Most satellite dishes around here point two ways. Southeast towards Turksat and all channels Turkish; or south towards Hotbird and all channels, em, hot, plus BBC World.
Ours points at the north star.
We took it down to do some work on the house and haven’t put it back yet. There’s some debate that we may not put it back at all. We’ve been going to bed earlier and the Handyman’s blood pressure is not being increased by hours of pointless discussion programmes about politics. The house is as quiet as any house with two young children can be and we’ve talked more than in a long time.
Television is a distraction to me, any hint of tiredness and I will stare goggle-eyed at virtually any programme, usually standing, tea towel over arm, washing-up water cooling. It’s also background noise, to be shouted over in an effort to tell anyone anything. I don’t miss a single programme on it. Not even the news.
We don’t follow any of the multiple soap operas (there’s one we might look at occasionally), and don’t follow any competition programmes. The only thing watched consistently is the news, and then there are hours of flicking through channels hoping to find something better.
Last night we avoided Kurtlar Vadisi a programme involving brooding actors opening doors, closing doors, walking down corridors and occasionally shooting people, interspersed with bouts of pensive staring at each other. We didn’t miss much.
If the children want cartoons, we have the DVD player. If we want films ditto. For the news, there is the internet.
Leave the dish down, is what I say.