It was a noble attempt. And I’ve been able to cut back quite a bit. I also do more work out of the kitchen now – although there’s a smaller TV in there, it’s rarely on anymore. It always had a place as a BNG – Background Noise Generator – for running movies, or old Friends reruns.

So now I’m “making time” for TV. Which I suppose isn’t a bad thing.

Have to think of my next “30 Days” now.

Having the TV on is one of the major distractions in our house. This multiplies when you take into account the time I’ve spent building our media server system and acquiring content for it. It’s really easy to get a season of some show or another (I’ve recently been taken by ’30 Rock’) and then do nothing but watch it back to back during ‘down time’. Or in the background while doing something else, etc. I don’t always take into account the time taken to get hold of content, transcode it, put it in the right place, get it on the right device, etc. Complete first world problem that I’m willing to do without for a while.

So the rules are:

1. No television shows or movies running in the background
2. XBox at the weekends
3. Wii at any time (it’s primarily used for fitness anyway)
4. Video training etc absolutely fine

I get to break the rules in two places:

1. I rented “Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” from iTunes and only have two weeks left to watch it
2. Alison and I watch ‘Fringe’ together every week as a ritual

I don’t have a problem breaking for these reasons. At least sitting down once a week for 45 minutes for an intended purpose is better than watching another documentary on the depravity of the human condition on Channel 5.

I’m going to try some 30-day experiments over 2012. Stay tuned.