Being that I've been a bit sick for the past few days (mostly allergies, maybe a cold?) I've spent a lot of time sleeping and watching the tube. I am embarrassed to admit that we have cable TV once again; totally caved in to teenagers living without Sports Center for the past two years (poor things). We thought it might be nice since they weren't getting any actual Christmas gifts that they could at least watch a few football games.
I don't watch much sports (baseball and the Olympics are about it for me) but I used to enjoy HGTV and the Food Network. So for the past few days, with no energy to do much else, I wallowed in House Hunters, Designers Challenge, Good Eats et al. It was not a good thing.
Watching people complain about their living conditions (oh, the horror of Formica) because they don't have enough space in their 3500sq. ft house when many people in the world would be thrilled to have a roof over their heads is frustrating, to say the least. Why does the fact that the counter tops aren't granite and the appliances aren't stainless steel mean "the kitchen needs updating"? You can't cook in a black oven? You can't keep food in a white refrigerator? "We only have 2 bathrooms and we have 2 KIDS" (alert the media). If one more person says "all our stuff won't fit in here"....I swear I'm gonna throw a shoe through the TV set. Here's a thought....get rid of some flippin' stuff!!! I have never seen a bigger conglomeration of whiners in my life.
And another thing....why do we all want to live in the SAME house...wood floors, stainless steel, granite....they all end up looking the same, only the location has changed. Where is the individuality? How about buying a can of paint and changing the color instead of ripping the cupboards out? And what exactly is the 'Challenge' in spending $30,000 to renovate a bathroom? Do it on $500....that's a challenge.
Watching these shows makes me wonder how people are going to respond to a future with less 'stuff' ....less oil, less food, less everything. If carpeting shakes us up....how are we going to react to having to ride a bike to work or share food with our neighbors? And I'm not immune. I've gotten used to heat in the winter, AC in the summer. I send my kids to the grocery store in the evening when I need a key ingredient for dinner. I like comfort as much as the next guy....but I also think that I've learned to appreciate comfort. I try to look at our home with an eye towards who is living here and not worry so much about how things look. Playing scrabble with our kids on a garage sale dining table doesn't hinder our pleasure....that's what tablecloths are for :)
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12 comments:
great one.
ps: cable tv will turn you into a vegetable.
...that's insulting to vegetables :)
I hear you, that's why Mr Chiots and I cancelled our cable years ago. We don't end up watching stuff like this and we save tons of money each month, that we're using to pay off our tiny cottage (oh, how do survive living in a tiny house with 4 pets, and running 2 businesses and formica countertops???). Ah, but being debt free is much more beautiful than granite :)
It took me about a week to regret the new TV situation Susy. Unfortunately (to get the cheapest price) we signed a 2-yr. contract. Just about the time our youngest graduates high school we can go back to living like the Amish :)
ps. we have 11 cats and 4 dogs.....AND formica!!!
Well, I agree with you completely, especially about appreciating what you have and not falling into the trap of "updating". Why does it matter? Where are our priorities?
My priorities are well-established: I would rather have cable TV than chocolate. I admit it, am not in the least interested in a 12 step program! I MUST have it, I am convinced, in order to deal with a life riddled with ADD. That's my story, and I am sticking to it.
i think i'm a turnip.
I know exactly what you mean. They say it so often that it seems like the producers want them to use those words or something.
I particularly like it when they complain about the drapes or wallpaper. "Oh i can't buy THIS house. The drapes don't match."
=D
Naoko just thinks we're weird because we would watch Dirty Jobs, Myth Busters and Cash Cab all day long, if we were able to. Oh, and can't forget about Triple-D (Diners, Drive-ins and Dives). Wonderful! :-)
Kris...cable or chocolate...I'd take chocolate (but I have to admit I'd miss the Seinfeld reruns!)
Beth....or complain about paint colors :)
Mike...I love Cash Cab and Triple D!
Do you still have a Netflix account? With the cheapest rental plan ($8.99 a month), you can watch videos (TV and movies) through your Xbox or PS3. They don't have Seinfeld for instant viewing (although you can get any episode through the mail), but a lot of classic movies and other TV shows. Anyhow, if you yearn for the good ol’ shows of the good ol' days, it’s a great and fairly inexpensive way to go.
I had a little chuckle at the two kids and two bathrooms thing. I suppose having one bathroom with a family of four...er five would be just absolutely unacceptable in that matrix.
Sometimes I ponder the whole cable (or satellite) thing, but it just seems like so much money - this way when I have access to TV in limited bursts it seems a bit like a treat when I can see the few shows I'm actually interested in.
Thankfully Hubby's been buying a season at a time over the years of my favorite TV shows (that are no longer on the air).
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