Articles
When we first moved into the brand new flat in which we now currently live, Gazz suggested the idea of passing on the TV licence. We were both short on cash, him coming almost straight down from Nottingham with only a whisp of a job to speak of, and my employment situation only marginally better. Our ‘pad’ would initially only be a ‘p’ as it came unfurnished. With both of us living a sheltered property lifestyle up to now, we’ve never been required to provide our own furnishings anywhere before. We’d be living in box city for a while to come.
The extra £150 or so we wouldn’t spend on the TV licence would come in handy (most of it was used to buy a TV). Truth be told I didn’t truly understand how we were able to own a TV, watch stuff that was on TV, and yet not buy a TV licence, with everything staying nice and legal. As with a lot of new as well as fangled things that I don’t understand, the internet was involved.
The idea, as it was pitched to me was that we can download anything that’s been on TV ever, then play it through the TV using the X-box. Like a huge bottomless Digibox with every single thing ever broadcast pre-recorded. Sounds good huh? I was a little unsure at first, as like Clint Eastwood trying to set the clock on his microwave, it was technology I didn’t understand. But if Gazz was correct, and I in fact could just get anything I’d normally watch, through the phone line, then I’d be happy.
This, as with most things Gazz assures me of, didn’t work out as pitched. Without adverts and idents, who’s to tell me what I should be watching? I struggle to find good new shows I might like. If I do catch on to a new show everyone’s talking about, or think of one I was into that I haven’t been watching (I.e. Heroes – Halfway through Season 3 & Mad Men – Only just started Season 2), then I simply can’t be bothered to find it online.
Once the show has been found, it takes a while to download, and you need to keep your computer on for 1 week straight for most things. I’m generally just too nervous about the use of my laptop, as well as Global Warming to do that too often.
When I eventually do manage to complete a download (I’ve got the first Season of 24, which I’m still the last man on earth to get into), I won’t watch it, as due to the X-box’s incompatibility with anything non-Microsoft (Think about that Gazz, the next time you’re in an Apple rant), I can only watch it on the macbook I downloaded onto.
So in short, I don’t watch TV.
I used to hear about these people. I have many friends who live a similar lifestyle, with no TV, what is there to do? Sure it’s a great life. Replacing watching other people learn to cook, with… learning to cook. Reading original books instead of shitty film remakes. Hanging out with slightly out-casted friends instead of watching people pretending to be Friends. It’s life how it’s always advertised.
‘But how do they afford it’ – I thought. Sure it’s great to get out and about, doing and learning all these new experiences and things, but what’s the cost? After all, TV is one of the cheapest/easiest pastimes. £150 covers you a full year, which is a possible 41.09p a day (40.98p a day if you’re lucky enough to be living in a leap year)! What’s a cheaper way to spend your night apart from sat around counting lint?
Now I’m being forced into the no TV lifestyle, along with a more generous recession-enhanced outlook on finance, I’m finding out exactly what there is. Along with learning to cook, reading more, and re-connecting with friends, I’m rediscovering the meaning of the word ‘hobby’.
This here website is just one piece of evidence, the past website I was involved in, LeedsMeUp happened during a period of our lives in which we had more spare time than Michael Jackson’s Butler (we were students). Yet still there was only an event every week, reviews here and there, maybe an article if you were lucky, and stories on practically special occasion occurrence. This time around, along with committing to full time employment (in an industry regularly running into late nights as standard), I’m managing to provide a full array of content most weeks.
The sole factor responsible for the strength of revival is my realisation that writing, is actually my hobby. It’s not a piece of work I must complete in-between episodes of Futurama. I’m also getting into Arts & Design, History, International Politics and Architecture. All of which, relatively cheap as interests and hobbies.
In my mind, the rock star idols of the 70s had it bang-on right. Throwing their TVs out of windows and the like. What those pictures and stories didn’t tell you, is what they did once they’d all calmed down and realised there’s no TV and nothing to do. I don’t know what they did either. But I know that if they hadn’t have destroyed all those sets, we wouldn’t be blessed with some of the best, and most classic songs of the late 20th Century.
So I urge you, people of London, Britain, and the World. Throw your TVs from your windows! (Figuratively of course, there might be someone walking underneath) and pick up a cross-stitch or something.
I Don’t Need No TV Fool! – Brought to you by James Wormald -