# What do you do while you're watching tv?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 18, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351 "2002-11-18T18:50:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/1 "2002-11-18T18:50:59Z")
I knit. Ivylad tends to eat.
Does anyone do something while they’re watching tv, or do you just veg, letting the Great Electronic God entertain you? (shades of Calvin and Hobbes.)
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### Author:  [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/2 "2002-11-18T18:56:31Z")
I drink, read, cross stich, or browse the web. I rarely just watch tv.
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### Author:  [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/3 "2002-11-18T19:11:59Z")
I either lounge on my hubby and try to get comfortable or fold laundry.
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### Author:  [@Eulogy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eulogy)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/4 "2002-11-18T19:15:10Z")
Mas…nevermind.
Browse the net, usually.
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### Author:  [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/5 "2002-11-18T19:17:08Z")
Give one of the pets some quality scritching.
Eat.
Exercise (Resist-a-Ball and weights).
Snuggle/grope on the couch with my guy.
Flip through magazines and catalogs.
Take a nap.
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### Author:  [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/6 "2002-11-18T19:19:43Z")
I almost never just sit and watch TV. I almost always have my laptop right here in front of me on the couch, browsing the net.
If a show that my GF and I both enjoy comes on, I’ll put my 'puter down for a while, but if I’m home alone, it feels very strange to sit there and be so passive.
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### Author:  [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/7 "2002-11-18T19:28:06Z")
Having just gotten a laptop, I now watch TV and play the Sims. Before the laptop, I only ever watched TV while I ate. I rarely am interested enough in TV to watch it without doing something else. I like the noise, though.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/8 "2002-11-18T19:59:48Z")
Make chain mail.
Or stare at the pretty, pretty women.
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### Author:  [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/9 "2002-11-18T20:19:52Z")
I do many things: eat, sleep, read, cook, fold, iron. And sometimes I actually watch the show that’s on!
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### Author:  [@crazy4chaucer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazy4chaucer)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/10 "2002-11-18T20:40:55Z")
Wash dishes.
Do laundry.
Brush the dog.
Eat.
Read.
Snooze.
Sweep.
Do a 27-fling-boogie.
Do homework.
Plan menus for the week. . . .
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### Author:  [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/11 "2002-11-18T20:43:28Z")
I’m trying to finish this Christmas tree skirt before Christmas, so mostly I cross stitch!
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### Author:  [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/12 "2002-11-18T21:03:31Z")
Computer solitaire, surf the web, read books, magazines or catalogs.
But _never_ during The Simpsons.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/13 "2002-11-18T21:13:13Z")
I eat popcorn and snuggle with Mrs. RickJay.
Don’t have a computer in the same room.
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### Author:  [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2002, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/14 "2002-11-18T22:34:44Z")
I crochet.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2002, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/15 "2002-11-19T00:15:59Z")
Depends how good the show is. In order from least-involving show to most involving:
Screw around on the computer (dope boards, im, write email, play games)
Read a magazine
Look at catalogues
Do needlepoint
Sit there and actually watch (“Robbery Homicide Division,” “Boomtown,” “CSI” call for this level of attention.
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### Author:  [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/16 "2002-11-19T01:12:04Z")
Read…eat…clean…that’s pretty much it.
I don’t really watch TV much when I’m at school, though. We don’t have cable, and no stations are powerful enough to get through the walls, so I have to go to the lounge to watch TV. I think the only things I’ve watched are new episodes of Buffy and a showing of 12 Monkeys on the SciFi channel.
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### Author:  [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2002, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/17 "2002-11-19T01:44:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by twickster47 \*
> \*\*Sit there and actually watch (“Robbery Homicide Division,” “Boomtown,” “CSI” call for this level of attention. \*\*
Great minds think alike.
I was going to say, some shows do require more attention. My list would include _Boomtown, CSI_ and _24_.
Otherwise, I fold laundry, get something ready for work for the next day (Preschool teacher; lots of cutting out various things), playing with the cats, doing crafts or reading during the commercials.
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### Author:  [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2002, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/18 "2002-11-19T05:54:16Z")
I usually have it on in the background while online. Or else I actually sit in my recliner and read during the commercials or when the show gets boring.
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### Author:  [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/19 "2002-11-19T05:56:55Z")
- Check email
- Play Civ 2 or Ultima: Quest of the Avatar (NES)
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### Author:  [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2002, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-do-while-youre-watching-tv/137351/20 "2002-11-19T06:15:57Z")
I can’t just watch TV. Generally I embroider or sewor crochet; sometimes I read or hang over mr. genie’s shoulder and look at his laptop.
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