TV or Not TV

That is the question I asked myself when we first got to the farm. Would there even be time for TV? What do I really watch that's worthwhile? The news? I can get that on the web. Cooking and DIY shows? Again, recipes and projects can be found on the web. The big question. Can Mickey live without the TV? Now that's a different story.

So I compromised. I got a Roku box and turned on Netflix. It cost $8.95 a month and provides all sorts of things to watch -- TV series, documentaries, movies. Granted, nothing live. But I figured it was enough to start with and, if he really had TV withdrawal and just couldn't live without it, we could get Hulu for $18 a month. Thankfully, Netflix has kept him happy satisfied.

Now at the condo in Pompano Beach (side note: my life has changed a lot in less than a year, but that story will unfold with time), I find myself facing the same question. TV or not TV? I survived just fine with Netfix at the farm. Truth be told, I didn't really have time for even that what with feeding chickens, planting crops, canning and baking for the 2 farmers markets we sold at, etc., etc. More often than not, I'd fall asleep within minutes of sitting down out of pure exhaustion.

What will I do without TV? What did people do before TVs became so commonplace in today's society? Here's a list of 10 things to keep me busy off the top of my head:

• Work in the garden
• Preserve the harvests from the garden thru canning, freezing, and dehydrating
• Clean and organize the urban homestead
• Stitch, be it knitting, crocheting, or needlepointing (I have 2 knitting projects I'm currently working on, 1 needlepoint, and I'm learning to crochet)
• Read (gosh, I haven't read a good book in forever)
• Take a walk to the beach and enjoy the view
• Take a photography class or at least work on my photography skills (which I sorely lack)
• Research and implement projects here on the urban homestead to improve its efficiency and my self-sufficiency skills
• Save the money I'd spend on cable and put it away for a vacation, urban homesteading projects, or a rainy day
• Keep up with my blogging

TV or not TV? That is the question.

So there it is. Not TV. That is my answer.