"Oh, yeah," I thought to myself this morning when I heard on the radio that today was the big day. The transition from analog to digital television was made today here in the United States. At least, I think it was. I felt the tiniest bit tempted to turn my TV on to see if it was picking up the new signal, but decided against it. This was big doings in the Jitterbug household last winter when they were planning to make "the switch" in February. I'd purchased my converter box, fussed about trying to pick up stations, figured out - finally - that my set would need a digital antenna, set that up and fussed about some more. Everything was in order when I parted ways with my television three weeks ago, so I'm sure it's fine now.
One of the things I'm certainly not missing about TV - analog or digital - is the constant grumbling about weather. Oh, those local newscasts... They'd moan and groan if it was in the 60s ("Too cold!"), they'd moan and groan if it was in the 90s ("It's a sizzler out there!"), they'd gripe about the slightest breeze ("Gusts of up to 40 mph!"), and rain? Forget about it. The softest shower was built up to be some massive rain system moving through the city. As if the griping and groaning and going over it again and again is going to make the slightest difference. It is what it is outdoors. All you have to do is open a window and you can see and feel what's going on out there. If your allergies are acting up - yep, there's pollen on the move. I can see how important forecasts would be if you were a farmer or if you lived in a Northern climate during the winter. I know firsthand how great Doppler radar is when a snowstorm is moving in. I used to get really frustrated hearing all that grumbling from the anchorpeople several times a day. (Not frustrated enough to just turn off the TV, mind you!) But it's an irritant that's gone now. Completely absent. I don't think I've heard a weather report of any kind in three weeks and I'm surviving quite nicely.
Another subtle shift for me is that I think I'm becoming more attentive to things like song lyrics. Music that was once more background for me than foreground is now the main attraction. If I'm sitting here tapping away at the keyboard and listening to big band, I'm really paying attention to the song. And this is probably going to sound goofy, but it's as if the lyrics of ballads and things are beginning to seem more passionate - and sexy at times - than they used to. Frank Sinatra singing "Sunday, Monday, or Always" is all crazy sexy to me now, and I probably would have written it off as a nice tune several weeks ago. It's kinda funny. Today's singers think they need to practically have intercourse on stage in order to elicit the same reaction that Sinatra got just from the way he paced his lyrics. And the catch in his voice. The bobby soxers were swooning in the aisles, but I'll bet there was many a housewife who stopped - iron in mid-air - to close her eyes and listen with a smile...
I'm getting ready to spend a few hours catching up with my kitchen. Because of the changes I've made to my housekeeping routine this week, I just wanted to post the revised list of chores I'll be doing on a weekly basis in the kitchen. These would have been daily tasks for the '40s housewife - and probably still are for many of you!
Open windows top and bottom for free circulation of air, or open kitchen ventilator.
Rinse and stack dishes, pots and pans.
Check and reorganize foods; put away.
Collect all refuse and put in garbage can.
Wipe off top of refrigerator and all work surfaces in need of cleaning.
Wash dishes. Dry and put away, if not room to rinse with hot water and leave to dry.
Wipe off surface of range. Clean spilled food from drip pan or oven.
Dry damp work surfaces.
Dust radiator or register.
Take out garbage; put clean lining in garbage can.
Clean sink. Rinse dishcloth or mop; hang outdoors if possible.
Collect soiled towels; wash. Hang fresh towels.
5 comments:
It is really quite annyoing hearing everyone complain about the weather. It is what is is, and there's nothing we can do about that, so what's the sense in complaining?
I completely agree with everything you said about Frank--his phrasing and timing were always spot-on. He was an amazing singer, and my personal favorite from the Golden Era. And "Sunday, Monday, or Always" is one of my favorite songs, too. :)
I hear you on the song lyrics. I used to let a lot more by, but then I started listening to song lyrics thinking "Would I want Miss Kitty to be singing this?" - kind of puts a different perspective on things.
klaranovak, I loving listening to some of Sinatra's live performances for Hit Parade in the early '40s. You can hear the audience going wild in places and - oh! - to see what it was they were responding to. Did he point or wink at somebody?
Amy, it's nice to know I'm in such good company! That's the one thing about housework. It may seem a bit drudge-y at times, but there must once have been a great sense of camaraderie in knowing that all the women on your block were engaged in the same kinds of work...
Mama Kitty, my mom and dad must have been horrified at some of the lyrics I was singing along to as a teenager! And the music of the late '80s and early '90s now seems quite tame in comparison.
I know you said you don't have high speed internet and therefore cannot listen to streaming OTR. I was wondering if you were interested in "inheriting" some of the OTR I have to keep you entertained during your no TV time? I'm not sure what genre you like best, but I have lots of crime/detective and some comedy. Let me know, I'd be happy to share with a fellow OTR fan.
You're so kind, Kathy! Actually, I have so much OTR in my collection I'm not sure I'll ever hear all of it. :) For the last several days, I've been listening to the CBS broadcast on D-Day.
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