Editing and the Return of TV

Well, the summer of no TV ended midway through October, with the first light dusting of snow. The snow only lasted a day, but I spent that day nestled on the couch with my husband, blasting our way through the first two seasons of Episodes. (Great show by the way.) It felt amazing, the perfect way to relax on a Sunday.

However, now that November has arrived I've decided to throw myself into editing and that means figuring out how to balance work and relaxation (aka TV). With the weather getting colder and the desire to stay in and snuggle getting stronger it's getting harder and harder to focus on work. After all, I'm really enjoying the editing process but it's so hard to resist the chance to wrap up in a blanket with my husband and catch up on the shows I've missed.

So, to combat my natural inclination to be lazy, I've created a schedule. I make sure I always use the time when my husband's at the gym or out with friends to edit, when temptation is at its weakest. I also find it easier to edit and write in the evenings on weekdays, when my brain is already geared towards work, and allow myself the indulgence of sleeping in and lazing on the weekends, only working as much as I'm in the mood for. I find I need to give myself permission to just go with the flow on weekends, that way I have something to look forward to and it makes it easier to work on weeknights.

How are you combating the winter gloom? Do you find it more or less easy to be productive in the winter months? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

The End of the Summer of No TV

Well, fall is officially here (according to the calendar. I don't know when the first official day of fall is, but to me it's with the start of September), so I could potentially say that now is the end of the summer of no TV. But, I think I'm going to wait. The weather is still hot and beautiful, so there's no point in turning back on the boob tube while it's still pleasant to be outside. I think I'll wait until it's cold and the thought of warm pajamas and an enthralling crime show are too enticing to resist. But I am starting to reflect on the summer, and I've decided it's been a success.

With the TV off, my husband and I spent the summer going out, exploring our city, talking long walks with the dog and training for a 5K. We went to Paris, which was the vacation of a lifetime, and spent a lot more quality time together at home. I read a lot of books, took a lot of naps and just tried to soak in the heat of summer when it was around. Sadly, the lack of TV did not inspire me to put anymore time into yard work, aside from picking and eating all my raspberries and strawberries with big dollops of whipped cream, but we did put in a driveway, so there's that.

The point is, we really enjoyed our time off, and with winter approaching we're looking forward to having the perfect excuse to snuggle up and watch TV again. I think this could be an annual thing, so we have no excuse not to get the most we can out of summer. What about you? What did you get out of summer this year?

Watching Summer Fly By

Well, we're approximately half way through August, which means there's only a little bit of summer left. How much? It depends on September. We have years where September is glorious, like a bonus month of summer, and we have years where September is cold and bitter, sweeping away any warm memories of sunshine and lemonade with the last of the leaves. In the face of uncertainty I'm beginning to feel a little panicked. What if there's only a couple weeks left and then it's gone?

This week we were finally blessed with hot weather. Since the beginning of July it's been very mild, rather cool days non-stop. Which isn't awful, but it's not the kind of thing you can call up in your mind when it's minus thirty degrees Celsius and snowing outside. And it's not really shorts and a tank top weather either, which is a bit of bummer when you only get to wear that stuff for two months out of the year at the best of times. So, with this sudden gift of heat, I can't help but feel that it's entirely wasted sitting in an office (specifically, a very air conditioned one). What if it's the last we're going to get until next year?

I've been thinking I should see if I can get a day off this week, just a bonus day to run around soaking up sunshine before it's gone. It'd be even better if I knew someone with a great deck or a pool, but beggars can't be choosers. This might be my last chance to sip on a cocktail in the sunshine. Especially with being officially broke from Paris. There are no sunny destinations in my future this winter or for the next couple. I can't afford a vacation, but perhaps I can afford a day off.

Beating the Heat - Old School

Lately we've had a string of gorgeous, sunny and very hot weather. And I've loved it. While a lot of people complain about the heat and retreat into the air conditioning, I relish it. We have such ridiculously long, cold winters, I love the chance to be too hot. I hold the memory dear to me throughout the winter, remembering that hot, sticky feeling, when the air waves around you like a warm bath. It's beautiful. Because I know that in just a few very short months it will be winter again.

I always shake my head when people complain about the heat, because more often than not those people have air conditioning, and they have it cranked. I'm sure they feel the same way about me in the winter, when I complain about the cold and keep the heat cranked, but such is life. I don't have air conditioning, and I wouldn't use it if I had it. I prefer to beat the heat the old fashioned way, with ice cream, electric fans and partial nudity. Yes, I find it much more fun to stand in front of a fan in my underpants eating a fudgsicle than have my house feel like the frozen foods section in the grocery store.

I realize, of course, that I'm strange. I know I'm not the norm, but I highly suggest that one day you just give it a try. See if you can appreciate the heat, store it in your bones for that icy cold day in winter when all hope seems lost. Maybe you'll find your own fun new way to beat the heat. Who doesn't remember those blissful days of childhood running screaming through the sprinklers? Do you remember how exhilarating that was? Why not try it again?

What about you? How do you beat the heat the old fashioned way?

The Summer of No TV - Week 1

The summer of no TV officially started last week sometime and so far I'm kind of surprised I'm not getting more done. I guess I figured without TV to distract me I'd be getting a lot more done. Somehow, my house is still a horrific mess, my writing is still stumbling along at a clumsy, procrastinating pace and my yard (although better than last year) is still decidedly unpretty. The laundry still sits in large piles on the laundry room floor and I'm just not sure what I've been doing with all those wasted TV hours.

True, I've been reading A LOT and I will not apologize for that. It's important. I think every human being should read every day, even if it's just a few pages. I'll also admit to napping a lot, but I'm pretty sure it's not more than usual. Of course, with the weather finally turning towards summer my husband and I have been taking the dog for increasingly long walks. But I still feel like I've gone through some kind of worm hole. Where's all the progress?

I'm hoping this is just the adjustment period and soon I'll be getting a little more proactive with all the work I should be doing. No matter what happens though, I still think it's a good idea to take some time off from the TV. It certainly can't be a bad decision... right?

Spring is Coming

Spring is ever so slowly and quietly creeping up on us. It's like a wild animal that runs away whenever you make eye contact. Instead, you have to pretend not to notice it, and watch it from your peripheral vision. There's still far too much snow on the ground and the temperatures are well below seasonal averages, but it's there. I can feel it.

It's a big relief to feel winter's grasp start to slip away. I think we were only another week or so away from mass murder in my office. I love my job and the people I work with, but it's a small office and there's only a few of us. The unending winter with its dismal grey days and mind-numbing cold has slowly eaten away at our patience, leaving us passive-aggressive, bitter and on edge.

But with every puddle of melted snow, every beam of sunshine, equilibrium is returning. Soon, we will be plunged into our busy season and with the hum of activity comes an office wide comradery. Frankly, I'm just excited for being warm again, for the sweet smell of fresh cut grass, for being able to walk the dog without layers upon layers of coats, mittens, touques and scarves. There are a lot of things to be excited for when it comes to summer, not just a lapse in office murders.

What are you looking forward to this summer? Has spring finally started to peak its head around the corner in your neighbourhood? Or are you one of those jerks who've had spring for months now? (Don't answer that).

A Summer Without Television

Can I tell you something crazy that I'm considering? You've probably already guessed it from the title (at least I'd hope so), but I'm thinking about going the entire summer without television. I know, it's crazy. Especially when you're as poor as I am. Why would I throw away such an affordable source of entertainment, and for an entire summer no less? A week, sure. But the entire summer? Now, that's crazy. But hear me out.

TV has always had the absurdly cliche zombifying effect on me. As soon as my eyes lock on to the screen, I'm dead to the world, focused wholly on whatever program is playing. Forgetting eating brains, mine drops out of my head the second that flickering box turns on. Even when I try to avoid it I can't seem to break away. My husband watches several programs I'm not interested in, so I will purposely leave the room and attempt to entertain myself elsewhere. And yet, some problem will require me to enter the living room, pass by that flickering screen and BOOM! I'm stuck like a fly to molasses. Even though it's a show I don't even want to watch.

It's not just that TV turns me into a mindless zombie, it's also a huge time suck. I'll sit down to watch one show, just one I promise myself, then I'll look up and realize it's getting dark out. An entire day will have passed me by and I'll have nothing to show for it. Books lie unread on my night table, edits remain untouched on my desk. And all just to watch shows I've already seen.

So, that brings me to the logical conclusion. Just turn it off and don't turn it back on again until fall, when winter is bearing down on us and I'll need the escape of TV. Think of how much I could accomplish if I just shut the damn thing off. Not to mention, all those summer shows I love. I could watch them in the fall when there would be no horrible, week to week waiting. It would be my reward for a well used summer.

What do you think? Do you have a zombifying time suck making off with the better part of your days and evenings? How do you make the best use of your time?