How to Survive the Writers Guild Strike Without Watching Re-Runs or Reality TV

When you have two groups of adult men and women with over-inflated egos and bank accounts, like the TV Writers and Producers, fighting like pre-schoolers in a sand box without adult supervision one thing's for sure - nothing is going to bet accomplished. So be prepared for a long strike - especially since there are unions involved as well.

Whether you support the Writers Guild or the producers is not the issue here. What really matters to the average American is how to fill the void the strike is creating, especially if you have small children or grandchildren who won't understand the concept of a strike and what both sides feel the have at stake.

Unless you want to waste time watching even more hastily thrown together reality shows, "specials", re-run after re-run, and anything else the producers can scrounge up, you better have a plan. Even if the strike is settled next week, it will still be weeks or even months before the scheduled shows get back into production and on the air.

If you're addicted to TV like most Americans are or if TV is the babysitter for your children run down to Wal-Mart now and stock up on cheap DVDs now. Wal-Mart almost always has a big sale bin of DVDs usually priced about $5 each.

A recent visit to the video sale bin at my local Wal-Mart turned up lots of relatively recent adult and kid movies, classic films, collections of old TV sitcoms and a variety of cartoons selling for $5 each. I purchased about a dozen of them including a few South Park and Sponge Bob collections and a couple of recent movies I haven't seen. They even had a collection of 100 vintage cartoons from Warner Brothers. At $5 each, that's about what it costs to rent them from Blockbuster - it's a steal - why rent when you can own for the same price.

Previously viewed DVD's of recent releases are always on sale at Blockbuster. Depending on the popularity of the film in the mind of Blockbuster's marketing department in Dallas, the movies are priced either 4 for $20 or 2 for $20. Visit them now and stock up. As the writer's strike lingers on, you can expect more people to rent from Blockbuster and buy previously viewed titles - possibly even at higher prices. Hit your local Blockbuster now. You don't want to run the risk of it being picked clean of all the best rental titles and previously viewed DVDs for sale.

If you have one of the premium digital packages from Comcast or another cable company and the ability to record programs, start doing it now. Pick a specific day and time each week, such as Sunday after the football games are over, and scan the cable guide for the week. Look for shows you like but don't currently don't watch, as well as movies you want to see on the premium channels such as HBO or TMC. Record them now and save them. The longer the writer's strike drags on, the more you'll need them.

It's also a good idea for you and a group of nearby neighbors and friends to make computerized lists of DVDs you own or have taped and keep it updated weekly. Email it to each other and exchange DVDs you haven't seen or would like to see again with one another. It's free and another option to have as part of your Writers Guild strike survival plan.

You can also surf on over to your local library web site, or visit it in person if you're nearby and see what special activities, films and lectures they have planned on their calendar. Even libraries in the smallest towns have some very interesting programs planned for after school, weekday evenings and on Saturdays. If you unfortunately live in a really small town where the library is grossly under-funded and can't stay open in the evenings, try speaking to the head librarian see if there's anything they can devise to keep the library open for special programs. Who knows... it might even get them additional funding next year.

Having a family night one evening a week is another way to survive the Writers Guild Strike. Have something special for dinner, like Pizza, Mac & Cheese, Burgers & Fries, Chinese Food or whatever everyone likes. Then instead of watching TV play Twister, Monopoly, Cards or some game instead of watching television and just talk to one another.

As a kid, I spent most of my summers at a remote family beach house that had no electricity and no running water. We spent all day and most of each evening outside on the beach having a blast. Some of my fondest childhood memories, however, were the rainy nights where we'd have to stay indoors and have a "family night", where I'd play guitar and sing with my mom, dad and brothers and later play Twister or some board game by lantern light until it was time to go to sleep.

Take a night and create your own family night. Be creative and have fun. You'll all like it so much, you'll probably want to continue it - even after the strike is over.

The Writers Guild Strike is also a good time to read those books you've been meaning to read, but just haven't had time to. My excuse is that since I create TV commercials and web-based advertising, I have to watch TV, read edgy magazines and surf to cool sites rather than read a book. (It's great work if you can get it and even a better excuse for having a Masters Degree and not reading books!)

I've got four books on my list I plan to read during the next few weeks of the strike. They are "Against All Odds" by Chuck Norris, "Waiting for Your Cat To Bark" by Brian and Jeffrey Eisenberg (no cat lovers it has nothing to do with cats), "The Path To Love" by Deepak Chopra and re-reading for the fourth-time one of my all time favorites "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee. I've got at least another dozen books, I'm going to make time as the Writers Strike lingers on.

Single people or those "in between relationships can also take a night or two away from the boob tube to pamper themselves. Come home from the office, bring in some sushi or a salad and then relax with a glass of your favorite wine in a nice hot bath tub surrounded by candles. Another alternative is to go to a local spa and get a deep tissue massage and any other treatment that makes you feel great.

It's also an idea time to pamper your mind and spirit to. See what continuing education courses, local colleges and universities or even high schools are offering. These courses can be very enriching and are usually only four to six weeks long and are quite inexpensive. Give a try. If you're a couple, you'll have learn and grow together and have one thing more to share. If you're "in between relationships", who knows, you may just meet Mr, or Ms. Right!

For single parents and empty nesters, the Writers Guild Strike also offers a good time to relax and communicate with your spouse, significant other or person you're seriously "seeing".

Rather than throwing something frozen into the microwave, re-heating last night's left-overs, or bringing in some take out food, plan a cozy candle light dinner for two with some soothing music. Take this opportunity to get re-acquainted and really communicate with each other. Leave the dishes until morning and just cuddle up in bed. You know where to take things from there.

Hopefully the Writers Guild Strike will be resolved quickly and the writers, actors and actresses and often forgotten and under paid production people will get back to work soon - so Americans can get back to real TV. In the mean time, I hope these ideas whill help you weather out the strike!