Right after man invented the television, I'm quite certain he must have gone straight to work on the remote control. After a bit of research, I've learned that the first television remote, "The Lazy Bone", was invented in 1950. It was an awkward device connected to the TV with a bulky wire that was never popular because people were always tripping over the darned thing. Back to the old drawing board....
The infrared TV remote that we all know and love to hate was finally perfected in the early 1980s.
Now, for over two decades, women have been wryly noting man's obsessive/compulsive fascination with his remote control. In fact, their husbands' behavior is so cliché, it's become a long-standing joke and has undoubtedly been the subject of several psychological studies involving billions in federal grant $$$$.
My own husband, Dan, is no exception to the psychosis. When we finally find time to settle into our chairs in the evening, he carefully arranges his devices so they're close at hand and promptly takes charge. Over the years, I've learned it's simply less contentious to just let him have the damned thing. I'm not all that fascinated by television, anyway... well, except during Ghost Hunters, Wednesdays from 7 - 10 PM EST on the Sci-Fi Channel. Dan's not an idiot. He's learned I'll fight like a crazed she-bear defending her cub to protect my right to see what *I* want one evening a week. Granted this small concession, the remainder of the week I graciously yield control of the remote control to him.
However, if simply sitting back to observe a man constantly flipping channels, fiddling with the volume and the "Mute" during commercials and scrolling up and down and back and forth as he scans the guide wasn't bad enough, now, with the invention of TIVO and the DVR, man has been given access to a fourth dimension—Time.
Thanks to the evil scientists at Dish Network, my husband now has the ability to back up and replay every little detail that catches his eye. Honestly, I never know if I'm in "Live Mode" or reliving a scene from our recent past. Sometimes he'll spend what seems an eternity scanning back and forth in time to finally locate whatever in the heck it was he wanted me to see. I worry that we may or may not ever make it back to the present. It's madness, I tell you!
Hey, wait! You know, I've just realized there might be some small benefit to the insanity after all.
When I'm running late for work, I can just explain to my boss, "Sorry! I thought Robin Meade was in 'Live Mode.'"
Being a man, I'm sure he'll understand—perfectly.
~ Robin
The infrared TV remote that we all know and love to hate was finally perfected in the early 1980s.
Now, for over two decades, women have been wryly noting man's obsessive/compulsive fascination with his remote control. In fact, their husbands' behavior is so cliché, it's become a long-standing joke and has undoubtedly been the subject of several psychological studies involving billions in federal grant $$$$.
My own husband, Dan, is no exception to the psychosis. When we finally find time to settle into our chairs in the evening, he carefully arranges his devices so they're close at hand and promptly takes charge. Over the years, I've learned it's simply less contentious to just let him have the damned thing. I'm not all that fascinated by television, anyway... well, except during Ghost Hunters, Wednesdays from 7 - 10 PM EST on the Sci-Fi Channel. Dan's not an idiot. He's learned I'll fight like a crazed she-bear defending her cub to protect my right to see what *I* want one evening a week. Granted this small concession, the remainder of the week I graciously yield control of the remote control to him.
However, if simply sitting back to observe a man constantly flipping channels, fiddling with the volume and the "Mute" during commercials and scrolling up and down and back and forth as he scans the guide wasn't bad enough, now, with the invention of TIVO and the DVR, man has been given access to a fourth dimension—Time.
Thanks to the evil scientists at Dish Network, my husband now has the ability to back up and replay every little detail that catches his eye. Honestly, I never know if I'm in "Live Mode" or reliving a scene from our recent past. Sometimes he'll spend what seems an eternity scanning back and forth in time to finally locate whatever in the heck it was he wanted me to see. I worry that we may or may not ever make it back to the present. It's madness, I tell you!
Hey, wait! You know, I've just realized there might be some small benefit to the insanity after all.
When I'm running late for work, I can just explain to my boss, "Sorry! I thought Robin Meade was in 'Live Mode.'"
Being a man, I'm sure he'll understand—perfectly.
~ Robin
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4 comments:
We just got dvr in the last two months, and I love it! I've learned to start viewing programs 20 minutes after they begin, fast-forward through the commercials, and end up "live" just a few minutes before the end of the show! Great device; the advertisers must hate it!
We actually got our DVR about a year and a half ago but didn't fully take advantage of its functionality until recently. When Dan sulked because I didn't make it out into the living room quickly enough to see something he wanted to point out, I was the one who suggested he just back up using the DVR. He'd never thought to do that before. Now, I feel like I've created a monster. LOL
Yeah, and I agree, commercials are the devil.
Good riddance!
TV's are our means to declutter my mind for a while. When I am idle, my mind starts to make noises and one way to keep it shut is to keep it occupied visual animation provided by TV.
I have been aware of this and have resolved to less TV viewing, except for the news and spongebob squarepants. :-)
Walter, I've always wondered why folks are so afraid to be alone with their thoughts. Seems kinda sad, doesn't it?
Of course, if you're feeling stressed and your mind is in need of a little R & R, who better to vacation with than Spongebob Squarepants! :)
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