Quiet Wednesdays

Shortly after the new television season started up (woo!), I realized that JG and I had a habit of turning on the television for no reason at all. It was background noise, and that bugged me, partially because the TV is always three times louder than it has to be, and also because it’s not just noise. It has that visual part that triggers a vegetative state for me. I can’t help but be transfixed by the glow of the cathode ray tube, and before I know it, I’ve squandered three hours of my time watching something like Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders: Making the Team. Shudder.

So I suggested what we now affectionately call Quiet Wednesdays. They’re not so much quiet as non-television-watching nights. We haven’t been sucked into the vortex that is Lost and I didn’t mind taping Project Runway; instead, we found other ways to spend the evening. I conceded playing video games to JG because it wasn’t as passive an activity as zoning out in front of the TV, but the compromise is that we have to listen to a CD over the sound. Preferably something girly and show-tune-like.

Tonight, I have a Quiet Wednesday made even more so due to JG being out at his grad class. My night so far has included an hour of yoga, browsing around for Christmas gifts for the fam, and a CD player full of jazz. I’ve discovered that I like the imposed mid-week break in the routine. Even though I’m not exactly reading up on philosophy or something, I’m not simply putting my brain on pause while the laugh track echoes around the living room. It’s also a nice way to space out my bouts with craftiness; next week, I plan on finishing a wreath made out of the cards we received for our first married Christmas. I’ve found that the best side benefit of a Quiet Wednesday is that it breaks up tough workweeks (like this one, again) and helps me feel better about the remaining days ahead. I know it’s all in my head, but it works, so I think that’s okay.

All of this is not to say that I don’t enjoy some significant TV time. Trust me, I’ve got my other evenings booked with a regular schedule of an hour or two of entertainment, depending on the night. Quiet Wednesday is more of a temporary, voluntary leave of absence, so to speak. It’s not that I have to do it, but I’m relieved that I don’t rely on TV for evening entertainment every night of the week.