New Electronics

Six years ago, Dennis purchased a large screen, high definition TV complete with surround sound. It was so huge, and our living room so small, that when you walked into our home, all you would see is the television. But it was what everyone else secretly desired to own, or so Dennis thought, and he loved the heck out of his set-up.

Over Christmas, Hamed, my nephew, pointed out that our picture was washed out and lousy for watching football. This got Dennis' attention. I think it was because our old, expensive, and state of the art TV was a rear projection model, and our new windows, full of sun, sucked all of the life and color out of it. That and a $350 lamp that needed replacement hadn't been changed for a while.

We set the end of February for the date to purchase a new one. Last Friday, however, our bedroom TV simply stopped working. It had never been a great TV and neither of us were surprised when it died. Saturday, Dennis told me we had about $2,500 in our checking account to spend on whatever we wanted to purchase. We decide to buy a new TV for the bedroom and we might as well buy the living room TV at the same time.

So, Saturday we went shopping. We bought a new TV for the living room and the bedroom. But it doesn't ever stop, with electronics, does it? We are the proud owners of a BlueRay (the next generation of DVD) and a fancy, schmancy outlet, that cost a pretty penny. Supposedly, all of this stuff will pay off in great pictures and preventing burnout of the television.

Life has changed dramatically, hasn't it? Almost everyone reading this will remember black and white TV. Some of us will remember the console TV. Some of us will even remember life without TV.

It's amazing how far we have come with electronics. Now if we could make some movement in brain disorders....

Super Bowl Sunday

Oh, gawd. It is Super Bowl Sunday. Dennis has the TV tuned to the game, 2 hours before it is scheduled to start. This is the longest football day of the year. He is even sitting on one of the leather chairs, for the event. His lap is covered with salsa and chips and he is sucking on a Coke.

The perfect football zombie.

I imagine there is a positive side to being a football zombie. He has a way to relax and ignore the outside world. Well, all but 90 football players, several coaches, many high cost ads, etc, etc, etc. At least politics, world woes, economics, an irritating disease and his partner mean nothing to him for a few hours each Sunday.

I have my own diversions. This is just one of his. I admit that I do not understand this particular means of letting go. I suppose that he does not truly comprehend mine, either.

So I will make the special Super Bowl dinner and try to watch TV with him for a few hours. But, most importantly, I will try not to complain too loudly or too often.