The problem with the Grinch was that it nearly always aired on one of two days:
- My Birthday (December 15)
- The night of the Church Christmas Party (floated, but occasinally landed on my birthday too)
Many years these events would conspire, and prevent us from seeing the Grinch's small heart grow three sizes that day. But one year, one magical year, on the day before the ward Christmas party, Dad came home with the most bizarre looking device I'd ever seen. It was called a "Video Tape Recorder", and supposedly let you ... record ... what was showing ... on ... TV. Now just to be clear, this predated VHS and Beta, and was some wierd smaller-than-either-of-them tape format, and the VTR was a two-piece unit, one housing the mechanical and electrical components for the actual tape, and the other piece providing the interface between the tape, the TV, and the cable. (or antennae, but WE had cable!)
Dad said he borrowed this magical device from work so that he wouldn't miss the Grinch another year, since the ward Christmas party was once again conflicting with it. (I'd bet money that if he didn't have 8 kids, he would have just said no to the party)
That was the first time I remember something really cool being borrowed from work. Over the years that followed, he brought home several interesting things, mostly for testing and working on at home, and eventually the allure of Dad bringing stuff home from work faded away.
Now, to quote Bill Cosby, "I told you that story so I can tell you this one..."
In my own life, I was extremely excited the first time I brought Pizza home from work. My mom was too, as I recall. After escaping the industrial pizza machine, I brought home all manner of music-related items from my music-related jobs... And in phase three of my professional life, I have brought home more boring computer stuff than ANYONE in my house would ever want to look at or know about.
But now... Now, my boring computer job is with a construction company... And when I have an overwhelming amount of yard stuff (like changing the landscape) to accomplish, and I asked the boss if I could maybe possibly borrow something to make it easier, THIS showed up in my driveway today:
AWWWWWWW YEEEEAAAAAHHHH!!!!
I spent a good couple hours tonight moving bark, moving dirt, and learning how to re-grade still more dirt. And I love it!! I finally feel like I've brought something home that can compete with my dad's VTR!
Oh, and driving it around, digging stuff up and dumping it somewhere else, made me think of this little gem, which The Donald thankfully highlighted earlier this week.
I! AM! MAN!
Wow Mike that is ONE COOL PERK!!! I do remember Dad bringing home that contraption. I can't remember if I lived at home at the time or if I was just visiting. But I do remember being just utterly amazed that there could be something as wonderous as a machine that could record something off TV. I even remember telling people about it and them thinking I was either off my nut or just plain lying.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your yard work this weekend. It should go by pretty quick I bet!
How fun! I bet the kids are wanting to take turns driving it around.
ReplyDeleteI loved the story about your dad and the VTR. We are completely spoiled in 2008, aren't we? We have every luxury, and great technology. We can watch The Grinch every day of the year if we want. I bet you couldn't have fathomed that in your youth.
YES!! ARRRGGG!!! What a sweet post. I would have to say that the mini dozer you got from work would rank up there with Grandpa's stuff. I think I would have went door to door to see if anyone needed some plowing done just so I could drive it more. Way to do a job like a man. Man.
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