Cutting the cable

© 2012 Lydia Hinshaw 

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 ORMOND BEACH, FL -- Nearly three decades ago, I lived on a street where cable television was not available.  I battled and argued and pleaded with the local cable company for four years or more before I could watch this ESPN channel I'd heard so much about.

 Last week, I had cable disconnected, and my television, too old to receive the current digital signal, is now useless.

 I'd been wanting to cut this cord for years, as the price jumped over and over again.  Most months, I was paying more for cable than I was for electricity.  Particularly galling was the requirement that I pay for dozens of channels I didn't want in order to receive the four or five channels I liked.

 I'd kept cable largely because the our series of summer house-sitters, 20-somethings, could not imagine being without it, and were willing to pay for it.  During our summers working in western national parks, we'd happily done without television and never missed it.

 This summer's house-sitter, when I quoted him the price, said he could do fine without cable, thanks.  This was the excuse I was looking for, and with Prince Charming's reluctant blessing, I ended my relationship with the cable company.

 We've gone four nights now with no television.  The thing I've missed most so far is the digital clock on the converter box.  My eyes keep going to the dark, empty shelf to check the time.  I am training myself to look at my watch instead.

 When October comes and we are back here again, we'll decide what to do about reconnecting.  More likely we'll use the $85 per month we'll be saving on cable to replace our 14-year-old TV with a new one and try our luck with the free TV that's available here.

 Or maybe we'll just replace the TV with a nice indoor plant, and spend more time blogging!