Kicking the Habit: Going TV Free in the SF Bay Area

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OK, so we think we just couldn't do without our television. It seems a natural relaxation method to dish with the girls about "The Hills" and/or kill a 6 pack of IPA while watching NFL Sunday in your pajamas (though 2 of the 2.5 hours of airtime are actually ill-conceived commercials, NOT football). But consider this: how many hours a week do you spend parked in front of the tube? You can't get those hours back, my friend. Those go down in history as the three hours you spent picking your left nostril while idly wondering why Heff picked Kendra Wilkinson (why, God, why?). But I'm not here to preach (OK, maybe a little). I loved it, too. But I've cut it out of my life - completely, and am much the better for it. Ridiculous, you say? Impossible? Gufaw! Here's why and how to live a TV free life:

WHY

Because there are lots of places to catch the really important televised events:

Parkway Speakeasy Theatre

1834 Park Blvd, Oakland, CA 94606

Normally a movie theater that offers couches and a full menu rather than bucket seats and over-priced popcorn, the Parkway opens up its screens for free viewing of muy important things – like the Presidential Debates.

Normally a movie theater that offers couches and a full menu rather than bucket seats and over-priced popcorn, the Parkway opens up its screens for free viewing of muy important things – like the Presidential Debates.

George & Walt's

5445 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

Tons of televisions and seating. Perfect for important football games or something out of the ordinary, like the Olympics.

Tons of televisions and seating. Perfect for important football games or something out of the ordinary, like the Olympics.

HOW

OK, so it’s not easy. You’ll have good days, and you’ll have bad days. But the #1 thing to do is to replace TV with other, more wholesome – but still relaxing – activities. Like the following:

Get a Magazine Subscription

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Or a “zine”, if you will. Why? Because it is still entertainment, but you are guaranteed to retain more of the info. And reading, or even leafing, is less passive than TV. Here are a few of my favorites:

Go To a Trivia Night

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What’s better than getting together with some of your friends and whooping the local college kids? There’s lots of learning and good times to be had at either:
The Cheiftain SF or Ben ’n Nicks in Oakland
on Tuesday nights

Ben & Nick's Bar & Grill

5612 College Ave, Oakland, CA 94618

Look out for the team called “Global Warming is God Just Holding Us a Littler Tighter”. Those damn Berkeley kids will kick your ass.

Look out for the team called “Global Warming is God Just Holding Us a Littler Tighter”. Those damn Berkeley kids will kick your ass.

Cook a Meal

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Yup. You heard me right – you can cook! It’s relaxing, healthy, and usually cost-efficient. OK, and if you really can’t cook, take some lessons:

Grow Some Pot

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I dunno, just sounds like a good idea.

Get To Know Your Neighbors

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They’ll be won over with the home-cooked meal and the weed that you bring over. C’mon, build strong communities.

Rent Some Movies Via the Internets

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GreenCine is a fine choice. More indie (um, and porn) selection than Netflix, and it touts itself as an environmentally friendly company. What more could a Bay Area resident want?

On The More Active Side:

Train For a Marathon

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Marathons. Because it’s hard to miss McDreamy when you are only thinking about your next breath . . .

Good Places to Catch Some TV time that are NOT Your Living Room

Pitfalls to Avoid:

- Not having a SUPER reliable connection to the internets. This could be disastrous. The combination of no TV and no internets has felled many a GenXer.

- Telling a group that is energetically debating the finer plot twists of “The Hills” that you don’t have a TV. The sudden silence and blank looks will make you feel like such a pariah that you will have Comcast over within two hours.

- Disconnecting your TV and then ending up on a friend’s couch 6 hours of the evening. Not good.

Some notable TV Show exceptions that are probably a better use of time than all of the activities listed above:

The Office; Freakin’ awesome. That’s what she said.

The Wire; ‘Cause I’m from Oakland and can’t stop rooting for the little hoppas

Big Love; Simply amazing. Dear God, when is this show coming back on?

The Daily Show "Nuff said

But don’t be all runnin to Circuit City with Mom’s credit card for that new flat screen; some great shows (no HBO though, bummer) are available FREE via the interweb at: hulu

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Discussions

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by aliciak  01/02/2009  Reply

I’m going TV free!!! New place doesn’t have cable and I don’t want to pay for it. The only things I watch are The Office and sports. The Office is online and sports can be had at my beloved sports bars. Good luck!

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by elguapo  11/13/2008  Reply

I’m gonna go listen to 80-85, grow some pot and talk my neigbhor into running a marathon with me. No fuck it. I’m gonna go watch the Daily Show.

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Rockridge
This wine-swilling, tango-touting, twittering fashionista is also a literary nerd, KQED-obsessed, yoga class-hopping, iPhone poking, Oakland-lover. So take that, SF.

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