Boob Tube

I have officially seen everything there is on TV. Everything.

And I'm sorry to report - there is nothing worth watching.

I have, unfortunately, spent a lot of quality time on the La-Z-Boy since May when the whole radiation treatments really started to knock me over. And the La-Z-Boy is pointed right at the TV.

I've never been much for the TV. The radiation treatments did have some affect on my eyes and general concentration making reading a bit difficult (something that continues to clear-up). In the past I have often listened to music, but I always listened to music while I was working in my office...and now I'm not working in my office and that is where all the music is. So the TV became the perfect distraction that didn't require a great deal of commitment or concentration.

And now I've seen everything on TV. Everything.

It's terrible.

I always remember my Mom saying when I was young, "I don't want a bunch of kids who just sit in front of the TV all day." Thanks Mom, sincerely. The boob tube is really just one big advertisement.

I rarely watched TV growing up, some sports, and Saturday morning cartoons with my Dad before he left to knock out a couple hours at the office. Cable TV didn't reach Golf Road until I was off to college. We had an antenna and may have had 10 channels.

Now I have over 250-channels, and there's still nothing on. Oh...there are commercials, more and more and more, ever-growing commercials.

And I do understand, there is no one to blame but ourselves. TV could be thoughtful, entertaining, engaging...but they give us what we want. And what we want as a whole is Jerry Springer, Dr. Phil, and everything else that graces our airways. The TV producers are simply in the business of broadcasting content that the largest amount of people will watch, so advertisements can be sold for top-dollar.

A good friend of mine has a son who has just entered the 10th grade. When you walk into his room at home he is nearly always instant messaging a friend or four on the computer, while talking on his cell phone, and playing Madden Football on the PlayStation on his TV.

The most exciting thing in my bedroom growing up was my brother.

Can you still tell a kid today to go to his or her room?

The changes over time make me feel older. But I'm not sure the changes to the boob tube overtime have made us better as a whole.

One great thing about gaining strength and feeling better is the capabilities to do more and get off the La-Z-Boy. And I took advantage of the strength to stream music from the office computer throughout the house.

See 'ya TV.