I have to turn on the TV to get anything done around here. Yesterday? Did two loads of laundry, one load of dishes, cleaned the microwave, cabinets, counters, and stove, organized the bookshelf and the rolling cart, dusted and polished the living room furniture, and cleaned the entire downstairs wooden floor on my hands and knees.
Why? Because I watched TV.
See, here's the thing. My housework has fallen by the wayside lately, and I thought it was because my blogging habit had marginalized my cleaning "habits". Not so. Blogging marginalized my daytime TV watching and that's why I quit cleaning.
Confused?
Check it: I clean during commercials. And I used to watch Gilmore Girls everyday and then jump up and clean during the ads. But when the series started over again on season 1 for my SIXTH time, I decided maybe I would sit this time out. And since that's the only TV I watch during the day (except for a couple of shows I like that my husband doesn't and so hello, DVR), I blogged instead. And I don't take breaks from blogging like I do with TV watching. So I didn't get as much cleaning done.
It's a pathetic revelation, but whatever. If the cleaning happens, that's what matters. But now I have a dilemma. I need to introduce an hour of TV back into my daytime schedule and I have no ideas, so I come to the blogosphere with a request.
What can you suggest that I put on my DVR to watch each day that is interesting enough to make we want to turn it on and ergo, clean my house? I'm sure my husband will thank you for your answer.
I'm not picky. I don't like soaps or "yell" shows or snarky judges. Other than that, I'm good. I tried a Cold Case Files show on A&E and liked that but I don't know about for every day. Are there classics being aired on TV Land or Nick at Nite I'm missing out on? A history show I might find fascinating? Something utterly hilarious and bizarre that hasn't made it on my radar? Something that will enrich me? And to be totally honest, I'm not so much for "inspirational" kind of stuff. Because...um, usually it's sucky TV. And I hate to cry. Which is why I quit watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Anyway, hit me with any suggestion you can think of. I'm not above anything. I may not like soaps, but you should see my reality tv viewing list. Ridiculous. Come on...I, my husband, my DVR, and my sink full of dishes are all begging you.
Clarification: Thanks for the suggestions so far. Just to be clear, it doesn't have to be on during the day. I can stick anything on the DVR and watch it back later. I'm just trying to find something that will keep me interested. Keep the ideas coming!
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24 comments:
That's great that you can clean during the commercials. I usually eat. I get a lot accomplished, but don't feel nearly as good about myself later. And I can't help you with this because I really don't watch anything during the day. I am afraid if I start...well, you know the whole slippery slope thing.
I don't really watch anything during the day either but if you're going for the DVR thing I'm completely addicte to Friday Night Lights, you could try that. (I have no idea if it's even in syndication, I watch it on the computer while I'm at work so take my suggestion for what it's worth.)
But my real recommendation is to quit watching altogether and throw a couple books on your ipod. Seriously, I find myself looking around the house for more things to clean just so that I can listen a little more.
Books on iPod! Brilliant suggestion! I'm going to have to try that!!
What I do is turn on BBC America (only when the kids aren't home because the commercials get out of hand), and watch HOW CLEAN IS YOUR HOUSE?
The cleaning ladies are a HOOT. Plus, just seeing those sorry houses INSPIRES me to make sure I have no spots like that.
Oh gee. Now I'm thinking of spots I need to clean. See, just MENTIONING the show makes me feel the need to clean! ;)
Unless you have BBC Lifestyle, BBC Entertainment and BBC Knowledge, I can't really help you. The kids are watching EM:HE on Lifestyle even as I type.
I do the same thing! I jump up and see how much I can get done during each commercial break. I only started watching TV a little during the day this week, really and I love getting stuff done! :)
There is NOTHING on during the day. Wasteland.
How about Christopher Lowell…? Every time my wife watches one of his shows she is inspired to make a change to the house. Not only that, but his philosophy is easy to digest and implement in the home.
I'm a huge fan of House, MD but we don't have cable, so I watch it online. And I don't know if it's on during the day.
Gosh, I'm helpful, aren't I?
First, Lifetime Movies are a must.
And second, I love Mythbusters on Discovery. I feel like I'm not just wasting my brain away when I watch Flavor Flav later.
Alison: LOVE Friday Night Lights. Amazing acting. I think it FINALLY starts up again soon. The iPod thing gets me through my exercise (love NPR podcasts) but hadn't really thought about it for cleaning. Hm.
Chris and Lisa: I have no idea if I have the BBC channels or not but I'm about to turn the TV on and find out.
CaJoh: I think I've seen the Christopher Lowell show before but I haven't watched it in a long time. That's a great idea. I'm totally checking the listings.
Becky: LOVE House!
I was going to say exactly what Allison said, of course. You're probably a purist and you'll think listening to books is cheating or something. But if you can get past that, it really will change your life. Once I was listening to The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night, it was 11:00 pm on a Saturday and I could not find one more thing to clean in my entire house, so I set the table for breakfast the next morning. Brent came downstairs and saw how clean everything was and said "wow, that must be a good book."
You don't need to see many talk shows to clean.
DVR
Late night shows(night before)
Ellen
The View
Oprah
etc
If you've never seen Lost, you should definitely give it a try. But you have to start from the beginning, or you'd be totally...lost. (No pun intended)
The problem for me is that I can't turn it off and end up watching three or four episodes at a time on DVD. So your house would be REALLY clean. :)
That kind of cleaning so works for me too - I'd forgotten!
I love M*A*S*H personally. And lots'o'British sitcoms that I order on DVD from our rental place. Love the new Doctor Who.
Hmm...HGTV?
I love Friday Night Lights too! I can't believe it hasn't been more popular. I suppose people assume it's all about football. No PEOPLE, watch it!! keep it on!
I rarely watch TV anymore due to the whole blogging thing and now that you say that's why your house is not getting clean, I finally recognize I need more TV :)
LOVE the book on ipod idea. And Ellen. I did watch that this morning while cleaning the kitchen. I laughed so hard I almost stopped cleaning though, so maybe that doesn't help.
24 starts back up this week!
It's wonderful and you will find your self on pins and needles waiting for the next one.
I rent the series when it comes out and watch it in two days on the treadmill so I am sure you could get a ton of cleaning done watching it!
Hm. Well, Seinfeld, of course, and That 70's Show and If you're into it, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Larry won't watch that one with me) and we discovered that the Gorge Lopez Show is pretty good, and Who's Line is it anyway. Those are all syndicated, so you can record a plethora.
On current TV I like House, Numb3rs, and the Office. And 24 is about to start up, I can't remember if that was a category you didn't like.
I think the syndicated shows are your best bet. There you go.
For sure you need to watch Ugly Betty. You will pee your pants. IT IS THE BEST.
Chuck is good also.
HEROES kicks butt.
That's what I got. I'm sharing the best of the best. :)
I'm just catching up for this week and I have to say I pretty much don't watch tv, except that show that you said you stopped watching that makes you cry which also makes me cry, but I love that. Also, my hubby and I are watching The Biggest Loser and the SuperStars of Dance on NBC. I also loved Iron Chef America when I had cable.
And here I thought I was going to have nothing to recommend. . .
TV can ruin my day. I never turn it on during theday, I know I wouldn't get anything done.
SO not my area of expertise. Barney? Dora? Disney princess? I gotcha covered. Grown-up stuff? Oh they still make that? Huh, who knew.
Gilmore Girls is one of the few TV shows that can hold my attention. I also used to love watching Whose Line Is It Anway...that improv is amazing! And if you can watch it without having a heart attack, 24 is awesome. It gives me anxiety and insomnia sometimes, but that should make for some hard-core housecleaning!
Clearly I'm not watching enough tv either, or my house would be much cleaner!
Um, 24? My husband and I have watched the first two seasons on DVD, and it's pretty addictive. But I guess watching it on DVD would foil the cleaning-on-commercials strategy, so never mind. I've heard great things about Friday Night Lights, but haven't seen it. Clearly I am no help in this area.
Just one hour? Sheesh. I have the TV on all day--but we share the same brain on commercials, that's when I do all my cleaning. While the shows are on I can clean the kitchen, cook, work on the computer etc. Anyway, I generally watch the local news in the a.m, then switch to TLC, A&E, or Discovery Health to watch shows on make-overs, dog training, serial killers, classic biographys, home organizing, parenting, cold case files, etc. Then it's Dr. Phil, sometimes Oprah, then we go into the news again. Evenings are usually too busy to watch anything but it's when I'll catch 20/20 or Intervention or Documentaries on things like The mini-ice age, child beauty pageants, weight loss challenges. Hmm--I'm sounding rather pathetic aren't I? Oh well, pathetic works for me. I don't like sitcoms or series because I can never watch them all and they're all crude anyway. good luck!
How do you clean so much in one hour of commercials? Wow! That's impressive.
Okay. How's about Hauntings. Or American Idol. Lots of commericals during American Idol.
I love GG too.
I also love What I Like About You--later episodes.
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