Columnists, EDITORIAL -- FEATURE SPOT, Editorials, J.R. Tidwell, Opinion
 By  J.R. Tidwell Published 
8:00 am Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Living with is better than living without

I recently moved into my first place. It’s only a one-bedroom apartment, but it serves my needs.
It’s a strange feeling being out on my own for the first time. I have yet to pay my inaugural rent and electric bill, but those little “milestones” are coming up soon.
The biggest problems I have faced so far are not knowing hardly anyone around these parts, and learning to live without Internet capabilities or television.
Living without TV wouldn’t be so bad — if I had Internet. I can watch plenty of shows online, so my daily television fix could be quenched without so much as a channel flip.
But living without online capabilities is ramping me up to a new level of boredom I didn’t know existed.
I can’t turn on ESPN 3 and stream games, I cannot watch “Bleach” on animeseason.com — yeah, I’m an anime nerd, what of it? — and I can’t update my Facebook wall or check my email at will.
Being out on my own and living without such luxuries has made me come to realize how much I depend on TV and Internet for entertainment.
The only people I personally know in Russellville so far are my landlady, a maintenance worker at my apartment complex — who just so happens to be my boss’s father — and several local high school principals and basketball coaches.
I graduated from UNA this summer, and I have only realized how much I enjoyed being around people my own age, because I cannot seem to find many around here so far.
I forgot to mention that my favorite part of my apartment right now is my “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree that my brother got me, which came complete with the one ornament that makes the “tree” sag.
As for the television and Internet, I should have that hooked up by 3 p.m. on the day this paper runs.
If no one hears from me for a few days, I have rediscovered TV and Internet, and I will return when my newfound attention grabber loses my focus.

Also on Franklin County Times
Cameras give law enforcement a leg up
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – olice Chief Chris Hargett was at a conference in 2020 and while passing by some of the vendors there, he noticed one promoting a camera...
Defense project has public, vets ‘excited’
Main, News, Z - News Main
By Brady Petree and Addi Broadfoot 
March 25, 2026
BARTON— The queue of people clamoring to get into the Hadrian facility on Friday was lined down the sidewalk as members of the public and military vet...
Flanagan enjoys romance book cover modeling
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 25, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — What started as a few comedy videos on TikTok has grown into a career that has taken Andrew Flanagan from a welding job to romance nov...
Still waiting for rural ambulance answers
Columnists, Opinion
March 25, 2026
Rural Alabama has been waiting decades for access to affordable health services — and despite the empty promises of a bill funneling millions of dolla...
GFWC focuses on Alzheimer’s
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
March 25, 2026
The GFWC Book Lovers Study Club focused on Alzheimer’s awareness during its March meeting at Russellville First Baptist Church. Alzheimer’s disease gr...
Pitching is key focus for Patriots
College Sports, Sports
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
The 2024-25 collegiate baseball season was a solid one for the Northwest Shoals Community College Patriots and head coach David Langston knows what it...
Patriots build on strengths for fourth season
College Sports, Sports
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
The softball program at Northwest-Shoals Community College continues to grow as it enters its fourth season since being relaunched. Head coach Angel B...
RHS boys soccer aiming for state run
B: Spring Sports, High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The boys soccer team is off to a strong start this season and is aiming for a deep playoff run. Coach Larsen Plyler said the team has t...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *