Saturday, September 20, 2008

Life List Item #118 Completed: Give Up Television And The Internet For One Week


This is the first non consensual life list item I've completed.

So, did you know Louisville, Kentucky gets hurricanes? I sure didn't, that is until last Sunday when the remnants of Hurricane Ike pounded our city with reported 75 mph winds. The four hour storm caused plenty of damage and knocked out power to over half the cities' residents.

We were in the half with no power, and remained so, until late last night. So if you're counting with me, that's six full days without power (I was sleeping when the power came back on, so it's only been within the last few hours I've had the chance to start greedily sucking up my share of energy).

Here's a synopsis of my media free week:
Day 1: The storm rages, and power is knocked out early in the day. I'm not too worried, since any time the power has gone out before, it's always been fixed within 12 hours.
Day 2: College classes are cancelled, so I'm off. And lucky so, since I'm now getting a better picture of how long this outage is going to last. Me and Rory wait in a line to buy gas, wait in a line to buy ice, wait in a line to buy a cooler, wait in a line to use an ATM, and wait in a line to get fast food. The people in the fast food line are the angriest. Later that night, I get to study organic chemistry by candlelight (not recommended).
Day 3: I think this was the first day I missed television. Rory was still pretty engrossed by the idea of grilling all of our soon to perish freezer stock, so I don't think he missed it yet.
Day 4: OK, getting a little frustrated here. At this point, I could care less about the internet or television; all I want more than anything in the world is an endless supply of ice cold drinks.
Day 5: I'm vaguely aware that our country is in the throes of yet another economic crisis, because I hear the NPR announcer wailing about it when I run out to charge my cell phone on the car charger. Rory is tired of eating grilled meat.
Day 6: I'm getting angry, and my clothes smell bad.
Day 7: Hallelujah! Like Santa Claus, the shadowy LG&E repairmen have appeared in the night and bestowed warmth and good cheer to our entire street!

And now hours later, sitting in my air conditioned cocoon, reading tabloid trash online, getting ready to dive into a week's worth of unwatched Netflix.... I'm almost ready to start taking it for granted all over again.

3 comments:

Lou said...

Whew, that sucked..and now it's over. Doesn't the house smell funny for awhile after you don't have power?
I just watched Volver. It was cool..those Italian women know what to do with the unwanted husband...

Lou said...

I'm thinking about you. I wish you would get well.

sKILLz said...

Give up the net AND tv for a week? You mean both at the same time?

I would probably do one at a time but not both at the same time.

As it is I'm not crazy about tv any how so I dont think that will be hard at all.

To me tv has become so freaking boring and fake with all these reality tv crap you know?

The net is something totally different to me because I do everything on it.
I read the news, I read books, I listen to music, I talk to my peeps, I read whatever peaks my intrest. I can be on the net for hours just reading, its all the info that I love.
Anything I want to know about I just Google and I'm there and off reading....but I'm sure I can do it.
I will let you know when I complete it!
Thanks for giving me the idea of challenging myself!!
Stay Up!