The Midnight Special

When I was a kid back in the late 60’s we saw TV in black and white. Color TV existed of course but our house didn’t make that transition until 1970 or so. I remember the day we got our first color TV set. It was an RCA with a really bitchin’, smooth turning channel knob. It also had three buttons on it. I don’t know what they were for because my sister and I were not allowed to touch them.

We were now living large. We had all three networks in full color. No, make that four. There was also PBS. So four, read it, four channels in full color. Yeah, that’s right. By turning the channel knob we could watch any network we wanted to, anytime we wanted to and in color.

That is until the TV gods decided to quit broadcasting for the day. Late at night, every night, the Star Spangled Banner would play and images of the flag, majestic purple mountains and amber waves of grain were shown on the screen. Suddenly an ear-splitting tone would shoot out of the TV at the same time the dreaded “test card of death” appeared.

When you saw this it meant you would not be seeing anything on TV until the next morning. At all. On any channel.

This was my favorite show back then. “The Midnight Special” aired from 1972 to 1981. I think. I do remember it coming on every Friday night. It was a show featuring the biggest music acts of the time. They played live right on TV and perhaps because of what era this was it was never, ever boring.

I want you to see two of the most memorable performances I saw on this show. I was bored last night and had nothing better to do than look this up. I remember seeing this for the first time back in the 70’s. I think it has everything to do with the fact that to this day and at my age I still love loud, snotty guitar rock.

I am the master of procrastination

I got home Friday afternoon after my usual monthly work related road trip. After I unloaded my bag and changed clothes, I shuffled out toward the kitchen to start dinner. Out of habit, I began the search for the remote control to the TV. Due to experience, I analyzed the drop pattern of the batteries and found it in the nearest couch cushion. After finding it and putting it all back together I pushed the power button. It was then that I remembered that this was the day that TV went digital.

All the channels were nothing but white noise and snow flurries. A swarm of flies. Fly races as we called it as kids. I knew this day was coming and I did absolutely nothing about it despite the one year warning. Why? Because a one year window to me means I don’t have to exactly get on it right away. I’ve got plenty of time, right?

Well, my time ran out and now we have no TV. Personally, I don’t really give a shit but the daughter is going to be a little pissed off. Where did the time go? I’m not a TV guy. I only look at it when I’m cooking and eating dinner. I could live without it.

I’m told to go buy a converter box. I hear that the instructions for hooking it up are vague at best. I also hear that these boxes rarely work right.

It is my understanding that a “rabbit ear” antenna is supposed to be plugged in to the device. My TV has never had any type of antenna at all. It always had a perfectly clear signal with the use of a pair of scissors and a butter knife.

We’re probably just totally screwed until I can come up with the money for a digital TV.

Edit to post 6-15-09: To give due credit, I received this from Laurie Kendrick. I’m not sure if she sent to me because of this post or if it was just a fortunate coincidence but I thought it should be added here. I’m not one to tell others how to raise their kids but I think it would be best if the kids were asked to leave the room for a few minutes if the link below is opened.

Sony releases new piece of shit.