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Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Fine, He Can Have His New Toy

I've learned...

Electronic toys aren't made the way they used to be. I remember the old Zenith TV my parents had. That TV was built like a rock.

Interruptive note: Electronics were, at that time, BUILT IN AMERICA.

Now, back to the story.

The old Zenith had a decent twenty inch screen, Dial knobs, and a color screen.

Interruptive note: REMOTE CONTROLS CAME AFTER THE INVENTION OF THE TELEVISION.

Now, back again to my story.

I remember owning this Zenith from the time I was born to my ripe old age of when I was fifteen. I've seen old home family movies of this particular Zenith from days before I was born. Therefore, I know this particular TV was much older than me when it was replaced. I was in third grade when dad Dick hooked the Beta VCR to it. Only a few years later, our VHS was connected along with cable to the same dial knobbed television. Within months, our first taste of cable service was connected.

Interruptive note: Televisions once were huge boxes containing a tube of rapidly pulsating light. These televisions were very large and heavy. Some of them even sat on the floor due to size and weight.

Now, Can I get back to my story?

That TV only tried to die only once on us, leaving me almost devastated as a child. What can I say, it was during the 1984 summer Olympic Games.

Interruptive note: Network Television once actually knew how to broadcast the Olympics without talking to hear their own voices.

NOW, LET ME GET BACK TO MY STORY!

I can’t exactly watch Mary Lou Reton score perfect 10s if the tube is fading black. Synchronized Swimming looses the fulfillment when half the routine is lost to turning off the TV to let the tube cool down. The end of the world loomed for an eight year old girl.

In 1984, that old Zenith TV was repaired, and all sign of devastation was gone. By 1991, there was nothing to be done for the old TV that would last. The old Zenith had filled twenty years of service, and needed retirement. Dad Dick came home with the new, larger, sleeker box of flashing light. Dials would exist on our TV no more. This had buttons and came with a remote. WOW! Cable could be connected without a router box. Amazing!

Our lives could go on. The Animaniacs were now in brilliant color. Movies were more like movies. This was new technology. Life was good.

The first TV of my adult life is a twenty inch RCA that, as of yesterday, is currently sitting atop my washer. After twelve years of loyal service, AV connections no longer hold for DVD players or Game Cubes. Sound ability no longer functions on the scale it used to. Buzzing is quite common during use. Packing tape is holding the outer casing together. This twenty inch RCA just isn’t made the way the old Zenith was.

So, the new HDTV came home yesterday. According to Bigboy, this is more my toy that his.

Whatever.

In just a few weeks, I’ll be watching the individual sequins and rhinestones on Dancing with the Stars.

Okay, he can have his new toy.