I have griped before about my inability to deal with the latest TV technology. Since then we've acquired even more TV boxes and remote controls and satellites and even an iPhone app that turns your mobile device into a remote control. I think that gives us an even dozen remote controls.
Including a universal remote, which only works for half our TV equipment, thus making it a hemispheric remote.
Since getting an iPhone for Christmas, I've adapted seamlessly to mobile phone usage. (My previous phone was a 2004 model that once belonged to my daughter; two of mine were stolen/lost so it seemed pointless to invest in a new one.) The iPhone is simple for anyone raised on a Mac to adapt to, and besides, it works much like my iPad. But the remote feature turns it into yet another remote control, with funny shaped controls and the necessity to remember acronyms and a required order of clicking on various AV boxes and channel selectors.
Anyway, this morning I needed to fold clothes in the living room (a task which seems to have bypassed Man's need for technological improvement). I thought it would be nice to watch TV while I was folding. So I picked up a few remotes (my iPhone was upstairs and again, teleporting objects hasn't been invented yet) and tried to match the devices to the proper box by the company logo. The Panasonic obviously went to the TV, so I tried that first. A red light came on, signaling success! Then I knew I had to select an AV, so I hit that and chose one (there are five to choose from). No go. So I choose another one, and finally got a picture to come up. Unfortunately, it was only to inform me that BBC Four wasn't currently operating. So I moved up a few channels (apparently BBC's whole operation is inoperable for some reason) and found ITV. And there's the familiar face of Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, wearing her homespun dress and talking earnestly.
Bonanza! I'd managed to turn on the TV, ALL BY MYSELF! What an accomplishment! Except that, I didn't really want to watch Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman (who my youngest daughter always referred to as "Madison Woman", since we lived in Madison at the time).
Ironically, I was only able to watch a program that aired in the nineties on my newfangled 2011 television. I thought back to the good old days, when I could pick up a remote, hit a red button and turn on the TV, then select a channel and volume that was appropriate and carry on with folding clothes. Not any more. By the time I was done examining all the remotes and pondering the possibilities I was mentally drained.
So I turned to modern social media and complained on Facebook. I feel much better now. Modernity has some uses after all.
