How Did We Survive?

As I was on vacation this week, lying in the golden Florida sun, I was talking to my beautiful wife about the things are (or aren't) on television these days. We stayed home last night and rented a movie that was a complete and total bust. So we turned on the TV to see if we could find anything there to watch, and much to my chagrin there was nothing! Nada. Nil. Zilch.

We began talking about our favorite shows as kids growing up in the 70's and 80's. There was Little House on The Prairie, Sanford & Son, The Brady Bunch and the list goes on and on. Every afternoon immediately following school, Batman was my world. And as we spoke, I began to wonder aloud, "How in the world did we survive as children without XBox, PS3, and Netflix?"

    My wife and I grew up in world pre-cable and pre-satellite television. We had 3-5 channels depending on the weather. There was CBS, NBC, and ABC. That was it! If you couldn't find something to watch on one of those three channels, guess what? You went outside, where Mom wanted you to be anyway, and played until the street lights came on.

     Today, there are as many channels in as many different languages as you choose to pay for. The condo we're staying in this week has basic cable and has 60 damn channels! (and there's STILL nothing on!) How in the world did we make it through such a tumultuous childhood?

Answer: we had parents that made us play outside. Parents, run your freakin' kids off the Play Station and outta' the house and let them run around in the woods and bring home dead stuff to show you.