The cable is cancelled!

Steve here.

I called Comcast yesterday and cancelled the cable effective March 4th at 12:00 am. Comcast wouldn't waive the $75 cancellation fee, even when I told them about our noble experiment. Their loss - we will shop for service when we come back to TV. They were nice enough to discount our internet service for the next six months.

This experiment is about addiction. This is also about habit and family and creativity. I have had a love/hate relationship with the television for a very long time. I love the technology, the advancements surrounding quality and the geeky joy I experience watching a show in HD or on a Blu-Ray disc. I also have a penchant for stupid shows like Stargate and 24. But I have seen it zapping any chance at meaningful conversation with my wife on most evenings and I have seen it hinder play with my son.

I also can't handle seeing my son stare, zombie-like, at the TV for as long as we allow. He loves movies and he loves a cornucopia of kid programming. From Curious George to Little Einsteins, that kid is hooked. And his addiction is our fault. So this is for him as much as it is for us. I want my son to view TV as a luxury that is fun sometimes, not as a necessary part of his daily routine.

March 4th is D-Day because I am currently out of town on business. We didn't think it would be fair for Erika and Beckett to go through the first few days alone.

We need to post the rules, but I want it to be clear - we aren't purging TV from our lives, we are purging TV from our home. We aren't trying to punish our family and friends. We will watch TV at their homes if they want to - but we hope to be a positive example of the alternative to TV addiction. I expect to have family stop by less, I expect to be chided as participating in an extreme experiment. But thankfully, Erika and I have each other and we spend most of our time together, so we will be fine. This isn't that hard. We both like to read - we will read more. We both like music - it will be a bigger part of our lives. We both like to cook - we can do more together. We both love our son - we can spend more time on the floor playing, in a chair reading, and taking him on long walks with the dog after dinner (if this winter ever ends).

We also want to be more creative - I don't remember when I decided to stop being creative, but lately those juices have been flowing and I don't want it to stop. Turning off the TV will only help manifest whatever I decide to create.

In conclusion, welcome to the start of our experiment. We can't wait to share our journey with you.