Inside My Bubble

Beau and I have pretty much every modern convenience in our little house. I say pretty much because there is one that is missing. It is perhaps the most basic of conveniences: cable television. We do, however, have a very lovely set of rabbit ears behind our fantastic large screen, wi-fi enabled television. I know, it is a huge contradiction. They aren't even there to be ironic or funny, either. They are there for function. (And when I say function I mean we get all four PBS stations and a fuzzy FOX network.)

Really, who has rabbit ears these days? Don't worry, ours don't have tin foil on them. That would be a little too retro for us. Even if it got us NBC and 30 Rock, which I am in the know enough to adore.

So, because the rabbit ears are less than effective, I most frequently turn on the TV to stream my itunes through the speakers via Apple TV. (Yes, we have Apple TV, which no one has because it is pretty much useless, and no cable, which everyone has because it is awesome. Go figure.) Once in a while I'll feel a little saucy and will check out a show or movie on Netflix. And as soon as True Blood or Mad Men can be watched instantly there might be a little less Apple TV and a lot more Netflix.

Anywho, earlier tonight as I was my own business reading my book, I got a call from my mom. I thought it a bit strange since I had talked to both of my parents just a few hours prior. Mom wanted to tell me that my neighborhood was under tornado warning. WARNING. And she knew I wouldn't be watching TV to hear the beeping and see the crawl. She loves me.

Though I knew it was raining outside, I thought it was just a romantic little thunderstorm that would pass soon. Nope. Romantic little storms don't have the potential to rip our little house from its foundation and throw it. Ever.

As my mom's warning call made me fear for my life, I came to the realization that we have no interior rooms. (Remember the bathroom with the window?) Fortunately, the kitchen construction is about to start (more on that soon!!!) and I was in the process of cleaning out the utility closet. It happens to be built around the old furnace chimney in the center of the house. I knew that would be a safe little hide-out if need be.

Though it is still storming, the worst is over. There are a few small Crape Myrtle limbs in the yard, some latticework was blown down and my street is flooded, but life inside our little home is relatively unaffected. Candles are burning (just in case) and Apple TV is playing Chopin. Just as it should be.

Sometimes I feel a little out of it because I NEVER watch TV, and I don't think I've seen a movie in a theatre since Thanksgiving. I do read the paper every day and listen to NPR on my commute so that I can function in society. I do teach journalism and so know that being aware of world issues is important.

I just feel like television is so mindless and such a waste. I think my life is just as interesting as the lives of the Kardashians, the latest Bachelor or Bachelorette, or the Jersey Shore crew. OK, maybe not as interesting to anyone else, but interesting to me. Why live my life watching other people live when I could be living? You know, actually living. And doing. Instead of watching. Novel, huh?

Am I the only one out there who doesn't watch TV? Am I in a bubble for one? Am I missing something? Personally, I think I'm only missing HGTV and I can get that online... Well, maybe I'm missing the weather too.

Thanks, mom! You could have saved my life.