The Idiot Box

I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.   – William Shakespeare (Richard II) 

Last week I wrote about our bike ride on Thanksgiving morning; one of the reasons why we went riding is that our cable was out, so we couldn’t watch the usual parades and dog show that normally air on this particular holiday. 

I certainly didn’t miss being disconnected. I so seldom watch TV that Joel finally had to write down for me how to turn it on, since I can never remember how it works. It’s only a VERY special “special” that I will on occasion watch, so on Thanksgiving morning, I thought I’d turn on the parade for old time’s sake. Oops! Never mind; let’s go for a ride instead. 

The “idiot box” is what my brother used to call the TV, ironically, since he spent so much of his later years watching it.  It IS an idiot box, and the same might be said about computers and these social networking sites. I’m as guilty as the rest about spending way too much time messing with them in lieu of doing something useful, meaningful or educational. With real people, I might add. 

Weeks after Thanksgiving, the cable was still out and I still didn’t miss it. Joel, however, was another story. He kept saying that I had to call, since I was the one who would have to book the appointment with the repair person. In the meantime, he was very helpful decorating the tree with me as we listened to Christmas music on the stereo, with no other distractions to lure him away. 

But I finally agreed, since Shannon and Kat will be here at Christmas and I know they will want to watch “A Christmas Story” for 24 hours straight. So I asked Joel to show me what the problem was (the blue screen of death) to better describe it to the repair person. 

I called the next day and spoke to a very nice man named Travis. He asked me some questions, and all of a sudden, I worried that he’d ask me a question that I couldn’t answer. “How many cable boxes do you have?” I don’t know. “Do you have a booster?” I don’t know. “Is the same thing happening on all your sets?” I don’t know! 

I confessed my ignorance and admitted that I had been enjoying the peace and quiet around the house and having my helpful husband share holiday decorating chores. He laughed out loud, and told me it was the same way at his house, which made me feel better. Because he couldn’t get a signal, Travis said that he’d send somebody out two days hence between 11 and 2. 

Martin arrived about 1:45. He took stock of the situation and discovered that the splitter (huh? what’s that?) in our bedroom was unplugged. That’s all it was. He showed me the green light, and said if it’s out, then to check the plug. And off he went, probably thinking I was the dumbest lady he’d ever met. 

So once again, the evenings are filled with car crashes, explosions, shouting and mayhem. I’ll retreat to my lair and read my book or do some writing. Or maybe get on Facebook? No wait, I hereby resolve to not waste precious time being idiotic in 2010! 

Speaking of 2010… have a Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Pewperson will return January 8.