Growing up, television was a big part
of my childhood. That is not to say I spent my youth plopped down in
front on the TV, but rather, my mother worked for the local cable
company in our town. That had its perks including access to all the
channels (at the time that meant about 40), ability to watch new
releases my mom would bring home on VHS that weren't even out at the
video store yet, and an in with local broadcasting children shows
where my siblings and I were guests. Ok, so really that just meant we
sat there while some lady read to us, and they played it on the air,
but at the time I felt pretty famous. I was even on the local news
once for accompanying my mom on “Take your Daughter to Work Day”
(and yes, it was that long ago, before it was changed to “Take your
Child to Work Day”).
I viewed my mom as someone with a very
important job, after all she was a successful working woman at the
only cable company in town. Not to mention, their company had the
best company picnics every summer. Pie eating contests and all! Unfortunately, long gone are the days
of premium channels, cable, and company picnics for our family. That
company eventually got bought out by a big name, then a bigger name,
more and more companies began to pop up and my mom eventually left
the cable business.
As I approach my 30's, on a grad
student budget, "TV" just is not in the budget. Internet, however, is
essential to a student, therefore, I have managed to fit that into my
monthly bills. The upside here? Thankfully, sites like Netflix and
Amazon Instant Video (with my Amazon Prime-student membership) I can
still have a connection with my favorite shows growing up, Christmas
classics around the holidays, and countless other movies without
having cable. Now, what that does for my productivity, however, is
another story. Having such access to the entire series of The Wonder
Years, Saved by the Bell, How I Met Your Mother, and Mad Men make it
all too easy to waste away a Sunday on the couch instead of working
on my dissertation. I can't blame technology for that, though. I am
my own worst enemy when it comes to procrastination. It just makes my
poor choices much more entertaining ;)
