Washakie County Public Health challenged our youth to go screen free for four hours each day last week. To get off the couch, get outside and do something besides stare at a TV screen, tablet or smartphone screen.

I thought about it briefly, but I had a good excuse, so I told myself, at least during the hours they had planned 4-8 p.m., because I’m working through more than half of that time period, thus I’d be staring at a computer screen.

It’s a great idea though, for everyone, just to show us how addicted we have become to our technology and our screens. I know because, as I wrote last week, we have a new puppy in our house. Said puppy, needs constant watching inside and outside. Said puppy has been interfering with my game time on my tablet, and my Facebook surfing. I mean really I haven’t posted a new picture of the puppy in at least two days.

But our little Shadow may be just what I needed to get me to take the screen free challenge, or at least accept a screen less challenge.

I try and walk Shadow around each time she has to relieve herself, so it’s good for her and me. Except for Thursday night, I found out that Shadow nor I liked walking in the downpour after dark.

But early in the mornings and right after work, the weather has been perfect and a great time to go walking around our place.

When inside, at 11 weeks, Shadow still needs to be watched to make sure she is not chewing up anything she isn’t supposed to, making sure she and Ivy are playing nice and not getting too rough, making sure she leaves the older dog alone, but especially making sure I catch her telltale signs when she needs to go outside to the bathroom.

So there’s no time for my obsession with my games.

However, I still have found plenty of time to sit in front of the TV. That’s something that needs work, but after football season. I mean Saturdays are made for college football and Sundays are made for the NFL, with some NASCAR thrown in.

And then, of course, this week started the new season for some favorite shows and some new show premieres. I like the feature of our satellite company that I can record all the networks at once during primetime, so I have time to check out some of the new shows.

But, I also realize we’ve become too dependent on our devices for our entertainment, our shopping, our banking, our work. We do need a break. I need a break. I know what you’re thinking, at least 70 people/families participated in the screen free challenge, which is great and that should encourage me that I can to.

So whether it’s the idea of the screen free challenge, or the new puppy, I may just give it a go but maybe I’ll start small and try an hour, instead of four.

Everyone has to start somewhere and I’m willing to start, just not during Sunday’s Broncos game, and well NCIS: Los Angeles returns on Sunday night, and then there’s the debate on Monday, which should be highly entertaining, but that’s another subject for another time. And I do need to log in to my games somewhat regularly to send energy and new lives to my friends so they can keep playing.

Hmm, do I detect a pattern or an addiction here? No. I don’t think so. I’ll mull it over as I finish watching the season premiere of The Black List and I think I have a new picture of the puppy to post.