The Ultimate Babysitter

Good Morning World. I hope your weekend was as fair as mine. Apart from my Auburn Tigers getting absolutely throttled by Louisiana State University and spending 4 hours staring at a boat ramp (not tom mention a long story about a sailboat), my weekend turned out OK. We had some great groups over the weekend, including NC-MSEN from Durham, who took part in our Team Challenge Course program and Rock Climbing program. The weather was better than perfect, too. Either way, I heard some interesting conversations this weekend while eavesdropping...apparently, many families are foregoing the use of the television.

Why in the world someone would decide not to employ the use of a television is beyond me. Studies and research prove that the tube can occupy up to 4 consecutive hours of a child's time. Sure, this time could be spent doing homework, but TV is educational on a couple of the 300 channels. The odds alone say there is a 1 chance in 150 that a child will find some great programming. Parents, too, can reap the benefits of the small screen. Tired of family dinners and conversation with your spouse or children? Watch TV and eat dinner, simultaneously. Table setting and clean-up will be another nuisance wiped away by the marvelous television. Experts recommend eating off of paper plates, to eliminate wasted water through dishwashing. All can sit in peace and quiet while Brian Williams or Two Broke Girls remind us of all that is good in the world.

Still, there are those who attempt to villaify the television. Apparently, it can hamper and hinder a child and it's family from participating in a little exercise. That fix is easy....tie a cinder block to the remote. That makes changing the channel a challenge, but only if the remote control is actually lifted with the block. Some say programming is not educational. Are you telling me "The Real World 354" is not good? It's about the REAL WORLD! No, "Dancing With the Stars" is not a show about astronomy, but one could learn the tango and foxtrot!

The Television is the ultimate babysitter. It can entertain children, adults, and even pets, for hours and hours!

Nevertheless, I do watch a lot of television - but only after 9:00 pm and before 7:00 am. I love to catch the news...college football is another great way to relax on Saturdays. I also tivo a lot of items to watch later in the night as I wind down. And yes, many families are reaping the benefits from a reduction or restriction on television viewing. Families are re-introducing themselves to each other at the dinner table. Growing up, supper was the highlight of the day. Sometimes, we'd spend an hour at the table laughing and talking. Or figuring out a way to hide the squash on my dinner plate. Still, the supper table is where I learned about life. I probably didn't learn much, but it's more than I learned from the "Real World".

Anyway, to make a compelling argument for both sides, I have included my Top 10 Television shows of all time:

1) Saved by the Bell - Seems like just a few years ago when this scrubbed-clean teen show told me not to do drugs, drink and drive, or sell my parents home. They don't make 'em like this any more.
2) MacGuyver - There is no cooler show and you know it. Richard Dean Anderson could get out of any house, hole, or hideout with a spoon, breadtie, and saliva.
3) The Real World - Yep, I realize I criticized it above, but it is a classic. It's pure trash, but it has helped to shape what is acceptable. It's probably the Number 1 reason that folks my age are as tolerant as they are. It's had over 600 shows, and it's filmed from houses all over the world - something's working. I just wish it was like the early days, when the "house" had a real job and real problems.
4) One Tree Hill - My newest favorite. Set in North Carolina, it's basically a fantasy land where bad things happen to good people all the time. It's set for it's final season this spring.
5) Full House - Michelle Tanner did for child actors what Hoover did for the vacuum. 'Nuff said.
6) Scooby Doo, Where Are You - I'm very serious about this one. Originally airing on CBS in the early 70's, this gem is found on the cartoon network. Otherworldy ghosts were always discovered to be a character who was introduced earlier in the episode, and nobody - NOBODY - could ever guess who it was. The later stuff with Scooby Dum and Scrappy Doo just didn't hit the mark for me...
7) The original Iron Chef - It gets no better than translation that runs a full 3 seconds behind the actual conversation. Nevertheless, Iron Chefs, like Mosaharu Morimoto turned secret ingredients like Squid Ink in to ice cream in under an hour. Perfection.
8) Road Rules - Almost as good as The Real World, the traveling in this show was probably what lured me into a love for geography. And the dynamics of strangers living in an RV was always interesting. After Road Rules "Semester at Sea", the show became boring. I never, ever saw an episode from Real World "Northwest"...
9) Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears - Most memorable for it's theme-song, these guys bounced here and there from Gummi Glen to Drekmore where the awful Ogres could be found. I always wanted Gummiberri Juice, but to no avail. Cartoon classic here...
10) Marty Stouffer's Wild America - Sure, it lost some of it's intrigue when Marty was accused of illegally pursuing many of the animals he filmed. It's also alleged that he staged many of the animal scenes - mostly just by possessing the animals and releasing them on unsuspecting prey. Nevertheless, the chase scenes were incredible to watch. And, frankly, I'd rather learn about America's animals than those in Africa.

Enjoy the day...