I've thought a lot about this metamorphosis I am undertaking. It isn't just about my weight- though that is a huge factor and something that is at the very tippy-top of my list of what MUST change. It's about making marked improvement in every aspect of my life.

An area I am very serious about changing involves television viewing. I watch far too much. I don't read enough.

There was a business trip a few years back that had me fairly isolated. The hotel I was staying in was hosting a book fair, and I got to say, I think I went a little nuts. I read six novels during my two-week stay and watched no television. That was an odd week for me. The truly weird thing was that I found myself far more productive during my stay as a result. All that reading had somehow made it easier to focus on what needed done and stay on task. It was like Ritalin in paperback.

In my home we have a Tivo DVR and a DVR provided by our cable company. Between the two machines I can record around 160 hours of television programming for viewing whenever I want. Now, that is really cool. I am never strapped to the couch watching things I don't want to watch (including commercials) while waiting for the stuff I do want to watch to come on. I can skip commericals or watch the program in fast-forward if it isn't moving along the plotline fast enough. I can save all kinds of time.

The real question is. "Do I really need to watch 160 hours opf TV?"

I don't believe I do. I'll start by taking the cable company's DVR back.