*twitch*

I did something impulsive. Normally, when this happens, it affects my bottom line negatively but feels really good in the short term. Like - being able to reach that itchy spot in the middle of your back - good.

This impulsive decision, though, is more like waking up one day and deciding it's time to give up smoking crack cold-turkey. Yep. You guessed it. I cancelled my cable and had them haul away my DVR. *twitch*

Month after month, I'd look at the bill in disgust, and tell myself for one more billing cycle I'd pay it, then decide next time if I want to downgrade or cancel. I knew it was the right decision when on my last night of being a cable-having member of society, I was lying on the couch, perusing my riches of digital and HD channels, hundreds of them... and couldn't find one. damn. thing. I wanted to watch. Browsed the DVR selections... nothing to watch.

It all started when, watching a show about kids with life-endangering obesity, I commented to my fiance that I would get rid of every TV in the house before I'd see one of my kids on blood pressure medication because they're obese. I'm good at making bold proclamations like that; especially when I don't have to put my money where my mouth is. After a couple of weeks of stewing on that statement, though, I realized it's pretty damn hypocritical of me to say that. Here I am, with a good 60lbs to lose before I am at a weight that I believe would be healthy for me, a couple years from *cough*40*cough*, and my primary form of entertainment keeps my ass chained to the couch. I have expensive running shoes, an expensive treadmill, a not-so-expensive bike, and a brand new kayak, and summer is coming. Do I really have time for TV? Does the cost justify the result? For me, I decided... no it does not.

Now, before you think I have gone totally batshit nuts, I feel the need to inform you that if I'm still in the house when fall comes around, I'll hope the Comcastards and Dish Network come a callin' with some sweet deals for me to woo my ass back to the couch. I'm wondering what the effect of several months without cable will have upon me. Maybe, when fall rolls around, a time of year I refer to as "hibernation", I will have found alternatives to paying $80/month to watch a few shows I could catch online anyway.

We'll see.

*twitch*