The Boob tube

I have a love/hate relationship with TV. When I was growing up I could tell what day of the week it was by what TV shows were on. Monday night was Little House on the Prairie (I used to fight with my sister over watching Little House or Captain and Tenille), Tuesday night was Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, then Three's Company. Wednesday was Charlie's Angels. Thursday was the Rockford Files, my sister and I would make popcorn. Friday was Donnie and Marie. I'd try and guess what kind of outfits the ice skaters would wear. Saturdays I'd watch Hee Haw while my dad and sisters were at church. My mom would make cheeseburgers or homemade pizza. Saturday night was Love Boat and Fantasy Island. Sundays was the only day we could eat supper while watching TV. We ate on TV trays and watched Star Trek. After school I watched Gilligan's Island and the Brady Bunch.

I loved TV. One day I made the mistake of telling my mom that I was so excited because my favorite TV show was going to be on. She said "Oh, really. What's your favorite show?" I said Three's Company. She asked "What's it about?" I said "It's about two girls and a guy living together." Ouch!!!! Why did I say that? That was the end of Three's Company for awhile. I tried to explain to my mom that it wasn't like whatever she was thinking, but she'd hear none of it.

One day my dad said I was spending way too much time watching TV and I had to limit myself to one hour of TV a day. I started to read after school.

I didn't watch too much TV in high school and college. In high school I was busy working and in college I spent my evenings studying. Really I did!

I say I have a love/hate relationship with TV because I think it's perfectly fine when there is something I want to watch. But I hate it when my kids spend their free time watching what I think to be stupid shows like Spongebob. I like to watch Frontline and American Experience on PBS (it's educational!) and I've gotten hooked on shows like Big Love, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and In Treatment.

But another part of me doesn't like TV at all.