March 22, 2010 – 7:21 am
I don’t own a television set, and while I do watch the odd show, it’s usually at a rate of about one or two programmes per week, give or take – and never on any particular schedule.*
If I have a bit of downtime, and my brain isn’t up to much, I’ll head to iPlayer for a panel show comedy of some kind, or a light and fluffy documentary programme like that Wonders of the Solar System thing I enjoyed half an hour of over the weekend.
But I love great television. Especially well-written television. I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan, I’m blown away by pretty much anything that Jane Espenson turns her hand to (with the possible exception of Andy Barker, PI) and I think Aaron Sorkin‘s a bit of a genius. I think the medium is capable of some fantastic long-arc storytelling, and some of it is easily the equal of some of the best cinema out there. Often it’s even better.
My problem is one of time. But I have an idea that provides me with a very simple solution to that…
It’s basically just a list
“No, I haven’t seen that TV series yet. It’s on my Retirement Pile…”
The Retirement Pile is something I invented to stop myself feeling like I was missing out by not watching all the great TV series that all my friends are raving about.
Of course it’s important that I watch Battlestar Galactica, Lost, The Wire, Breaking Bad and Mad Men. I love a really good TV series, and I can marathon a box set like it’s going out of fashion. Your recommendations and enthusiasms are much appreciated.
It’s just not important that I watch them right now. I have other things I’m doing at the moment. But one day, I’ll be retired, and think how many great shows I’ll get to sit down and watch. I’m really looking forward to it.
If you have any shows you’d recommend to me (or films for that matter), I’d love to hear them. And I will definitely check them out and no doubt enjoy them.
I’m just massively procrastinating about it – in an organised fashion.
*The glaring exception to this is Supernatural. Bobbie and I watch it together every week that it’s on – and not because it’s good. It’s a guilty pleasure. I mean – it’s The Dukes of Hazzard with ghosts. What’s not to like?
Table of contents for 30 Days of Ideas
- The other way of following first
- Now we’re up and dancing
- 30 days of ideas – 01: Keymash
- 30 days of ideas – 02: Radio Alerts
- 30 days of ideas – 03: Only Famous (a romantic comedy)
- 30 days of ideas – 04: Modcasts
- 30 days of ideas – 05: Numberless Calendar
- 30 days of ideas – 06: SpringCleanr
- 30 days of ideas – 07: Street Gallery
- 30 days of ideas – 08: Smart Business Cards
- 30 days of ideas – 09: Recordings in Concert
- 30 days of ideas – 10: Vinyl scanner
- 30 days of ideas – 11: Photo Stack-and-Scan
- 30 days of ideas – 12: A Box of Cool
- 30 days of ideas – 13: Karaoke-Tube Celebstar Idol
- 30 days of ideas – 14: I Made You A Tape
- 30 days of ideas – 15: Newspaper download codes
- 30 days of ideas – 16: Pebble Splash
- 30 days of ideas – 17: Digital radio, somewhere useful
- 30 days of ideas – 18: Public domain music collection
- 30 days of ideas – 19: Blog cast-list automator
- 30 days of ideas – 20: The Retirement Pile
- 30 days of ideas – 21: Nationalise EMI
- 30 days of ideas – 22: The Stainless Steel Rat (the movie)
- 30 days of ideas – 23: WordPress Bandcampify template
- 30 days of ideas – 24: Rollercoasters as public transport
- 30 days of ideas – 25: Next-gen personalised music radio
- 30 days of ideas – 26: New Music Trust
- 30 days of ideas – 27: Tamagotchi Gardening
- 30 days of ideas – 28: Charity shop clothing subscription
- 30 days of ideas – 29: ‘Now Playing’ social music app
- 30 days of ideas – 30: House of Spare Ideas
- Mixtape for You by Ray Kuyvenhoven
- What can you do in 30 days?