Come again!?
I remember watching television as a young child. As a matter of fact, I'm sure Sesame Street had MUCH to do with the fact that I could read before I started school. I realize it's not ALL bad. But when I moved to Wyoming at the tender age of six, we stopped watching TV. "Why?" I hear you saying as you start to go into convulsions at the thought of being separated from your 'beloved'. Well because 1- Televisions were expensive and we couldn't afford a new set. 2 - Of the two 'used' sets I remember us having both of them stopped working within weeks of purchase 3 - even when we had a TV set that WORKED we were miles from any station so the only way to pick up a signal was with a satellite dish and we CERTAINLY couldn't afford one of THOSE.

So, for ten years I grew up in a household that instead of being filled with the blue light of the TV screen and canned TV sitcom laughter, was lit by reading lamps and music from either my step-dad's VAST record collection or the radio.

The Christmas before my sixteenth birthday my mother the family a Brand New TV as a Christmas gift. We didn't watch much more then movies on it due to the afore mentioned reception problems. A few months later, I moved away from home.

I spent the next 15 or so years IMMERCED in TV culture. My grandparents (who I lived with as I finished high school) watched TV non-stop and after I married there was rarely a moment that the TV wasn't on at our house. Life revolved around what shows were on and Dinners were consumed by its flickering blue light.

When we separated I was once again faced with the fact that I could not afford a television. Almost immediately I realized, I didn't CARE! I would come home and open the door, not to the raucous overbearing noise of some Television show or commercial, but to the sounds of whatever radio station or CD I had left on before I left. I found myself, for the first time in YEARS comfortable in my own home.

When N and I moved in together he DID have a TV. Luckily it wasn't on very often. Our home didn't revolve around it 24/7... UNLESS.. the kids were over. Then it was back to - turn it on when we wake up and leave it on until we go to bed. I think N could sense the difference in me those days. I was jumpy and irritable. So we turned off the cable! And once again life is sweet.

That's not to say that we're freaky technophobes We still have a television set in the house. We often watch movies on it but it's on OUR terms (Thank you Lord for NetFlix) We have a PS2 that the kids play on and more then a few computers in the house with internet access. But we do NOT watch TV in our house.

So last night while talking with my daughter, I asked her if she was coming over this weekend. "Probably Not" She answered.

Now, understand that we had this conversation because I realize that she's a teenager - with a life of her own. One that can get complicated with me living 130 miles away. So I try to be considerate of such and let her pick which weekends to come over. (within limits) That being said, I asked "Oh, so you have something going on this weekend?"

Blithely she answered "Well, there's this program on VH1 this weekend...."

I think my silence spoke volumes, but next rather then come unglued I handled it via my usual mode. I laughed...

"Oh, I see how it is! Mom or TV, Mom or TV, I see where _I_ rate!"

And what happened? Rather then get huffy, or scream and me and tell me how much I don't understand her, she laughed too, and by the end of the conversation she slipped in "I'll probably be over this weekend"

She's a good girl!