We’ve been talking for a few months about joining those who ditched their cable subscriptions. We finally took the plunge this week.
You might ask: Is that really noteworthy or something to analyze on my blog?
Jen and I are Gen-Xers, so we were kids when cable services first became a big deal. Jen said that she remembers when cable lines were installed in her neighborhood. Kids whose families got the first installations had bragging rights.
For me, cable was a rare treat when visiting my older sister and her family. My parents and I lived so far in the boonies that we didn’t have a telephone in our home, let alone cable service.
That makes our decision to get a digital antenna for local and network broadcasts feel a bit like we’re regressing to a less technologically advanced era in our lives. Antennas, in my mind, are for those living so far from town that their existence is almost invisible. I thought we had outgrown antennas. Didn’t we?
Well, we certainly outgrew our cable bundle. We’re more likely to stream a show than turn on a network broadcast these days.
Why do tell you this? Because I’m taking time this week to think about habits and routines. And how refusing to make a choice can also be a choice.
We didn’t change providers for a long time because, well, lots of reasons. We were too busy to research the options, too busy to make a decision, too busy to have a new installer come to the house. It was easier to just go with what was already established.
But neither of us was happy with inaction. I know that because once we made the decision, Jen and I both felt a sense of relief.
Imagine that, our crappy old cable service felt like a burden we’d set down.
It got me wondering how many other routines and habits I’m carrying around that I might want to shed.
I’ll be thinking about that for a while. Perhaps shaking up other aspects of my daily routine can help me feel less frustrated and more energized.
Sure, there will be growing pains with our new setup. We might have a few twinges of regret at times, but I think we’ll find we don’t really miss that ugly old cable box. Except for our cat, who liked sleeping on it.
(Photo by Steve Harvey on Unsplash)
Ruth F. Simon 