I Forgot My MP3 Player. MISTAKE.

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I took Practically-Perfect Daughter to her orthodontist appointment today, since Mom had to be at her job this morning. I took a book along, and did get some reading done; I’m working my way through Jesus, Made in America, after which I hope to write a review for EFCA Today magazine and score a little cash. But I digress…

The mistake I made was not having my MP3 player handy to drown out the rather loud TV set that was reverberating through the waiting room. It was set on CNN, which I guess isn’t as bad as it being on MSNBendOverforObamaC, but nonetheless, the show was Showbiz Tonight, a wholly unredeemable piece of cultural litter accomplishing nothing but wasting people’s time and poisoning their minds, not so much with garbage, but with sheer, unadulterated banality. Though I tried to concentrate on my book, I was treated to what seemed like twenty minutes on the utterly inconsequential happenings of Christian Bale (I think), whom I identified as the guy who played Batman in The Dark Knight. Apparently, this degenerate launched into some profanity-laden tirade at an underling, and this required extensive discussion by a panel of people debating what Mr. Bale ought to do now. I heard discussion of Jessica Simpson’s weight problem (sheesh, somehow I’d missed the fact that she had one), and Comrade Obama’s remarks about that subject (“was he dissing her???”).

I’m sorry, but I will never, ever, the rest of my life, wrap my brain around the concept that anybody with an IQ above that of produce would have even the slightest passing interest in such utter drivel. What pathetic lives must be lived by the people for whom this passes as noteworthy? That’s an honest question, not an attempt at pejorative.

I could then open up a whole discussion of how I’ve truly come to believe that the worst, most addictive drug in Satan’s arsenal these days isn’t crystal meth, Winstons, or heroin, but that infernal squawk box, boob tube, the television that makes us massively ignorant stooges. No wonder Washington wants to give people vouchers so that they can make the transition to digital TV; with the hourly dumbing down of the population of the U.S. thereby, the politicians can pursue their nefarious dreams of socializing American society and instituting Hillary’s vision of a nanny state that will pester us into submission as long as we can just get one more episode of The Biggest Loser. But other than to say that it seems to me that a high percentage of Americans are themselves the biggest losers, I won’t have that discussion now.

Or maybe I just did…

30 Comments

  1. Narzack on February 5, 2009 at 5:52 pm

    Yeah, I know this isn’t what you’re asking for, but the whole issue is being blown way out of proportion.

    It’s a non-issue. This kind of thing happens all the time on sets. It’s an extremely high-stress environment, with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. 12-14 hour days, not matter the weather.

    And method actors are really touchy. Especially if their DP(someone who should know better than to walk around during a take)is constantly distracting them. At school, they taught us to not even look at the actor during a take.

    Anyway, blow-ups happen. They move on, the get over it.

    Not news.

  2. Derlin on February 5, 2009 at 10:53 pm

    At least Hulu.com admits they want to turn our brains into mush:
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/02/alec-baldwins-hulu-ad-fun_n_163170.html

  3. Warm Tarheel on February 6, 2009 at 9:15 pm

    TV, like the NFL, is pure drivel all around.

    I doubled over with laughter the other day when I heard some pinhead on the radio talking about the “crisis” that would ensue if we switched to DTV while 6 million Americans still don’t have a converter box. She asked “Imagine what would happen if the next day, 6 million Americans turned on their TVs and only saw a dark screen”.

    I know what would happen.

    Their brains would start to work again.

    And the government cannot afford to let that happen.

    • Byron on February 7, 2009 at 5:21 pm

      Precisely, though you can shut up about my NFL. In all Christian love, of course… :0

  4. Daron on February 7, 2009 at 12:49 am

    Responding as though I missed the point … carry earplugs.
    I keep a book hand for cancelled appointments but it is very hard to read even in a coffee shop (and especially in a fast food restaurant) without them.

  5. sherry on February 7, 2009 at 8:10 am

    I think the gov’t was shocked to discover how many americans still use rabbit-ears and rooftop antennas. There’s this ridiculous idea that “every” american has cable, two cell phones, an ipod, a laptop, a blackberry….

    We have two converter boxes, but our rabbit ears aren’t powerful enough for the signal to convert to digital properly. So we’re shopping for an antenna – and yet – I don’t think we’ll make the date (I hear the gov’t might extend it btw). I wonder what life will be like here? I’ll miss the morning news….I think I’ll put a radio in the kitchen for that. I’d rather just install the netflix box.

    shhhhhh…..don’t tell my NASCAR/NFL hubby – but I’m not going out of my way to rush the antenna install *bwa haha haaaaa*

    I saw the Hulu ad….anyone seen WALL*E?

    I don’t think we’re far away from being totally disconnected (and shtoopid). I had a conversation the other day with a guy who said he conducts “conversation classes” with college students who have no clue how to have a verbal conversation with another human being…..sans computerized interface.

  6. Warm Tarheel on February 7, 2009 at 11:27 am

    quoting sherry: “There’s this ridiculous idea that “every” american has cable, two cell phones, an ipod, a laptop, a blackberry”

    The ruling power elite all have cable, two cell phones, an ipod, a laptop, a blackberry.

    They can’t see the world beyond the outermost passing lane of Interstate 495.

    The best answer, of course, is to give up TV entirely.

    The concept of a “channel” or a “schedule” are now obsolete.

    Why should anybody sit back and accept what is being shoveled out at them by some program director at some network?

    Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. are the future.

    I don’t know the answer for airports and lobbies and waiting rooms where the Tube plays incessantly. For some reason, they always pick CNN, ESPN, or Oprah for consumption by their hapless victims.

    It reminds me of a book by George Orwell that I read back in junior high school.

  7. Flash McDirt on February 7, 2009 at 2:03 pm

    What’s worse are the sets tuned to Jerry Springer or Maury or shows of that ilk…
    Those shows glorify humanity at it’s most depraved…Makes celebrity ‘news’ seem wholesome and and an appealing alternative.

    • Byron on February 7, 2009 at 5:22 pm

      A matter of degrees, I suppose…

  8. Warren Throckmorton on February 11, 2009 at 12:57 am

    As I live and breath, NARZACK!?! Can it really be you?

  9. Warren Throckmorton on February 11, 2009 at 12:58 am

    Hey I know it is off topic but I did just go over 500 comments.

    They said it would never happen twice.

  10. Narzack on February 11, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    Holy crap, it -is- me!

  11. Warren Throckmorton on February 11, 2009 at 1:34 pm

    Byron – You need to start a thread where all the Avon alums can just shoot the breeze.

    I hope you are well Admiral.

    • Byron on February 11, 2009 at 11:09 pm

      Speaking of “Avon alums”, booking a house this week for June with the Dalton clan. There’s still at least one other available on the “FCC cul-de-sac” for the week of 6/6 (last week of “mid-season”; rate is $595, which is INCREDIBLE). Why don’t you get the Burtons or somebody and COME ON DOWN!!!

  12. Warren Throckmorton on February 11, 2009 at 11:24 pm

    That is incredible…hmmm. send me some info via email…

    • Byron on February 13, 2009 at 4:26 pm

      W,

      If the Byers are indeed going that week, it would seem incumbent upon the Throckmortons to follow suit, and to enlist someone else from FCC to do the same.

  13. Josh on February 12, 2009 at 11:22 pm

    Going back to Avon eh? You are lucky that the Byers brothers wont be there to kick your rear on the bball court… that goes for warren and his j too!

    • Byron on February 13, 2009 at 4:25 pm

      Byers boys kicking our rears on the bball court…hmmm…I don’t believe I have that memory.

      Then again, at my age, there are many memories I don’t have…

      I do so hope Laura is correct, and that the Byers boys will be there; though my bball skills, meager as they were to begin with, have no doubt eroded even further, it would be fun to make the attempt. Gonna be there, boys?

  14. Laura Cain on February 13, 2009 at 10:27 am

    I do believe that’s the week we’ll be down there as well.

  15. sherry on February 14, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    Would that be STARTING 6/6 or ENDING 6/6??

    • Byron on February 15, 2009 at 2:24 pm

      Starting. Come on down, the water’s warm! Literally…

  16. sherry on February 14, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    Assuming we’re WORTHY….

  17. Flash McDirt on February 14, 2009 at 4:40 pm

    I think you have to know a secret password, a secret knock, AND a secret handshake…

  18. Narzack on February 14, 2009 at 5:48 pm

    Pi-Ra-Sea dominates everyone.

  19. Warren Throckmorton on February 14, 2009 at 6:30 pm

    Josh is a little young for dementia. A shame too, he was such a nice boy, not a particular good loser, but a nice boy nonetheless.

  20. Warm Tarheel on February 15, 2009 at 7:27 am

    Sherri – We think you are worthy.

    To all FCC interested parties – If any of you wish for some variation in the route you must take from the Bleak Snow Covered North down here to the Southern Part of Heaven, you are most welcome to use our home as a pit stop.

    This alternate western route is about 9 hours from your house to ours (via I-79/I-77/I-40) followed by a second day driving to Avon on the order of 5.5 hours.

    And amazingly, going back the other direction works also.

    Just let us know.

  21. Warm Tarheel on February 15, 2009 at 7:29 am

    NARZACK LIVES?

    Where on this great big world wide web should one engage in merely sky watching these days?

  22. sherry on February 15, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    *somebody* send me details! I hear this begins 6/6 which would be the day after my firstborn dd graduates high school.

  23. Graham on February 17, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    I have scrolled down the comments and am now completely confused.

  24. Byron on February 18, 2009 at 9:15 am

    Don’t try to understand, Graham; we went way off-topic a long time ago.

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