Not exactly…
We turned in the cable box and cable modem last night. We also did nearly all the shopping for our birthday party this Saturday.
It’s always so gross going to the cable store. They have a bored security guard hovering over the service area, lighting that’s too harsh, movie posters strewn about, stupid local news blasting from the TV. And the other customers. Last night there were these two women exchanging a DVR box. Huge waddling women.
A huge mix of emotions. Part of me felt suddenly skinny! Then I felt a bit ashamed that we were switching to basic cable – and then sort of annoyed that we can’t afford “standard” cable when evidently a DVR box is a basic, welfare need.
And then I remembered why we were there. While I’m super excited to see the extra money show up in our budget, we were there to be rid of the DVR.
We turned in the cable box and cable modem last night. We also did nearly all the shopping for our birthday party this Saturday.
It’s always so gross going to the cable store. They have a bored security guard hovering over the service area, lighting that’s too harsh, movie posters strewn about, stupid local news blasting from the TV. And the other customers. Last night there were these two women exchanging a DVR box. Huge waddling women.
A huge mix of emotions. Part of me felt suddenly skinny! Then I felt a bit ashamed that we were switching to basic cable – and then sort of annoyed that we can’t afford “standard” cable when evidently a DVR box is a basic, welfare need.
And then I remembered why we were there. While I’m super excited to see the extra money show up in our budget, we were there to be rid of the DVR.
Oh DVR - the demonic/blessed box that allowed us to record infinite amounts of television. The box that helped create CC & NK, semi-pro couch potatoes (“Able to watch an entire episode of Project Runway in just 37 minutes!”). The box that turned me into someone who said “I only really read cookbooks anymore.”
And then there were those two ladies. I’ve no doubt that they see cable as a good investment – something that gives them so many hours of joy – for only 80ish dollars per month. But it also reminded me of why I often get depressed at Rainbow – I’m usually behind these men or women in line and see them unload dozens of HotPockets and bags of frozen chicken wings.
CC sat briefly in the car after dropping off the DVR. It felt like something poignant should be said. But looking at CC, I realized that mainly, it felt like something poignant should be said – that occasion didn’t call for ceremony, rather it felt like it should call for ceremony. We’ve been thinking about the decision for weeks and we were ready to say goodbye and start focusing on other priorities.
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/10/10/120-minutes/
We got home, straightened some for the party, and watched CNN (still included in basic cable). And then we went to bed. Oprah was on CBS (still included in basic cable) with Suze Orman and they were reviewing a recent graduate’s spending habits. I’d seen these segments elsewhere (you spend $150 monthly on manicures!)(you spend $500 monthly eating out!) but when the girl broke down and explained that she spent because everyone else did too – it dawned on me that we inadvertently had done that to each other. Similar to quitting smoking while everyone was still puffing away – it was unimaginable to not make the spending choices I made, because that’s what we did. We ate out and had drinks. We shopping at Target and bought cute things. Oprah and Suze didn’t question it, but I suspect that none of the girl’s friends could afford that lifestyle either.
Which is why I’m really lucky to have had CR’s support and guidance when I was at the end of my rope – and I’m lucky that so many friends have simultaneously been making similar choices with respect to money and budgeting. WE ROCK!
Good bye cable. You’ll be missed. But not as much as I’d imagined.
And then there were those two ladies. I’ve no doubt that they see cable as a good investment – something that gives them so many hours of joy – for only 80ish dollars per month. But it also reminded me of why I often get depressed at Rainbow – I’m usually behind these men or women in line and see them unload dozens of HotPockets and bags of frozen chicken wings.
CC sat briefly in the car after dropping off the DVR. It felt like something poignant should be said. But looking at CC, I realized that mainly, it felt like something poignant should be said – that occasion didn’t call for ceremony, rather it felt like it should call for ceremony. We’ve been thinking about the decision for weeks and we were ready to say goodbye and start focusing on other priorities.
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/10/10/120-minutes/
We got home, straightened some for the party, and watched CNN (still included in basic cable). And then we went to bed. Oprah was on CBS (still included in basic cable) with Suze Orman and they were reviewing a recent graduate’s spending habits. I’d seen these segments elsewhere (you spend $150 monthly on manicures!)(you spend $500 monthly eating out!) but when the girl broke down and explained that she spent because everyone else did too – it dawned on me that we inadvertently had done that to each other. Similar to quitting smoking while everyone was still puffing away – it was unimaginable to not make the spending choices I made, because that’s what we did. We ate out and had drinks. We shopping at Target and bought cute things. Oprah and Suze didn’t question it, but I suspect that none of the girl’s friends could afford that lifestyle either.
Which is why I’m really lucky to have had CR’s support and guidance when I was at the end of my rope – and I’m lucky that so many friends have simultaneously been making similar choices with respect to money and budgeting. WE ROCK!
Good bye cable. You’ll be missed. But not as much as I’d imagined.
1 comment:
Finally catching up on your blog. Thanks for the shout-out! You're right--as soon as you quit something you start watching other people do it and feel this mixture of envy and pity. So glad you and CC are going through the same shift in priorities--makes it a lot less lonely for me!
And, I've no doubt both our households will gradually add back in luxuries over the years--we do all have a taste for fine things! But we'll do it on our own terms, without robbing our future, and it'll be so much more enjoyable then.
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