The Stranger

[(CUB HUT)]

This was sent too me --I will pass it on

A few months before I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our
small Tennessee town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this
enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The
stranger was quickly accepted and was around to welcome me into the world a
few months later.

As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind,
he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom
taught me the word of God, and Dad taught me to obey it. But the stranger He
was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with
adventures, mysteries and comedies.

If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always
knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able
to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball
game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped
talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.

Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each
other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to her room and read
her books (I wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)

Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger
never felt obligated to honor them.

Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home... not from us, our
friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor however, got away with
four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother
blush.

My Dad was as a teetotaler who didn't permit alcohol in the home, not even
for cooking. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis.

He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes distinguished. He
talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes
blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.

I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced
strongly by the stranger. Time after time, he opposed the values of my
parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... and NEVER asked to leave.

More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our
family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was
at first. Still, if you were to walk into my parent's den today, you would
still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to
him talk and watch him draw his pictures.

His name?.... We just call him, "TV."

**Note: This should be required reading for every household in America!** He
has a younger sister now. We call her, "computer".

[jostev]

Johnny

[cowboy]

I wonder how few peaple are like me. I have a tv vcr/dvd and a camcorder. But I do not have cable or a satilite or a antenna and haven't even turned it on in over a month. I do have a room piled up on two walls of SF books though. And when over somone elses place perfer discovery, history, monster machines or things like that. + having a cub, horse, misc toys. And most important my health to enjoy being outside and building stuff.

Billy

[johnbron]

Cowboy, I am one of the few like you. I never watch TV except for football games. I dont even watch the news. Although I have a TV that I use daily but only for the internet as it is My 27" monitor.

[W6NZ]

TV is hardly worth watching, if its not doom and gloom, its violence and sex. Give me a good book anyday or a good radio station.

[johnbron]

TV is hardly worth watching. Give me a good book anyday or a good radio station.

////////////////

I agree, My radio is on 24/7s and at this moment I am listening to a Basketball Game.

[DuxburyFarmall]

I admit I do watch TV. However I tend to have it on the History channel or discovery channel.

I read all day long programming and then usually spend an hour or so reading at home (programming books and SciFi/Fantasy books).

Chad

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Cowboy, like you I do not have a satellite or cable, but I do have an outside antenna.. I mainly watch the news, and occasioanly antiques road shaow, but my favorite is the RED Green show. Those pretty much comprise my tv watching, but I do listen to the radio a lot.

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

[ljw]

Cub-Hut, That is so true. I don't watch current TV shows, but I do watch a couple of reruns at dinner time (Seinfeld & Raymond), and the news. Why anyone would watch the news nowadays is beyond my comprehension, but I do. I think that it is an addition. I'm trying to quit watching so often. How many times can a human watch the same episode of a sitcom without suffering some brain damage?
I do listen to Limbaugh on the radio. But the older I get, the more often when I'm watching the news or listening to talk radio,I stop what I'm doing and wonder why in the world am I listening to this incessant arguing, bickering, etc. I then turn it off. I'm learning, but old habits are hard to break.
Current TV programming teach children disrespect, sexual pre-occupation, if it feels good, do it, etc. After kids watch this stuff for a while, they think this outrageous behavior is the norm. Unfortunately, after a period of time it becomes the norm.
Is it me, or has anybody else used that clicker to go through 70 channels and find nothing fit to watch. And I actually pay for this service!
I haven't been to a cinema in years. Actors can't act anymore. They get a pretty boy and a pretty girl with big bazooms and there's your movies. Where are the Cagney's, Fonda's, Stewart's, Wayne's, McQueen's??? What happened to dialogue? Even the books nowadays are mass produced. They're all about lawyers and CIA agents.
If you sat a person down and made him read "Lonesome Dove" by Larry McMurtry that would be one of the standards by which future books would be judged. If you haven't read that book, you owe it to yourself! Blue Duck was one of the meanest, scariest literary bad guy you will ever read about. Even the made for TV series was excellent! Except for Angelica Huston. Larry McMurtry is the greatest storyteller I have read.
Excuse me, I must watch Pres. Bush live in Pakistan!
Larry

[cowboy]

Wow I did not expect this response. I really thought I was alone in my dismissal of tv. I have felt that while its not "brain washing" it may be "brain conditioning" geared toward making people uncritical buyers. I feel one should ask themselves of things, ideals and so called facts. Does this make sense, how do I feel about this what does this mean to me And be willing to do research to see if ones ideals stand up outside their head. Not taking uncritically some actors lines in a movie to anser lifes questions and give meaning to ones life. As I believe that comes from within.

Billy

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

I have seen this more and more as time goes by. whne I had to have a hip replacement a few years ago I was warned that due to the severity recovery would be long and slow, and a s a result I was considering getting a satellite sytem. After seeign waht was avaliable on the cable at the hosptial I didn't bother with the satellite. i do spend a lot of time readign though. I can only stay on my feet for limited amounts of time, and my resting time is ususally spent reading, with science fiction and old westerns beign my favorites. In winter I normally go through 2 or 3 books a week, and usually 1 or 2 a week in warm wether. . A couple of friends buy them at used book places and flea markets, and pass them around.

[400lbsonacubseatspring]

[muleboss]

I am glad to see that I am not the only one that enjoys life without TV. We only have an antenna outside and I think we can only get 4 channels. We very seldom go to movies, have no cellphone, have an answering machine only because our modern kids gave it to us., we have the dial up on this computer with the 17 in screen I am using. We got computer when kids were home and in school. But now I need it so I can come to this site.
I bet you are saying , just what do these people do? Well we play with our many toys(cubs and other small tractors) , still ride and farm with our mules and horses and most of all enjoy each other and our GRANDKIDS when ever possible.
I Love my life

[Bigdog]

The "Visitor" is no different than any other visitor we may have. It depends on our relationship with it and the amount of time we spend with it. The control is our responsibility. If we choose to let it run our lives, it will. If we choose to take control, we can enjoy the benefits and avoid those things we want to avoid.
The real key is that we must take charge and not blame the "visitor" for our shortcomings. We can let "the visitor" take control of our lives or we can control our lives. Whose choice is it?