Another 30 Before 30 bites the dust: go a month without watching TV

As of right now, I have completed another 30 Before 30!  Go a month without watching TV!

I started my TV Fast on March 17th right after Vanderbilt lost it's third round game in the NCAA Tournament. That seemed like a great time to swear off the idiot box.  The first two weeks I was VIGILANT.  The TV in our apartment was turned on just once, to check the storage space on the DVR (what, you didn't think I would catch up on everything once I went back on TV?? Ha).  Taylor was out of town during that time, in Brazil and Argentina, so it actually proved to be pretty difficult not to turn on the TV.  Who doesn't like a little background noise when they have the house to themselves.  But, luckily I had Nashville and The Hunger Games to keep me busy.

Taylor got home on April 1, and the last 2 weeks of my fast were a little more...flexible.  I decided this is my list, so I can make the rules!  I didn't watch much TV at all, but my basic rule was, as long as I was either

a) accomplishing something while watching the TV - ie. Laundry, paying bills, etc. - or
b) I was watching TV at a time when I otherwise would DEFINITELY not be getting anything else done - ie. after a few drinks, right before bed, etc.

then I was allowed to watch TV.

So...how productive was I?  Here are a few things I was able to do when I wasn't watching TV:

• Go through all my old keepsake boxes at my parents and throw away everything I didn't want to keep.
• Read all my old high school newspaper articles (I was on the paper for 2 years)
• Switch out my winter and summer clothes and set aside clothes I no longer wear for my parents garage sale
• Do taxes (and get a sweet refund!)
• Write more blogs than I have all year
• Plan most of our trip to Europe in May!
• Catch up with a few old friends over e-mail and on the phone
• Run every day
• Clean house REALLY thoroughly
• Attempt (and fail) to start another 30 Before 30 - Plant a garden
• Look for houses for us to move in to for endless hours - no success yet
• Teach the dog a new trick, to go get a toy.  So we say "go get your toy, Nashville!" and he brings back the first toy he finds.
• Write an article for Taylor's school newspaper about what it's like to be a partner.
• Publish a newsletter for the Ross Partners Club - I was way behind on this!
• Join Costco and make my first trip there!
• Get all of my family birthdays on my calendar so I can make sure not to miss a chance to send a card!

All in all, I'd say this was a very productive month.  I also am hopeful that this exercise has conditioned me to watch a little less TV overall so that the productivity can continue.  We shall see!