Crotchety Me

Views: 1,027
Added: Sat. Nov 10, 2012 10:14am
Posted in: Other

• » print
• » report
• » email

 

I suppose it's just me.  I'm getting older (read bolder) and simple things that never bothered me now do and make my head want to explode.  I consider myself to be of average intelligence.  I'm well versed in the vagaries of life, having taken a rather unusual path to get where I am today, living and loving to my heart's content or discontent, depending on one's outlook...all in all, a life enjoyed and filled with adventure.  It is the dichotomy of myself today vs myself yesterday that surprises me.  I imagine this getting from youth to maturity is the process we all go through while the years slip away.

I have become an avid television viewer, something I never thought I'd be.  Television is very seductive because it is always there, ready to amuse, teach, entertain.  TV became part of my family life in 1948 when we got our first set.  I can remember the excitement of that day very clearly but there were few channels to be seen.  I remember that when we hurried home from school, a show with Kate Smith would be on.  For those who don't know, Kate Smith was a wonderful singer very popular for singing God Bless America.  Now, television is, once again, important to me, after an absence of many years.

I have always heard that European television is different from our own because they arrange their commercials so that they don't interfere with the programming being shown.  That seems such a practical, attractive decision to me.  Here in the U.S. watchers only get about 40 minutes of programming per TV hour.  The other 20 minutes is advertising which interrupts the program being broadcast about every 8 minutes.  It has become maddening to me.  Now, I realize that one should be able to keep the storyline in mind while the commercial is being played and that is what we all do.  But I don't like it and sometimes I lose the intensity of the story while I'm watching an ad for toilet paper or something.  UGH!  Yes, I know commercials pay the bills for the networks, but have a heart!  Now, not only are we interrupted with ads during the programming, but little ads appear in the corners of the screen when the programming is airing our precious 40 minutes!  And, while trying to follow a story being shown, I have to see products and ads for future programs appear in the corners, distracting my attention away from what's happening.  To make it even more fun, these ads, some which show, oh, say the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders shaking their merchandise, have sound, which overrides what is being said in the programming.  Very confusing.  Progress....ain't it great?

Old crotchety me. *SIGH*