There have been a lot of "firsts" in my life in the past 18 months. One of the most significant is the fact that for the first time--as far as I can remember--in my LIFE, I have no television. Zip, zilch, nada. None.

As a part of my cost-cutting plan, I decided to switch off my DirecTV. I had (and still have) no desire to switch to cable, mostly because I think Comcast is an evil empire, and also because when I looked on their website, I couldn't find the most basic information like what channels do I get and how much will they cost. So, this makes the first time in over 20 years that I'm living without cable/satellite TV.

The world being what it is, I didn't think I'd miss DirecTV too terribly. I really only watched a few channels (BBCAmerica, Newsworld International, Bravo, TLC, with some Cartoon Network tossed in here and there), and in winter, of course, there is hockey.

I'll grant you that I do miss Newsworld (it's presented by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and is easily the best news source on television)...especially Peter Mansbridge, Evan Solomon and Jian Ghomeshi. And I'm a little weepy now that a new season of "The Office" is about to crank up on BBCAmerica (I had gotten a bit weary of "EastEnders," though, but I hear BBCAmerica has stopped showing it altogether).

And I do get an occasional pang knowing I'll miss hockey season. Especially "Hockey Night In Canada." Somehow, I'll have to cope without "Coach's Corner" with Don Cherry, but it'll be hard. But, at the same time, I remember feeling such relief at the end of last hockey season that it was finally over. Additionally, the CBA talks are just not really happening and the CBA expires at the end of the season. Both sides are gearing up for a significantly long work stoppage (either through a strike or a lockout)...some reports say the owners are preparing for a shut-down of up to two years. So, it's likely I'm going to have to get used to life without hockey, anyway. At least I don't have to quit cold-turkey (I'm going to attend three Sharks games this season). But I digress.

Now, living on "Curfew Island," I can't really get good TV reception without an antenna. My very nice neighbour has lent me her antenna, but I have yet to hook it up to my set (it's been nearly three months).

To be honest, I have really enjoyed not having TV! I've got plenty of CDs to listen to, or I listen to the radio. Or I just enjoy the peace and quiet or listening to the children playing over in the school yard across the street.

I'm amazed at how much better I feel, at how I don't feel such a "weight" on me from being bombarded with words and pictures all day/all night. And, frankly, between homework, job-hunting, and trying to get this bloody website (and Visual Cues) up and running, there's not much more I could absorb.

Oh, the TV still gets used...I've kept the Netflix subscription, so I take the occasional "DVD break," between, school, art, and job-hunting.

I didn't think it possible, but thus far I just don't miss TV much...in fact I don't really miss it at all.

update 10 October, 2003
I just got a call from someone with some "research" outfit wanting to know about my TV viewing habits. This is how the rest of the conversation went:

me: I don't watch TV.

researcher: Your TV's not working?

me: The TV works, I just don't have access to channels.

researcher: So your TV doesn't work...

me: The TV works. I just choose not to hook up any devices so it can receive channels.

researcher:...(didn't say anything but I think I heard her blink a couple of times)

me: The TV works and I use it to watch DVDs, but I haven't "watched TV" for about three months now.

researcher:...blink...Oh. Uhhhhmmmm...oooookay.

me: OK. Bye then!

That'll give her something to talk about in the break room.