Kansas Senior Press Service Weekly Newsletters Kansas Senior Press Service Weekly Newsletters By Linda Wright
Kansas Senior Press Service
My family’s first TV set was turned off more than it was on. This was because television programming was limited, and also because my parents were certain that too much TV was not a good thing. So, in my childhood home, reading trumped television. The TV set occupied a small space in the living room, displacing our large floor-model radio.
Oh, the wonder of it all! I could actually see the Lone Ranger, rather than imagine the mask, the horse, and the silver bullets that, prior to the electronic miracle, had to be conjured by staring intently at the radio’s glowing insides. My parents would watch comedy or variety shows, and Dad followed the antics of various professional wrestlers — hair-pulling, tag-teaming, sleeper-hold fellows strutting their stuff on Friday evenings, a far cry from today’s Vegas-like wrestling smack-downs.
Television has quite a history, one much older than is generally known. I was surprised to learn that the concept of televised images came about in the late 1800s and that the first demonstrations and image transmissions took place in the early 1900s. There has since been a relatively consistent progression in television technology and culture. Today it’s common for folks to have not just one set, but multiple sets; there are countless options in terms of stations and programs; color television is the norm; and the size of screens is ever increasing. Some are large enough to justify selling tickets and popcorn!
Television has been a cultural change agent — icon of a modern age, influencing individuals, families, and lifestyles. Some argue that television has had a heavily negative effect on society. While I am not an apologist for the medium, I do believe that television has provided a wealth of information and a world view that would not otherwise be available to a majority of people.
Television has informed our history as well as our perceptions of history. The ability to be part of the first moon exploration and watch Neil Armstrong step onto the lunar soil as he took his “giant leap for mankind” is beyond compare. Television has permitted us to stand as live witness to our nation’s joys and its tragedies. Through television, we have shared countless experiences that have informed us, made us laugh and cry, and filled us with wonder. None would have been possible without television getting us close to the action.
Today, there are new advances in this medium. Digital television broadcasting is replacing the more common (and old standard) analog television found in most homes. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that on Feb. 17, 2009, the current analog television transmission system will be shut down — a decision supported and approved by Congress and the FCC. This action will require viewers to convert from analog to digital before the February 2009 date to receive television programming.
Although 2009 may seem distant, it’s not too early to plan for the change. So many of us rely upon television for news, weather information, and entertainment that it’s hard to imagine the result if people do not prepare and, as a result, lose access to TV broadcasts. This is especially concerning for folks who are homebound and who may rely almost exclusively on television for their contact with the outside world.
Review your options, including whether to purchase a new set or convert your existing one. Whether you are a frequent viewer or occasional, if you rely on television at all, now is the time to begin preparing for 2009 and digital TV.
In the words of the well-known Walter Cronkite, “And that’s the way it is.”
Linda Wright is director of the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging.
By Kansas Senior Press Service
At midnight on Feb. 17, 2009, federal law will require that all full-power television stations stop broadcasting in analog format and broadcast only in digital format (DTV). Some individuals are concerned that their televisions will become obsolete when the new system goes into effect.
If you have one or more televisions that receive free over-the-air television programming (with a roof-top antenna or “rabbit ears”), the type of TV you own is very important. A digital television (a TV with an internal digital tuner) will allow you to continue to watch free over-the-air programming after Feb. 17, 2009. However, if you have an analog television, you will need a digital-to-analog converter box. The box will also enable you to see any additional multicast programming that your local stations offer.
Manufacturers estimate that digital-to-analog converter boxes will cost $50 to $70. To help consumers with the cost, the government has established a converter box coupon program. Every U.S. household is eligible to receive up to two coupons, worth $40 each, toward the purchase of eligible digital-to-analog converter boxes. You will be able to request the coupons between January 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009 (while supplies last). The coupons may only be used for eligible converter boxes sold at participating consumer electronics retailers, and the coupons must be used at the time of purchase.
For more information on the coupon program, visit www.dtv.gov or call 888-388-2009 (or 877-530-2634 TTY).
If you receive cable or satellite television service, contact your service provider about any additional components, such as a digital set-top box, that you may need to watch digital programming.
If you are a cable subscriber, you may also receive digital programming using a “digital-cable-ready” or “plug-and-play” television. With this type of television, digital cable subscribers do not need a separate set-top box. Owners of these televisions may also obtain from their cable operator a CableCARD permitting them to view programming.
By Susan Walter
Kansas Senior Press Service
Do you have a baby-boomer daughter who played with dolls when she was a child? Are the dolls lying in a box or drawer, or did you sell them at a garage sale for practically nothing?
My daughter was one of those boomers. When she was 5 years old (she is 47 now), she received her first Barbie doll. We couldn’t afford Barbie clothes from the store, so I made most of them. Her velvet winter coat had a white fur collar salvaged from a pair of worn-out house shoes. Her evening gown was made from four-inch scraps of lace. Other clothing was made from any scraps I had near my sewing machine. The only items I purchased were shoes, boots, purses, suitcases, and snaps for the sewn clothing.
Barbie made her debut in 1959, wearing a black-and-white swim suit. She met her first boyfriend in 1963; her first girlfriend, Midge, in 1963; and her little sister, Skipper, in 1964. The number of Barbie’s friends grew as the years passed, but she was the queen of fashion. Barbie became the owner of houses and cars, and had outfits for every season and occasion.
Playing with Barbies gave little girls a chance to use their imaginations. There was a lot of role-playing. The closest I got to a Barbie doll was a paper lady cut from the Sears catalogue! We would design our own clothes.
Collecting dolls is big business for dealers. The first version of Barbie sold for nearly $4,000. They are worth more if they have not been removed from the box. What child would want to leave a Barbie in the box and just look at her?
Mary grew up and has a family of her own, with two sons but no daughters. Barbie and her apparel stayed in a box for many years. Then my husband, Norm, made a memory box for the dolls, with compartments for the dolls and other items in their wardrobes. A glass panel was put in to keep the contents free of dust. Norm also made a box for a little doll Mary received when she was 2 years old.
The doll memory boxes sit by Mary’s fireplace and are conversational objects her friends can enjoy. When Mary relates stories about the dolls, the tears start rolling down her cheeks as she reminiscences about the good times of yesteryear.
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Susan Walter, 87, is a creative writer, painter, quilter, volunteer, and swimmer. She has been married for 62 years and has six children.
By Dave Farson
Kansas Senior Press Service
Stranger, I am offended!
The woman was talking to a companion, and I was listening to their conversation. The stranger said, “Harold and I want to get all our traveling in before we are 65. After that, who knows?”
Stranger, who knows after 18, 21, or 30? Regretfully, there is mortality at all ages. That’s why I plan to have lists for after 65, 75 and 90!
The first thing I want to do after 65 is spread a blanket on the evening grass, lie down on it and look up into the sky. I want to count the stars. When I was a child, I counted the stars and got to 126. My friends said I was stupid. They were sure there were about 500. I have always wondered who was right. Getting down to that blanket will be more difficult than it was at age 7, but I am confident I can manage.
Next on my list is to get myself the most comfortable of chairs and sit outside in the evening. I want to sit there, breathe, and realize that there is nothing I must do. My life is completely my own. I can sit there as long as I wish. I can breathe with the universe. I can count time in monumental moments.
My third desire will be to chase a pretty girl down the street. I will not be able to catch her. If I come close, she will consider me a stalker and miss the compliment I am paying her. She will complain to the police, I will be in trouble, but it will be so invigorating!
The fourth item on my list is to paint a picture. I don’t think I have any talent in painting. I was afraid to take such a course in college. If I failed, it would have killed my GPA! But after 65, I will realize that one’s GPA is awfully small in the galaxy of worries. My GPA will never be mentioned at my funeral or in my obituary. So I am going to take a painting class. And maybe I’ll join a choir. I have about as much talent in singing as I do in painting!
The fifth thing I want to do is see new parts of the world. At its worst, travel can make me appreciate home. At its best, it can widen my vision and deepen me as a person. After having seen the homelands of others, I will better understand how others see the world. If I’m lucky, I’ll come away with a deeper understanding of why they see the United States the way they do.
I want to talk with my wife. She has been my partner for many years and I wouldn’t want to pass without telling her how thankful I am that she has shared my journey. After 65, we’ll have time just to talk. There will be less busyness in our lives and more time to turn off the television and talk. If she is nice to me, maybe I’ll let her sit on my blanket and count the stars.
I want to make time for friends. I can e-mail those who prefer that method, and I can call those who like to hear my voice. Too much of my life was spent trying to make a living, and sometimes I neglected my friends. From my new perspective, I can see that many relationships could have been deeper if I had taken the time.
I want to read the books I didn’t have time for when I was busy. I want to sit beside a lake with a book and, after 65, I won’t have to use the excuse of fishing!
The ninth item on my list is to stay engaged with my world. As my body counts its days, I want to stay mentally and emotionally engaged. I want to continue to care about the sidewalks and streets. I hope to care about whatever war is being waged at the moment. When young men and women are dying, the rest of us should not have the freedom not to care. The heart of democracy is engagement. The primary role of “citizen” is to keep the conversation going.
Finally, I want to keep making lists. I want always to be open to possibilities. I hope I will resist my limitations and look for ways to build my lists.
Stranger, you were right and wrong. You were right that no one can predict the future. But you were wrong in seeing 65 as some imaginary line where human beings begin the downward spiral. It could be the beginning of a new me. Who knows?
Dave Farson, of Overland Park, taught at Shawnee Mission North High School for 33 years. He is now a freelance writer.
These articles are also available electronically at the Center on Aging Website: http://www2.kumc.edu/coa/Senior_Press_Article/Topic_Index.htm