The Toshiba sign off
I remember in grad school, back in 1991, when we were predicting internet penetration rates. We didn’t think the internet would catch on because, at the time, there were still a large percentage of U.S. households without telephones. Soon, analog broadcasts will be discontinued and replaced with HD… approximately one-fifth of this nation still does not have cable and relies on rabbit ears for TV programming.
Now I’m a statistic. I don’t own a TV. I sold it a month ago because I wasn’t going to move the 150-pound monster one more time. I knew the standard was changing and it would be obsolete. Rather than making a new technology decision I opted to go old school and do without.
And I’m doing just fine.
I read more. I write more. I listen to my podcasts and music much more frequently. I get a kick when people come over and look around and then ask, “Where’s your TV?” Last night I said, “I don’t need one, I write.”
I’m sure I’ll cave eventually and buy a TV, but until then I’m going to see how long my personal social experiment can last.
Keith Olbermann, I miss you, but you are in my dreams… a lot.