"Living In A Black and White World"

Back in my childhood days a lot movies were made in black and white. The "colored" movies were special - and no I did not grow up in the Stone Age. TV was also in black and white for the most part, and I can well remember when we got our first colored TV set. I never was that crazy about black and white. I preferred to see the whole rainbow of colors.

However in this day and age there are still the rare movies that are made in black and white. Movie auters seem to think this gives the movie a gravitas that a "technicolor" film would not have. I don't buy that, but if they do and certain segments of the audience do, well more power to them.

Now let's switch subjects for a moment. I am what is known as "technically challenged." I can do some basic things with computers and other electronic equipment but get technical on me and I am lost. Both of my sons however are whizzes at the computer, etc stuff.

They grew up on computers and gameboys and other electronic fun things. They are the ones who insisted we had to have a VCR, which we got. My problem was I could never get the thing programmed right. The boys would always have to step in. Then they insisted I get a computer, and they set it up for me.

The problem is they grew up and left home, and left me with this equipment that is greek to me. I never did conquer the knowledge of the computer set up and I never could completely program my VCR. That is when they decided I needed a Tivo. 

For those of you who do not own a Tivo, or something like it, it is a machine that tapes TV shows for you effortlessly. You tell it what you like and then sit back and relax. It does it day after day, month after month, and year after year. I love it. Honest I do.

I have had my Tivo for about two years now and it has always worked perfectly. But about a month ago it began to skip some shows I wanted taped. I called the Tivo people and they walked me through some adjustments but it didn't get fixed. Then my youngest son came home and worked on it and it seemed to be fine EXCEPT it records some shows in black and white.

Now you see where this is all going. I am back to the dark ages, watching TV without color. I still love my Tivo and don't want a new one (I paid the one time lifetime service charge). So here I sit watching "American Idol" in glorious black and white.

But you know what, I am beginning to appreciate the glory of a black and white world. There are shades of black and white that almost approach the variety of colors. And when I am watching a serious drama I don't need the distraction of color. As Jack Webb used to say on "Dragnet" so many years ago, "I just want the facts ma'am, just the facts." Well black and white gives you the facts of the show.

Eventually I will break down and get a new machine and go back to my all color world, but for now it is a nice diversion. Plus sometimes we have to rough it to appreciate what we are missing.

 

 

 

 

 

©2006 Jackie K. Cooper

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