The Country Newspaper

Among the delights of rural living is the local newspaper, in our case called "The Current." Issued twice a month, it is packed with ads and interviews with local merchants and members of the Chamber of Commerce, plus photographs of local awards ceremonies, benefit events, and ribbon-cuttings -- and the goings-on at the food pantry and Senior Center. I favor those photos of a philanthropic group handing over a poster-sized check to whoever gets it. I also enjoy finding out what names folks are giving their babies these days: Painter, Logan, Chance, Destiny, Harley. All the writing and photography is bylined by one person, except for the Letters column. This week's Current front-page headline is especially charming: "Kiwanis Celebrates 15 Years of Bowling." But see for yourself...I read every word, including the "On Grandma and Grandpa's Knee" anecdotes.

There's an election April 6 and you can bet this week's Letters column is a hoot.

I Don't Got No TV

After last week's digital changeover, I get only 3 TV channels and they are channels of nightmare: one broadcasting over and over, in English and then in Spanish, the message that if I'm seeing this message I am f----d and should call some number that never answers; and two digital channels owned by, run by, and featuring the best-known local evangelist. (And his toupee.) (Whatever it is about toupees, I can't take my eyes off 'em.) The only entertainment offered is reruns of "I Spy." I sh-t you not.

Getting any signal at all proves my antenna and TV do receive digital -- without a converter box -- but most signals from the city, 35 miles away, are too puny now to reach me. AT&T U-Verse doesn't serve this area. Guess I'll try a company a day until I find one that will. Wonder how many people are diggin' through their pockets to do the same as I.

In the meantime I let the TV mumble through its repeating nightmare. For company. To fill the dark corners of the house and the mind. And I don't chide myself. I've seen TV all my life and can't be expected to go without it for the remainder.