Stuart Wilson's blog of limited appeal

Editor's note, I originally posted this here, but it got long enough I felt the need to repost it.

I wouldn't say that I don't have the money to pay for cable, because I could dig it up somewhere. But more importantly, I don't WANT to pay for cable. If I did that, I'd probably get the high-speed Internet package too, and now I have to shell out $100 monthly to Cox. I'd rather spend that money on...I don't know a motorcycle or something.

Anyway, now I have one channel, the CW, which is unwatchable. I find infomercials more entertaining. (Actually, the CW might show infomercials late at night. That I could get behind.) So TV is out. I have a TV though, and DVD player. Anyway, here are my usual non-cable activities, in no particular order. Also keep in mind I often do one or more of these at a time.

1. Watch stupid YouTube videos. This is probably good to kill a couple of hours. Of course, since I'm stealing somebody else's wireless, I wait a while for them to load. I'm patient.

2. Video games. I picked up a used PS2 a few months ago for about $100. It's also a DVD player, and you can find used games for $5-10 at lots of game shops.

3. Listen to sports games. Really, the Red Sox are 70% as good when they're just on the radio. If you look, you can also find sites that will stream audio of all the NBA playoff games.

4. My 1000 piece puzzle. I've been working for a few weeks and I'm about 7% done. If you need to entertain yourself for 2 months and you only have $4, I recommend this.

5. Actually cook a meal. This one hasn't really been happening for me yet, but if I don't have TV to distract me, I should be able to focus on making some delicious food. So far I've got as far as scrambled egg with salsa in a flour tortilla. That's kind of a breakfast burrito, right?

6. Pick-up sports. I prefer ultimate frisbee. There are some kids who play in Buttonwood Park around 3 p.m. I'm told. I only played with them once. I imagine if you're free at 3 p.m. during the week then you definitely need to pinch pennies. Anyway, I play with a bunch of Middleboro townies Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6. All you need is a pair of sneakers and some clothes you can run around in. I'm sure in New Bedford basketball is a more popular choice, but I couldn't even play for the Miami Heat I'm so bad.

7. Play music. I have a drum set I bought of a high school kid for $75 some years ago. I can't tell you how much fun it is to bang around. I've got a yard-sale guitar I do the same with. I'm hoping to write a song about Rock and Roll soon. I don't know how my neighbors feel about all this.

8. Watching movies. I still have a VHS player, which is great because stores will practically pay you to take those off their hands. Savers always has a great selection. I have some DVD's as well. I try not to own them though, it's much easier to borrow from my friends' and coworkers' extensive libraries.

9. Read a book. Lame, but effective.

10. Sewing. I have a denim jacket I sew patches onto. It's relaxing, and it's given me a rad custom coat. Awesome jackets are always in style, and it's a great conversation starter with the ladies or gentlemen.

Here are some things I don't do, but might be fun too:

-Paint your walls a bright, fun color.
-Start a rap group with a gimmick. Something like all your songs being about water balloon fights.
-Make friendship bracelets and give them to coworkers. If you're unemployed, sell them to people.
-Learn to dance. But don't get lessons or an instructional video, just FEEL the dance.
-Write a letter. Not an e-mail, but actually put pen to paper. Everyone loves getting one of these: grandmothers, second cousins, parole officers, grammar-school classmates, and the Standard-Times.
-Flip over the puzzle once you're done, and try to do it without the aid of a picture. That'll extend that $4 for years.
-Try to get a public access cable show. Of course, you won't be able to watch your show, but maybe when you're at the studio on break you can catch some new episodes of Lost or whatever.
-Karaoke (Actually I just did this last night, and after a PBR and sangria, I was down $6, so this may not be that economical.)