I admit I'm a huge movie and classic TV buff.
I’m truly a child of the TV Age, born at the dawn of the 50s as the still-new television’s popularity was soaring.
Lots of TV for me along the way growing up, and later a lifelong interest and enjoyment of movies.
Back in the Old Days there was no such thing as a DVR, my youthful friends, or even a VCR. It was the Age of TV Guide, within which I would highlight some of the shows I wanted to see that following week.
Because, well, in those Bad Old Days we at home had no way to record a TV show to have/own and watch later. We simply had to arrange our schedule around the time our favorite show was going to be on that night.
But then technology stepped in and changed my Life.
Video recorders and video cassettes made it possible to record – and collect – favorite TV shows and movies. Slowly my collection began to mount, as I thought: You know, if we ever move out to the Middle of Nowhere, we would have our own entertainment.
So my recording – and (later) DVD buying -- slowly began to fill up my home. Stacks of DVDs (I’ve at least tossed the VCR tapes) CDs and books now dominate my indoor space.
But here’s the Big Catch I didn’t count on when I started collecting all this video: Netflix. And HBO/Max, and Showtime, and Starz, and…..yes, subscription TV.
Literally unlimited entertainment possibilities. Not to mention the 300-400 actual room-invading DVDs in my current collection.
And me being me, I’ve even added Roku to the mix. And on most of the above channels, I have amassed lists of scores of movies/shows that I intend to someday watch…no, really.
And that’s when I finally wake up and realize: I’ll never live long enough to watch all these shows on my shelves and on my TV and movie lists.
I’m past 70 now, and time is taking on a whole new meaning as I read the obits.
I now see these shows as little bites out of the precious time I have left.
Oh, I guess I don’t really mind that much. I’ve always enjoyed trading a few hours of my Life for some cheap laughs and silly adventures – delivered via The Tube or on the movie screen.
But I know: I should find better ways to spend my time, especially as it may be approaching its end. Read more books, learn a new instrument (actually, I am), get a job (I do have one as a professional driver), volunteer, help old people, help young people, help animals, etc., etc.
So what’s my point, you may be wondering?
Listen: The Kids already have this figured out: They don't buy CDs or DVDs or books anymore.
It’s all there in their sweet little hands:
The smartphone.
No piles of useless, easily scratchable DVDs and CDs clogging up their indoor space. No wasted evenings copying movies. No wasted money spent to record something and then put it on a shelf to maybe watch once more at some point in the future … or not?
I realize I’ll never watch half of the shows I own or have waiting on my lists. And they all will steal a little time from me, but that’s OK.
Because I’ll just keep on watching and enjoying them -- as I sit back surrounded by all my video Time Bandits.
I wonder what's on tonight?
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