The end of "Lost" begins a new phase

I just watched the "Lost" series finale on Hulu. The two-hour episode was beautiful, a fitting end to a groundbreaking series. I won't ruin it here; if, like me, you didn't get to watch the show on television Sunday night, you may be avoiding any news about the show to keep from spoiling it for yourself.

For me, "Lost" is one of those entertainment events I'll never forget. The six-season series kept me enthralled the whole time (even though seasons 3 and 4 were a bit boring and confusing).

But now that it's over, I can step back and take stock of my free time, of which recently there has been very little. When I do have free time, though, I'm usually planted in front of the television.

Not only does it promote a sedentary lifestyle, some say it also does little to stimulate your mind.

Now that "Lost is over, and the reruns of summer are here, I really don't have any reason to watch television any more.

I'm not saying I'll quit cold turkey. If Jamie and I are home at the same time (which is rare these days) and there's something on that she wants to watch, I'll gladly sit with her and watch it. We'll also continue to watch movies together, at home and on the big screen. And I may check sports scores and the weather from time to time, although I can get both from the newspaper and the Internet. If I hear about an interesting TV program after it's aired I can always check it out online.

But when I'm home alone, I can find other uses for my free time. I love to read, and TV only keeps me from that hobby. I should write more, both for profit and for personal growth. And, yeah, for fun. I could exercise, too, and I really should. I could fix up the house. Manage the lawn and landscaping. Play with the cats. Learn a language. The possibilities are endless.

In fact, I have two new hobbies in mind. They may sound silly, but I don't care. I want to be able to look at a tree, any tree, and know what kind of tree it is. I know many people who have this ability. I don't. And I'd like to learn. Also, I want to be able to distinguish military ranks by insignia.

Maybe those hobbies will lead to others.

And if TV calls me back, I guess that won't be the end of the world. But hopefully, after awhile, I won't care one way or the other if the TV is on.

(Although, I just read an article about a new Michael Chiklis show coming out this fall. It's about a plane crash. "Lost" meets "The Shield"? Oh. My. God...)

--Matt Kelsey