A year or so after our family canceled the cable subscription and began only using the television for watching DVDs, a friend of a friend who was hosting a dinner party turned and asked me, "Well, what do you do in the evenings then?"Eight years later, we have no regrets about our decision, and I can't think of one evening when it wasn't easy to find other activities to fill the hours. Not to mention all the money we've saved without that monthly cable bill!
My grandmother had a sharp mind for all of her ninety-seven years, and I think one of the reasons for this was her many and varied interests. On a typical July evening, she would listen to her favorite baseball team (Philadelphia Phillies) play while working on a new crochet project. Grandmom was also a fan of all sorts of crafts, cooking, word puzzles, reading, classical and country music, figure skating, and had many, many friends. It was nearly impossible to reach her by telephone at home because she was always so busy!
I too am a fan of projects, and I always seem to have several on the go. Currently I am working on a pink cardigan for me to wear this fall. I am not the world's best knitter by far, but that's not the point really. I can't imagine any tv program giving me the same satisfaction as a completed scarf, baby blanket, or afghan.
Surveys have estimated that adults watch on average up to five hours of tv a day, and another of people in UK found that the majority listed watching television as their favorite pastime. Wouldn't it be wonderful if for one night everyone turned off the box and picked up a book or crochet hooks or went for a walk or played with the dog or sat outside chatting with the neighbors? Or boldly canceled that cable subscription just for one month to see whether it would be missed? Here's an idea---the money saved could be put into a family entertainment fund. And who knows, you may end up being an even more challenged knitter than I, but you'll never know until you try! :-D
Painting is Young Woman Sewing in the Garden by Mary Stevenson Cassatt
