the dark ages

We have gone without cable for about two years now. Noone has died or suffered. Most people we know~ co-workers, friends, family~ are astonished that we survive without cable. Personally, I think it is too expensive. We really aren't missing anything. And to be honest, we don't watch that much television to warrant spending that kind of money each month. It didn't help that we had to play catch up on alot of bills as well. We probably would have continued "living in the dark ages" had it not been for these darn mountains. Don't get me wrong, we love living in the mountains. It is beautiful and serene. It is calming and hypnotic. But they also interfere greatly with the old-fashioned rabbit ears we have connected to our nice, modern flat-screened Sony we bought in 2004.

Since we have moved to the "valley", the standard stations barely come in. If you choose to watch something, you end up playing an endless game of re-arranging the antennae, therefore wind up missing what you were planning to view in the first place. ABC, CBS, NBC PBS & FOX are mere blurbs of static and annoying white lines. Enough is enough.

Since Adelphia has a bundled package with internet service, we might as well throw that in the mix, too. Probably pointless seeing how the last couple years I barely have time for internet once I get home, and am fairly sick of looking at the computer in work anyhow. Since our last move, the computer and computery equipment have been sitting in the basement/laundryroom. Greg asked a valid question after making the cable installation appointment yesterday.

"Does the computer monitor even work?"

Good question. Our computer was purchased in 2002. It has moved umpteen times. We came to the sad realization last summer we really needed a new computer. The monitor picture would go on hiatus and become a thin, horizontal, skewed line. You'd have to smack the top of the computer to wake it up and hope that the picture would come back. Think of how annoying it was to read an email, check something online or for Clare to play a computer game. Pointless. Which is another factor as to not having internet connection at home since last summer.

With no hope of buying a new computer~ or at least a new monitor anytime soon~ (the spare funds which exist are being poured into Clare's First Holy Communion festivities in May), either the monitor will die completely or it will like living in the valley and decide to make it just a wee bit longer till we can make a new purchase. Who knows.

I guess even though we are coming out of our dormancy of lack-of-personal electronic entertainment around home, we still are behind on the times. We don't own an iPod. Greg's last Palm Pilot died. I hate using my mobile phone and I miss receiving hand-written letters.

I guess living in another century really would've suited me just fine!