Have you ever had a really great thought...

then went to write it down and it was gone?

Granted, as a writer, my best thoughts tend to get lost in the ether (or at least that's what I think happens, they have to go somewhere between my head and the page, 'cause the Gods know they ain't makin' it all the way down my arms) but I had an interesting thought this morning right before it fled for warmer climes.

No worries, I got it back. Hey, I'm here, telling you all about it, aren't I?

This is an illustration of all the tv watching I "need" to do -- minus the billion hours stored on my TiVo. I spend at least an hour a day online, surfing Ravelry, free knit patterns and just hanging out reading stuff. I read a lot, although probably not as much as I'd like.

And then today, I was catching up on some of my TiVo backlog and started musing on the lives I see people on tv lead. Granted, most of them aren't earning the money they'd need to spend to support that lifestyle in real life, but they all seem so excited. So engaged. And I started wondering how I can be that excited about and engaged in my own life. I mean, I can be pretty happy with very little, so why shouldn't I be excited and engaged?

I started watching more and more shows, but this time watching them in the same way I read a really good book -- what's really going on, what do I think about this or that or the other, how do I connect emotionally and what does that mean -- and I noticed something...interesting.All the people on tv who seem the most engaged and excited are doing things. Not sitting and watching, but up and doing. As in, they don't seem to own a tv. Or spend that much time in a movie theater, come to it.

I know I had a problem with my CSI jonze, and I gave it up cold turkey (the shaking stopped after two days). I don't know if I could give up all tv and movies cold turkey, though. I'm a story teller and I enjoy a good story myself now and again. I also like to keep an eye on the competition.

But, perhaps, I need to strictly limit my tv time. Only watch shows I know I want to watch and rely on friends to keep me up to date on the new stuff upcoming. Maybe if I could get rid of my story addiction (the intake part), I could increase the stories (in quantity and quality) I put out? At least, I might be able to get out more, although I'm not sure I really care to do so. But I could, if I wanted, and it's the freedom that's key.

I have a bad feeling I've replaced CSI with Bones, and that's not a good thing. Maybe I'm getting too passive. Maybe I need to become more active in my life. You know, actually go out and live it instead of sitting in my chair, under my blankets, watching someone else do the living in my stead.

Sigh. I don't know why I'm posting about this, other than..this blog is my diary (of sorts) and I need to organize my thoughts a bit. I don't know if I'll be able to go on a complete media diet, although I might be able to do a week-long purge, but it's something to think about, no? And what would I do if I gave up all tv for even a week? Probably read, although isn't that just replacing one media format with another? Where would I go? What do I even want to do that I'd be willing to give up tv and books for?

And I have until May before the new season of Sherlock airs in the US, so that would give me two months to make up my mind, do a short term purge (or two or three) before I'd have to break my media diet for some yummy, yummy, yummy Sherlock and Watson action.

Sounds like I'm cheating on my diet before I even begin it!