Did I really just harumph?

My spouse was shocked and amazed. He told me that I just did the perfect "harumph".

This is a word that will give spell checkers grief, but if you google you will find many good definitions for it - the best one I've found is from en.wiktionary.org: An expression of disdain, disbelief, protest, or dismissal; a huff, grunt, or snort

Yes, I have huffed, grunted or snorted my disdain when I found out there was some great tennis being broadcast right now, but I would have to pay to see it! We don't have cable anymore, and to see tennis online you need to pay for it. I've gotten very used to being able to see most entertainment online for free. Yes I know it costs money to broadcast events, but I thought all the advertising you have to endure while watching the events paid for them! If I do pay for it, do I get to skip the advertising? I doubt it.


But the problem is... a "harumph" is usually performed best by grumpy old men! Have I really mastered the art of sounding like a grumpy old man? Good grief.


And what about "bleurgh"? Can I pull that one off? Or "yeesh", "neener", "argh", or "bleh"? Guttural exclamations, that's my future. I wonder if this is because I've left TV behind? The mind wanders into new territory when not continuously spoon fed drivel, but is this the right direction to wander in?

What will I miss about cable TV?

We've recently moved, and in all the clutter, we haven't bothered to get ourselves comfortable around the TV yet.

We do intend to get a flat panel TV, but we haven't bothered yet.

I do use the old TV to play with my Wii, but that's about all we've done with our old TV so far.

We moved in over a month ago. I don't think we'll be needing cable TV in the future! We haven't missed it!

With the growing availability of TV programs available on the Internet - through youtube and many of the networks like the food channel and even the space channel - we have been watching some programs on our computers. They do typically insert 1 commercial 4 or 5 times inside the program, but it's better than 6 commercials 18 times an hour like you get on cable! And you can start and stop the programs whenever you want! No more making it home in time to watch...

But what will I miss about cable TV? I will miss Vince and his Slap Chopper.

I went to see my dentist last week, she has TVs on the ceiling so you can distract yourself when she has her hands in your mouth. And she of course has cable. I flipped through a few channels and landed on a commercial for Slap Chopper. Yes, Vince is so thrilled about his product, and so eager to convince his viewers that their life will be so much better with his product, I stopped flipping channels and watched the commercial!

So why is this commercial the only thing that catches my eye? Why is it the only thing I've been missing without cable TV? Is it the product? Nah. I have something just like it, and it doesn't make life better, it's just more to wash up when I use it. Does Vince have sex appeal? Nah. He's kinda young for me, nice kid, but. Does the artistic value of the commercial scream for attention? Nah. It's just a guy in a kitchen.

So why is this something that pops? I think it's because Vince seems to be talking directly to you, and he's just glad to be doing it! How often does that happen?

When I'm out in the park in the morning and someone says "Good morning!" as they run by, they mean it, and they only do it because they're happy, and I say "Good morning!" back at them. It's the same kind of feeling as I get watching Vince. There's no obligation, it's just a happy person being happy. I find that appealing, and so unusual coming from the TV. So I'll miss Vince.

Funny old world, isn't it?