Sometimes things come to an end or just run their course. My recent article Walking Away illustrates this and was written in reference to something else. But this may have been the start of it, I turned off the television. Permanently. I have only done this once before in my life for a few months, and within a week or two, started writing my first book. I went back to televison, and have spent much time, too much time, watching it, thinking about it and even working my schedule around it back in the day before super convenience and timed recordings. Although I grew up with it, I am not sure you could say I was one of the TV generation who were put in front of it as a babysitter. I had to haggle and bargain for my television time, against a mother who did not care for technology and wanted me out playing instead. And for that I commend her foresight and observation of my love of it, making sure I went out, but using it where necessary to gain my compliance for chores.

Movies have always featured heavily though, more than TV, but of late things have changed. I used to joke that I watched certain movies not as entertainment, but as reference and research. And I meant it, but no-one believed me. I would often watch programs and movies as background noise while doing something else. It wasn’t stimulating enough on its own. I used to be captured and enthralled by it growing up. Fully immersed in the audio and visual experience and my concentration on it almost unbreakable. It may not surpise you to know that my favourite as a child was Alice in Wonderland. The only thing in life that did seem to make sense then, and turns out now as well.

But the box doesn’t seem to be what it once was. The unending feed of ridiculous constant adverts, the dull blandness of the programes and the odd definition of entertainment these days had spelt the end of my relationship with it. There is more going on that requires attention. It’s no longer required. And although I may not have regretted the time given to it already, I certainly would if I continued to give it more.

There is no need to be distracted by their ideas and images anymore, when there are plenty to be had of my own. Research is over, the clock is ticking…

(c) K Wicks