches. Hours are to be logged with special instructions for Tivo, DVR, Picture in Picture, multiple television households, Dish, and for times when the television is on but no one is watching. Wow, when the television is on but no one is watching. If you have multiple televisions in your home you are asked to keep a diary per set. I hadn't even turned the t.v. on before I began a silent panic. The television culture is more out-of-control than I thought.
Day one and I go about my business per usual:
8:30a -9:00a PBS Kids. Finn watches educational programming while he wakes up and I get to drink my coffee in peace.
2:30p-3:30p Bravo. Reruns of The Rachel Zoe project. Finn's napping, I'm resting, no harm done.
5:30p-6:00p History -1. The tail-end of a special on Greek mythology. I'm making dinner, Finn is playing. Is this an example of the t.v. on but no one watching?
Day four and I find myself watching even less television. The diary sits near our set, fending off my interest to sit like a potato for an hour. I spend a good five minutes arguing myself out of watching that NatGeo special on George Washington that I'd waited for weeks to air. Nielsen's should have a space in the diary for time spent agonizing over turning on the t.v. in the first place. I am beginning to wonder if my disinterest in t.v. viewing stems from moral guilt or laziness in logging it. Either way I'm watching less.
Nearing the end of our week I am now more aware of how unnecessary 99% of what I'm watching is and how intimidating self-judgement can be. Our cable company claims that we need all 600 channels simply to run our internet but in the weeks ahead I'll be certain to investigate different options. I'm aware that I simply need not turn on the television if I don't want to waste my time but having all of these channels at my disposal is far too great a temptation. It has been a most revealing experiment and I shudder to think what the "average" American family considers "normal" when it comes to t.v.!
One day, not so long ago, we were invited to become a Nielsen Family. For one week we were asked to keep a diary of every program that each household member watches. Hours are to be logged with special instructions for Tivo, DVR, Picture in Picture, multiple television households, Dish, and for times when the television is on but no one is watching. Wow, when the television is on but no one is watching. If you have multiple televisions in your home you are asked to keep a diary per set. I hadn't even turned the t.v. on before I began a silent panic. The television culture is more out-of-control than I thought.
Day one and I go about my business per usual:
8:30a -9:00a PBS Kids. Finn watches educational programming while he wakes up and I get to drink my coffee in peace.
2:30p-3:30p Bravo. Reruns of The Rachel Zoe project. Finn's napping, I'm resting, no harm done.
5:30p-6:00p History -1. The tail-end of a special on Greek mythology. I'm making dinner, Finn is playing. Is this an example of the t.v. on but no one watching?
Day four and I find myself watching even less television. The diary sits near our set, fending off my interest to sit like a potato for an hour. I spend a good five minutes arguing myself out of watching that NatGeo special on George Washington that I'd waited for weeks to air. Nielsen's should have a space in the diary for time spent agonizing over turning on the t.v. in the first place. I am beginning to wonder if my disinterest in t.v. viewing stems from moral guilt or laziness in logging it. Either way I'm watching less.
Nearing the end of our week I am now more aware of how unnecessary 99% of what I'm watching is and how intimidating self-judgement can be. Our cable company claims that we need all 600 channels simply to run our internet but in the weeks ahead I'll be certain to investigate different options. I'm aware that I simply need not turn on the television if I don't want to waste my time but having all of these channels at my disposal is far too great a temptation. It has been a most revealing experiment and I shudder to think what the "average" American family considers "normal" when it comes to t.v.!
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