How I Solved The Remote War

During these unprecedented times, we need to learn to relax, smile, and be thankful for those little things that also matter. 

In households across the planet, there's a war going on. It is the TV Remote War. Can you remember watching TV before the remote was invented? There certainly was a lot less fighting over channel selection. 

Channel surfing was not an option.

Time Before A Remote War

Buying a television in the 1970s was a major purchase for us. We saved our pennies to buy a used one in good condition. Buying a new one was out of the question.

Hubby and I were two of the lucky ones as we were able to find a used black and white TV for $200. There was only one minor problem. 

The channel selector knob would not sit properly on the channel. The only way we could get it to stay in place was with a rubber band. 

We would use a short wide elastic band tethered between the channel selector and volume control. To adjust the volume or change channels you had to maneuver that rubber band and hope it held. 

Many times, smack in the middle of watching a suspenseful movie the rubber band broke and the force caused it to fly across the room, just missing our dog's head as he was sleeping on the floor. 

Sometimes we didn't have another rubber band to replace it until the next day.  

Excited about the new purchase we were thrilled to have three channels to choose from and on days when the weather was just right, we were lucky enough to get the fourth channel. 

ALERT: If you put aluminum foil on the ends of the antenna it would almost always guarantee a clearer picture.

New Is NOT Necessarily Better...

It was time for a new TV. Our next purchase was also secondhand but it had a remote control that was wired and would reach across the room.

We felt rich. This opened a whole new opportunity to sit on the sofa munching popcorn without having to go across the room to change channels.  

Eventually, the cord wore out, which meant looking for another model.

One of our friends worked at an electronics store and we drooled when we visited him there. For $2,000 we could buy a brand new 27-inch COLOR TV.

We didn't have the money but could open a credit account and in three years, we would own it. We were elated that it had a remote control device that changed our television watching habits forever. 

The TV Remote War

With this purchase came a new way of life – the remote war.

Have you heard of the Remote War? No one knows when it started but it has been going on for decades. Fortunately for me, my hubby doesn't watch sporting events except for the Super Bowl. When I watch TV, I don't surf channels but I mute the commercials the second they start. 

Hubby channel surfs, tries to watch two shows at once, and never mutes the ads. Words aren't necessarily exchanged but looks and heavy sighing (on my part) certainly are. If he falls asleep while watching TV, the remote is clutched in his hand and trying to remove it wakes him up.

After 48 years of marriage, you would think this would get stale but no, it thrives. UNTIL the mute button broke on the remote. I called our service provider for a new one. Gratefully, they told me to throw the old one away but I had a brainstorm.  

Why not keep them both?  We now have 'his and hers' remotes. I don't have to be upset when the remote feels sticky because he does not touch mine. 

I can instantly mute the commercials without asking him to do it.  

It was a long war but it is over.