on to trivial things, like TV

so it's june 2nd.  we're halfway through the year and i think we're doing a pretty good job.  i think.

a while ago, a good friend of mine told me she and her family are moving and they're selling most of their furniture and appliances to make way for new ones or existing ones at the new house, which is actually the family home of her husband.  anyway, she was telling me about being able to cut down on some expenses specifically their cable tv.

which made me think why in heck don't we have cable connection at home.  

i grew up without it because my mom believed that it creates gaps among families because instead of talking to one another at the dinner table, the tv grabs everyone's attention.  so she made a rule that we cannot watch tv during dinner.  she also believed that we should read books instead of watching endless television programs. she did let us watch what was available in the local channels but she closely monitored what shows we watched.  so i grew up familiar with shows on free tv.

when i married, i discovered my hubby and i both didn't watch tv.  and when the kids came, they were automatically not fans of tv either.  for some time, i've considered getting cable for myself so i'd be able to  watch glee or american idol on the actual day they're being aired so that i would be up-to-date when they talk about it at work. and some people would usually tell me, whaaaat?  how can you live without cable?!! and it sometimes embarrasses me.  also, just so my kids will be familiar with cartoon network and national geographic just like the other kids their age.  so they don't get left out in kids' conversations.  i figured i didn't want to deprive them of that because somehow subconsciously, i was deprived of it during my time.   

but for some reason, i never got around to doing it.  i guess, subconsciously too, i believed  my mom. 

If you came and you found a strange man... teaching your kids to punch each other, or trying to sell them all kinds of products, you'd kick him right out of the house, but here you are; you come in and the TV is on, and you don't think twice about it.  

                                                                       ~Jerome Singer