Where’s your TV? – Quibbling Siblings

Debbie:

To hide or not to hide — that is the question. For years now, we’ve kept our TV behind closed doors when not on, in a lovely armoire. At first, this was because TVs were huge eyesores that took up an inordinate amount of space in a room (yeah, we’re old, but I refer to the CRTs). Now, it’s more because we have a 6-year-old son who gets very, very limited screen time, and out of sight helps with the out of mind stuff. Really, it does.

Keith:

Originally I thought, when LCD and plasma TVs starting becoming more popular, that they’d wind up becoming the focal point of the room. They’d be on all the time, maybe displaying photos or realistic works of art when a program wasn’t on — y’know, like the screen in Back to the Future Part II? But … I don’t think anyone really does that. People are green nowadays, so they’re not going to leave their TV on all day. So, just as before, when they’re not on, they’re dull black boxes sitting out in the open.

Debbie:

Let’s face it — TVs are the focal point of a lot of rooms, but that doesn’t mean they are pretty. But is that OK? I remember back when we were first married, and I was trying to convince you that we should hide the TV, you said absolutely not, that you were proud of your television watching habits and that we should not be ashamed that we are TV watchers. You finally came around to my shame point of view (because really, in the early years of marriage, who’s going to win that one?), but how do you really feel now? Let it all hang out, hold nothing back … we’re amongst friends.

Keith:

I hate where our TV is right now, and it’s hard to explain it to readers without them being here. Our couch faces a fireplace that’s ten feet away in our narrow family room, and there are very few choices where the TV can be: in the armoire — off in the left corner of the room, where it is now — or mounted above the fireplace. I hate that I have to sit looking off to the left corner of the room to watch TV, but ten feet away, up above the fireplace, our necks would hurt! Nevermind where the media center crap would be stored. It has to be where it is now.

That said, I’m fine with hiding the thing when it’s not in use, off in the corner. And I like having cool stuff and real artwork above the fireplace rather than a big, black rectangle.

Debbie:

Our marriage is so boring … we can’t even quibble. …

Keith:

I still think the TV should move to a whole other room — and be bigger — but that’s a whole other quibble.

Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Sep 02, 2011 @ 10:00 EST5EDT