September 17, 2008

Confession

I'm pretty sure that this post might come back to haunt me later if I ever have to put restrictions on my kids' tv watching habits.

Part 1: Confession

Every year, I print off the fall line up.

Of television shows that is. I download a grid for each night and highlight the shows that we always watch in one color, and the new shows that we might like in another color.

I then assign them one of three codes: LR, BR, FR. Living Room Tivo, Bedroom Tivo, Family Room Tivo. Shows like Prison Break, Heroes and Lost get recorded in the family room because that's where the big tv is. Shows like 30 Rock and How I Met Your Mother are assigned to the living room because I'll most often watch those while I'm making dinner or cleaning. Shows like 20/20 and Dateline get recorded in the bedroom, because I'm most likely to watch those while I'm getting ready in the morning or folding laundry during Jack's naptime.

This is usually all done by the end of August, but I haven't done my line up yet this year, and I've missed a few shows. Fringe? Is it any good? I don't think I want to add new shows this year, because I'm already addicted to enough.

Now, with every good confession comes . . .

Part 2: Justification

It may sound like the television is on all the time at my house, but it actually isn't. While Jack's awake, it's rarely on. And even after he's in bed, we usually have so much to do that Kyle might have a game on in the background, but we usually don't have time. We usually catch up with shows on weekends. I think I actually watch less television than I used to because I can fast forward through commercials and watch shows at my convenience rather than just watching whatever happens to be on whenever I have some free time.

I just like my tv-watching to be organized.

And yes, we have three tivos, but we got them on ebay and got in on the lifetime service before tivo stopped doing that. Which means we don't have to pay all of the monthly fees! I'm so glad for that because we probably wouldn't even have one tivo if it weren't for that.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh, how i wish we had tivo! it's just not worth the extra $ it would cost to add right now. i checked.

totally cracked up at your organized system! almost everything i watch is recorded (old school, via vcr) so that we can fast forward thru commercials.

Heather S. said...

I totally think not watching commercials cuts out a lot of TV watching at our house!!

Anonymous said...

i knew we were friends for a reason! even though i don't have tivo,(I will someday) I would totally do the same thing. i love being organized!

Becky said...

I don't even know you, but I love you.

This is an awesome post! We have only one TV and tivo, so my habits are primitive, but I totally admire your organizational skills! And your bravery in confessing!

The Giffen Family said...

As always, I read your posts and chuckle...Jan is right -- we would probably be friends ;)

Sarah said...

Tooo funny!! You sound like my husband.

alex said...

wow. 3 tivos... no monthly fees... genius.

Fringe was pretty good. I'll watch the next few episodes while they find their footing. it was a good mix of character-driven. content without too much sci-fi