Why you need to kill your TV📺

Nov 03, 2021

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses. - Malcom X

Have you ever looked at fancy beadwork, felting, super fancy lace, basically those ancient arts of making things look fancy, and wonder how in the world did they have time to get that done? In my mind, I'm thinking of a super fancy Native American peace pipe or lace tablecloth.

My new theory is they had time to do it because they didn't waste their time watching TV.

Take a listen to our new podcast on why we killed our TV.

When I got back home today I pulled up to the best scene ever! Our two youngest laying under the oak tree on a picnic blanket. They had another blanket on top of them and they had a huge stack of books they were reading.

Imagine the fall leaves blowing in the breeze. The crisp fall air. It was kinda perfect.

(full disclosure: earlier in the day they had been fighting like worst enemies, but those moments do seem to be less)

The TV has been off for two weeks now and I am happy to report it's going really well! The best improvements so far are; way more creativity, more reading, and better attitudes by all.

I had a friend ask me the other day "what are you doing if the TV is off !?" in an appalled and offended tone. To me, it really sounded how an addict would talk about something. (no judgment, the idea of it can be kinda crazy)

OK, so I will admit the first few nights I kinda looked around and thought "well that's it for the night" It was dark outside and I was too tired to keep going with inside chores. I might have gone to bed at like 9:30 😀

But since I have gotten over that hump I have found tons to do and so has the rest of the family.

I wanted to give you some ideas on things to do in case you're like our friend and don't know what you would do if you got rid of the TV.

1 - Knitting or wool projects.

If you need wool send me a note, we have tons of it. #grim2 has been working on a bunch of needle felting projects and is getting really good. I have just a basic scarf or lets be honest a rectangle going.

2- Sketchbook

I started drawing again. Its not like still life drawing or anything like that. It's more of doodle art. But i have found that drawing before bed is a great way to empty my mind before i go to bed.

3 - Wood carving

We got these cut proof gloves for the kids. Now they can wood carve and I dont have to worry about them cutting their fingers off. We are carving some bowls and spoons. I also got a wood carving disk for the side grinder that helps make some of the roughing part go quicker.

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4 - Audiobooks

Currently I am listening to an amazing book called "Braiding Sweetgrass" her ideas on our connection to nature are excatly how i wish we all viewed nature. The idea that humans are part of nature, not outside of it. That if we viewed all living things as worthy of respect we'd be in a way better place. ( you can listen to any kind of audio book but its a great thing to do while doing one of the above.)

Other ideas: watercolors, hand-building clay work, board games, listening to music, fermenting, baking bread, take an online class on a topic you always wanted to learn

I hope that gives you some ideas. I'd love to hear what you do to pass the time when you're not watching TV. What kinds of hobbies or activities do you do?

Peace and Love,

Drew and Lacey

PS:
Do you have a question you want to send to our email list send it to me and I'll include it in the next newsletter for everyone to read and answer.? (If you want me to keep it anonymous we can do that too.)

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