Screen Free Week – Last Day

My last day without visual media was a struggle. The weather was gorgeous, it was Easter Sunday (which doesn’t mean anything to me since I’m not religious), and I had plans to visit a friend’s house in the afternoon.

Since I’ve been walking everywhere to save train fare, I was going to walk to Williamsburg from my friend’s home in the Financial District but opted instead to take the train home. When I arrived, all I wanted to do was cuddle up with my Beatles biography book and read. However, since I did say I was going to show up to my friend’s place in Chinatown, I forced myself to keep the engagement. The purpose for this Screen Free Week is to be more social and connect with people after all.

I arrived later than I expected (talk about Huge resistance) but we had a blast. She made yummy sweet potato casserole, I brought cupcakes from Sugar Sweet Sunshine  and we played a round of Scrabble. I would’ve stayed longer but work in the morning awaited me.

When I left her building, the rain came down hard. I wanted to walk the bridge back (again, save train fare) but there was no way I’d make the thirty minute walk across the bridge dry. I took the train, got home, took a shower from head to toe, and curled up with my Beatles biography book. Still a fascinating read.

What did I learn about myself through this Screen Free Week?

1) I spend a lot of time watching moving pictures

2) When I spend time not consuming visual media, I spend time planning my future consumption of visual media

3) I don’t write as much as I should even when I’m not consuming visual media

Can you say movie addict? Just a little bit? Yeah.

The last fact is apparent when I recount a dream I’ve had, write down my thoughts, or peruse handwritten notes on other stories. I have so many ideas but there’s no execution or follow through. It’s easier to say, “Well then I’m going to have to change that!” and not do anything at all versus realizing that making writing a priority (like exercise) will be much more effective.

I guess that’s where I’m at. Consuming visual media can be accomplished without bingeing (when I go without time with a certain thing, I overdo it) and in small doses. And of course, making writing a priority.

Since I am part of a writing group, the upcoming meeting will force me to complete something before we meet. I need to have a piece of fiction completed by the end of this week. Pressure pushes me to work than on my own.

Today, I have many shows to catch up on! I can’t wait. And reading of course.

My next self-imposed ban? Chocolate. This is a hard one. My love affair with chocolate  has always been steady, intoxicating at times, passionate, delicious, and new. When I eat chocolate after the month again, our relationship will be even more solid. Until then, eat chocolate moderately.

Screen Free Week – Day 6

Saturday’s Screen Free day started and ended smoothly.

Because I was attending a birthday party in the evening, I baked cookies and vegan brownies all morning. I didn’t even eat lunch until three in the afternoon. The baking was easy, fun, and dangerous; I kept eating cookies with each batch I made.

I was scheduled to sleep over a friend’s house so I packed an overnight bag. I left home early to meet up with friends to watch Scream 4 (film review will posted in a day on my horror blog). After the movie, we arrived at the birthday party in which there were many different personalities, sangria, my desserts, and good energy.

We played a few rounds of a party game called “Mafia.” This game also has many other names like “Assassin” or “Killer” in which people die based on assumptions. Look it up. I’m sure some of ya’ll out there have played the game. It can last for hours or one hour depending on the amount of participants. This is always a fun game to play with people who know each other and strangers.

After “Mafia,” the party broke into small groups (as is the norm for most parties with different social circles) and when most of my crew left, I went over to the next door neighbor’s apartment (also friends with the birthday boy) and watched the first twenty minutes of Tron Legacy on the neighbor’s 3D TV. Oh the movie was gorgeous! The story, however, was significantly lacking as I was more invested in flirting with the neighbor’s roommate than paying attention to what was happening on the screen.

The night ended fairly after 2 am when everyone else left and the birthday boy was happily drunk. I ended up sleeping over because I didn’t want to go higher than fourteenth street at that time in the night.

I’d have to say the day was awesome. And also, the more I spend time without visual media, the more I crave it. After watching Scream 4, I was reminded why I enjoy the medium so much.

Losing oneself in another world for ninety minutes is glorious especially when the story is engaging. When the story is not (like Tron Legacy), you’d rather play with your belly button than watch a moving picture.

I absolutely love the cinema. When I haven’t watched a movie in a week, I binge and then I taper off, watching a movie every other day instead of three movies back to back (I’ve had my share of those days). I need to be careful when I wean myself back on visual media. My list for shows and movies to watch is growing every day.

Last day account coming up. I miss you visual media so so so much!!

Screen Free Week – Day 1

On Monday, April 18th, I received a one day assignment which was nice (money in my pocket!) Working definitely filled my time and was a less likely way for me to partake in visual media consumption.

At work, I read the news online, read the Metro New York paper, read a screenplay while providing coverage (I’m a script reader now, no pay, but more on that later), and read a chapter from the book club selection of the month – Alias Grace. A very productive day at work for me, apart from the fact that all I did was answer phones (oh how easy reception work is).

When I arrived home, I quickly made dinner and read one of the many magazine subscriptions I have (Spin, which I realize that 1-I don’t know what the hell is going on in music and 2-I’m more of a movie person anyway) while eating.

I looked over and edited my screenplay coverage and sent it off. Which brings me to – being a script reader!

Last month, I applied to anything writing related because I wanted to be involved in something creative that I enjoyed liiike…reading and writing about movies! I applied to be an script reading intern but the position was filled. Instead, I was contacted by the president of the company to become a script reader for them which means reading scripts sent via email sending them script coverage. It’s easier for me because I can the reading from home or wherever I have an internet connection. It’s not that much of a hassle and scripts are so easy to read.

After that, I did a little dance to some body shakin’ tunes and settled for the rest of the night with Alias Grace and a Beatles biography book I received for my birthday. I totally have Beatle fever with every chapter I read.

Quite the evening – very quiet but fun nonetheless.

I did find it difficult looking at my TV – lonely, abandoned, cold waiting for me to watch movies to review for my blog or for general entertainment. After I work as a receptionist for the day, I spend all day in front of a computer reading so when I come home, I want to veg and watch something! It was hard to do but all week I’ll be busy being social, so it shouldn’t be so hard.

‘Til tomorrow!

Screen Free Week

Upon participation in the National Unplugging Day last month, I researched another type of “unplugging” ritual.

Every year, the Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood (CCfC) sponsor a Screen Free Week (formerly TV-Turnoff) where communities, families, schools, and children use their free time to do other things rather than stay inside and watch TV, usually in the Spring time. This year, Screen Free week has been delegated to April 18th-24th.

I’ve declared my own Screen Free Week, which for me means no TV or movie watching on my computer or on my PS3. However, the rules of the National Unplugging Day do not apply here. I am able to text, email, and read the news online. I however, cannot participate in any video online streaming media at all – not even music videos.

As a writer, it’s easy to distract oneself with noise. This week, I have no excuse because I won’t have anything to watch. Instead, I’ll focus on reading, writing, catching up with friends, and anything that doesn’t include media watching.

As for social gatherings, movies and other media events occur so those can happen because I’m with friends. By myself, is something completely different.

I’ll be providing updates each day with my activities.

Won’t you join me in a week of abandoning visual media and participating in something else for a change?