Still Nothing On?

Okay. So the other night, I was flipping channels and discovered there was nothing on that appealed to me. We have IO digital cable, we get like 200 channels...Sports, soaps, cartoons, SciFi, pay-per-view....nothing. Zero. Zip. Zilch. Nada. I threw my head back and groaned, tossing the useless controller onto the couch next to me. I sat there staring at the dark screen. Thinking about how I could have sooo many channels and there was nothing being broadcast that would hold my attention. Imagine. We have like ten channels devoted to sports alone! Cooking channels, travel channels, Gameshow network....it goes on and on. Maybe I've become spoiled. I laughed to myself when I think about my childhood. 

When I was a kid there were like 6 channels on the tv. We had the local affiliates of ABC, CBS, and NBC. PBS ( of course) and two or three UHF channels we got from Boston when the weather was just right. Yeah, that's right you spoiled little pricks out there. My tv viewing often hinged on the weather. 

One of my greatest tv treats growing up was watching the Boston Bruins on WSBK in Boston. Being in Rhode Island we were close enought to receive the signal but once the heavy snow flew, we relied on the rabbit ears and the antenna that was attatched to our chimney on the peak of the roof. Worse case scenario, when the weight of the heavy, wet snow destroyed any hope of receiveing a picture, we would lie in our beds, listening to Fred Cusik and Derek 'Turk' Sanderson, call the action at 1440 on the am dial. From Boston to Winnipeg, they were there. The knowledgeable statesmen of the game, giving us the scoop. Talking directly to us. Sharing their insights and tellign us stories from hockeys golden age. Listening to the game from far-reaching places in Canada or right in the cozy confines of the old Boston Garden. We'd be tucked, safe and warm into our beds; while outside a nor' easter would be hammering our tiny house that sat on the coast of Narragansett Bay with wind-driven snow and freezing rain. Ahh the good old days..

Those were the days before the evil, money-grubbing bastard corporation we know as the cable company came along. TV was free! Fucking FREE people! Every game, home and away. Gratis! It worked the same for the Sox too. Channel 6 in Providence would carry some games but again, the good folks at WSBK would carry the bulk of them. The along came the cable company and someone figured it would be a good idea to charge you to watch tv. Paying to watch tv. It almost killed my grandfather who loved the Sox as he did his own children. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" was his immediate reaction I believe. He paid though. Everyone did. You had to.

I snap back to realty and feel I should be grateful for the 'selection' available to me. I'm glad I don't have to climb onto the roof to adjust the antenna or have to fiddle with 'rabbit ears' to get a picture...but man..show me something gooooood.