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Multi-tasking
I suspect that like me, a lot of you end up doing other things with the TV on. As someone who lives alone, I will usually turn the TV on while I'm eating dinner. Sometimes there is something I'm intending to watch anyway, and dinner time is adjusted to meet the schedule, but other times I will end up channel-surfing to find something to "keep me company".
Once food is out of the way though (and partly to prevent snacking), I often pick up my cross-stitch (or occasionally other crafts). This enables me to justify some guilty pleasures by how much sewing I can get done. You see, with something where I am bored or not paying much attention to I can get 4 or more threads done in an hour, something which grips my attention usually means I only get one thread done (in the ad-breaks) but that's okay, because that must've been pretty good TV, right?
For instance, House is one of my favorites and I don't often sew during new episodes but even repeats usually rate just over one thread (mostly done during ad-breaks and the overly graphic surgical bits where I'm glad to look away) while Bones rates 3-4 threads depending on how much the Lab-Techs are on. Something like Medium or CSI usually works out at 2-3 threads, fairly interesting but fairly productive as well. Heroes has gone from 2-3 threads at the beginning of the season - only concentrating on the screen when Hiro was on or someone was actually using a power - to only one thread last night (only sewing during the ads).
Of course, it partly depends on the type of program - something like American Idol or Deal or No Deal has so much filler material that you only need to glance at the screen occasionally anyway. In fact, I find those programs far harder to watch if I don't have my sewing to hand. Sitcoms like Scrubs that contain more visual humour can also skew the results a bit so sometimes I find I've been watching them more (and sewing less), even if I don't think an episode is that good. But by and large I can point to a completed square inch on my cross-stitch (if I'm lucky, it's slow progress) and prove that I haven't wasted those three hours I've been sitting there.
Do you "justify" your TV habits like that or do other things while you watch?
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Apr 24, 2007 6:44 PM
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Hey, good for you! I used to cross stitch up a storm and then I got into some poison oak or ivy and it was right where the excess fabric lay across my wrist and forearm so that it would irritate and itch to no end so I quit till it went away. Then for one reason and another and then another I never picked it up again. I was working on a very difficult piece with an old English flower garden with a bee hive in the center. Over the garden was Proverbs scripture surrounded by more flowers and a honeycomb pattern with honey bees crawling or flying around it. I was more than half finished with it and now it is as if I'm afraid of it. I hope to start it again one day. Of course, none of that answered your question.
Occasionally, I will do some reading or crossword puzzles. Mostly when I watch, I just watch.
Well, happy Xing from a once upon a time fellow stitcher.
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Apr 24, 2007 7:07 PM
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I've been known to crochet while watching tv when I have a project to get done. However, depending on the pattern, I usually end up having to do more listening than watching. Nowadays, I only turn the tv on when I have a specific show to watch, so I try to limit any other distractions as much as possible.
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Apr 24, 2007 7:07 PM
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I completed a great number of needlework projects while watching TV, first needle-hook, then crewel embroidery, then counted cross-stitch and needlepoint. Then I started having problems with my vision getting worse (requiring trifocals), and the number of floaters increased dramatically, so I finally had to give up this pleasant pastime. Most of the shows I watch require paying attention, as I hate to miss any little detail. However, sometimes I will do a crossword puzzle, and occasionally even read the paper if it is a program that doesn’t require great attention.
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Apr 25, 2007 1:32 AM
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I used to do counted cross-stitch while watching tv. I'm not sure why I gave it up, I should start up again, especially when hubby is snacking in front of the tv. I do blog here or play solitaire (free cell or spider) on the computer while watching tv. Sometimes I fold the laundry & straighten up the house. Like you & Sass what I do depends on the show I'm watching & how much attention it requires.
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Apr 25, 2007 6:39 AM
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I don't do anything like that. But starting in college, I'm almost always at my computer while I'm watching tv. If it something good, (like heroes monday and the new veronica mars next week) then I'll watch from my bed. But I still usually sit at my computer at some point during the show.
Sometimes the computer is what I'm really interested in and The tv is just on for background noise. The same for reading. I can do both, read and watch tv. I'm very good at multi tasking.
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Apr 25, 2007 9:48 AM
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