Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Household Rhythm...

This is our TV.



Great TV.  We really like it.  It's just perfect for our spacious open planned living area/kitchen.  Only problem is, it has looked like this for the last 3 days!

Our troublesome Telstra T-Box (which I don't recommend) has finally stopped talking to the remote altogether.  Without a functioning paired remote, you can't watch anything at all... until the new remote arrives that is!  We are not the only ones to have suffered this fate.  It is a known problem with this lemon ... (ahem)... system.

The funniest and most unexpected thing has happened though.  Our afternoons have been much more peaceful.  Our night time ritual has been so much smoother and better organised.  Our dinner time has been so much more 'connected'.  Instead of raising our voices to be heard over the top of each other, and the television, and then turning the television up even more, to hear it properly.... we are speaking in civilised tones and really listening, in the absence of any other distractions.  The kids are playing together more and looking for things to do, instead of just being passively entertained.  Don't get me wrong, passive entertainment most definitely has it's place, just in the right balance.

So, thank you Telstra, for being so predictably unreliable.  And I really mean this without sarcasm... oddly enough.  We have definite plans to make this a reglar thing now.  Instead of having the television mumbling away in the background for no apparent reason, it will stay off until we want or need to watch something.

That's the plan anyway.  :)

Jules
x

10 comments:

Rachael Funnell said...

WOWZERS!! Love your lounge ROOM, it is Gorgeous.....
BUT DON't get ME started on what I think of TELSTRA...
Let's just say NOT there biggest FANS!! OH! & they know it too.... LOL! But funny thing!! We are still with them... hehehehehe
YEAH! I agree the BEST thing is to turn off or not have a TV when dinner is UP!!!
I think it's a good time to be with each other & talk about your day!!!
xx

Chantelle said...

There is def. a time for everything and it's good to have a balance - funny how things happen in our lives and that can be for the better - great living area too!!

Unknown said...

How funny! We have the same TV unit....but we have a different TV and a T-Box from telstra that is working at the moment....touch wood!

Jasmine S said...

Laugh laugh. But I soooo agree. We didn't have our TV connected for 3 days back in June and I was certainly in no hurry. Hubby was away and the kids were just fine without it. And I find now, that I turn it off when nobody is watching and they don't even realise. And we never have it on during meal times or yes, it becomes quite the distraction.
And I agree, there is a time when the TV is a Godsend.

kANNAdyjka said...

Thanks for sharing this funny story! I gave up my TV almost 10 years ago (too much crap and advertisement!) and guess what: more time for the family and for my crafts and books. I don't miss anything and in the place of the TV in the living room I have my crafty corner!

kathie said...

I can relate. I never have the TV on in the day when I'm here on my own. I love the peaceful silence, funny enough. And I have always tried really hard not to have the TV on at teatime. Touch wood, it seems to have worked so far :).
Hope you get your black box thingy fixed soon though. No TV at all is no fun!

Marelize said...

Hahaha... I know what you're saying Jules! I never have the tv on at home but as soon as the rest of the crowd gets home, there is noise everywhere. No tv for a few days would be great in our house. ;)
Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog re the GDT spot. You are very sweet. xx

bappleicious said...

OMG Julz - how perfect is your loungeroom?
It looks like something out of a catalogue
Are you sure you have kids cause seriously my loungeroom never looks like that
We have a T-Box but it does not get turned on very often

Karen said...

Ooooohhhh so glad I read your post!!! We were considering getting a tbox on my bil's recommendation but perhaps I should delay this now!!

Em Stafrace said...

Almost a blessing in disguise Jules...we didn't get the T-Box but went for the T-hub and let me tell you its a blooming nightmare doesn't work properly, but that aside so nice to read how you guys are more connected at dinner time now with no T.V certainly a lesson for us all, to maybe shut the idiot box off every now and then tee hee...xoxo