Hey, I just thought of something!

In reference to how I find time to read, I failed to mention what probably amounts to a really BIG reason I find time to read - I rarely watch TV! I have a couple of shows I watch (Desperate Housewives and sometimes Brothers and Sisters on Sundays and Grey's Anatomy and ER on Thursdays) and that's it - I never turn the TV on for "background" noise or just to idly watch something. Beyond my own shows, I sometimes watch the kids' shows off and on while I putter or cook or something during the after school hours (I've seen more of iCarly and Drake and Josh than any 41 year old should have!), but I just am not a TV watcher so I believe that frees up tons of time for me to read. It's not that I don't like TV or have anything against it........I just have other things that are more compelling to me. TV is such a time suck if you really pay attention you'll see that you can easily watch two or three hours of TV without even realizing it! I just think it's a really bad habit. One of my goals for 2009 is to "cure" Harrison of his Spongebob habit. I swear the kid will walk into the family room to get something, and just out of habit, turn on the TV (always, always, always to Spongebob which seems to be on 24 hours a day), and then walk out of the room. If he actually stays in the room, he will bounce on our big exercise ball (literally the ONLY exercise that boy gets some days) while watching episode after episode of Spongebob, all of which he has seen before. It's really awful. I can't tell you how overjoyed I was the other day when the family room was quiet, the TV was off and I couldn't find Harrison! I was wondering where he was for a good half hour before I actually looked into the room and saw him READING A BOOK! On his own, without any threatening or prompting - he was just actually so into a book he started reading at school he couldn't wait to finish it! Now, that was a happy moment. So, if you want more time to read, turn off American Idol. Why watch sucky amateur singers when you could get lost in a classic?