First Fight Another Reason to Hate TV

We all know its bound to happen, as much as we love someone eventually you're going to get on each others nerves and have a fight. After many years together P and I have finally had what I would consider an actual fightI knew it was going to happen eventually and in the grand scheme of things it's truly not a big deal. But (you knew there was a but, right?) what's really bothering me isn't that we fought, its what we fought over: Television. 

The Background:

Yup, television. Everyone that knows me knows I have a serious love/hate relationship with TV. I love learning through television. I love the occasional TV show (hello, Simpsons, Futurama, Great British Baking Show, Vicious, Ghost Adventures) but mostly I love documentary-type shows of the PBS, National Geographic and Smithsonian variety, programs I can learn from. I'm not tied to/obsessed with/worship any shows really, if I miss an episode or two, or you know a whole season or 5 no big deal. I have Netflix and eventually everything comes out on DVD or streaming, YouTube has bunches of stuff too. So I generally don't stress about "catching a show."

TV is part of my life but not a big part, its background, something to do when I have nothing else to do (when does THAT ever happen?) So needless to say, I didn't have cable or satellite before I moved here with P&H. Shortly after I moved in P decided to get rid of their over-priced, under-used cable subscription (see above comments about Netflix & YouTube, which were pretty much all the kids watched.)  But P & DD#1 are OBSESSED with The Walking Dead, P seriously considered keeping cable and paying well over $100 a month to watch ONE show. DD#1 lobbied hard to keep cable in place for this ONE show. (Quite frankly, the show is well done but its just not over $1,200/year good) 

So I researched and found a subscription service called Sling. For $20/month you can watch a bunch of cable channels some of which I actually like (food network & history!!) but also the all powerful AMC, shower of THE WALKING DEAD!! Sling streams in conjunction with a ROKU player on your TV or by itself on your computer or with an app on your phone or tablet.  So I researched more and bought a ROKU Stick (cheap, seriously like $40 at Target) and then signed up for Sling. Hey look at that, they'll be able to watch THE WALKING DEAD, also that summer version of the show FEAR THE WALKING DEAD (OMG so important, can't miss that!!)  So cable went away, but here's the thing streaming is NOT perfect. Sometimes it buffers, drops out, sometimes every subscriber wants to see the same thing and the system slows down. Its not cable quality, I know this but I think Sling is a far better choice than either not having access at all or paying through the nose for cable. For the most part Sling really has been great, there have only been 2 instances of them missing a show the first time it airs (oh yes, it repeats, did I mention that???)  Last night was one of them. 

I need to set yesterdays scene and explain DD#'s 1 & 2 personalities so you understand why this escalated into a fight. DD's are for the most part whiny, stubborn, and irrational. (They are also cute, funny, sweethearts sometimes, I think thats why they are still alive.) Their attitudes generally stress me out and I've worked with/been around/raised other kids. No other child has ever gotten to me like these two.  P&H had gone to a friends birthday party, so had been home alone with pouting DD#2 (I wouldn't let her plug headphones into her iPad so she could forget the world around her, also she had homework.) I practiced some escapism but putting a documentary on and sewing it helped me ignore the pouting. Then DD #1 came home from a friends house. No big deal but a few minutes later I start hearing bickering down the hallway. I ignore it for a few minutes. Bickering continues and gets louder. At this point I know DD#2 is being unreasonably stubborn (she's like that) but instead of walking away and letting her figure it out herself DD#1 (also stubborn with a crazy need to be "right" all.the.time.) isn't backing down. Jesus, I go down the hall to find out what tonights drama is all about. Advise DD#1 to walk away (nope, but why expect her to listen to an adult? never happens)  and eventually get the problem solved with the help of the school's website (hint: knowing your school email address makes it TONS easier to log in to do your homework, crazy I know...) Disaster averted I take the dogs out and go walk on the treadmill.  

After treadmill, I shower and make snacks. It's just before 9pm and I wander down to our bedroom to flop and read. From the living room:

 "CAAATIIEEEEE ITS NOT WORKING!!!! IT'S TIME FOR THE WALKING DEAD AND IT WON'T LOAD" 

Me: Sorry? It was working for me before I went to the treadmill. 

From the living room: "Well....come look at it!!!!" (nope, no please in there) 

Me: (idiot that I am) **wanders down hall way into the living room**. Yup, that's a loading screen. I press the ROKU remote, it doesn't respond. (WTF happened to the remote in the 90 minutes since I put it on the coffee table? Also why does it seem to stop working every time someone not me touches it?) I open the remote app on my phone and try changing channels, other channels work. AMC is probably just over loaded. I switch back to AMC and advise her to let it load. Lo and behold it does but it's choppy. Sorry, imperfect system. **wanders back to bedroom** 

From the living room: ITS GONE AGAIN

Me: Sorry babe, litteraly nothing I can do about it.

From the living room: **Loud Pouting, begging internet gods to let AMC load** 

P&H return home. 

From the living room: ITS NOT WORKING!!!!!!!! (in the best ever snotty, whiny, pissed off because I don't have what I want right now American Teenager voice)

P starts fussing about the show not working, pressing buttons on the remote (the one that isn't responding) declares it a broken battery sucker, etc.  At this point I've honestly had enough whining for about 30 more years and I snap. It's not broken, you people break it, the internet is slow and really the show will repeat later. (BUT OMG NOT UNIL MIDNIGHT BECAUSE THERE IS A NEW SHOW AND WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!) Enough, whatever I don't care. We all end up in the living room fussing over this stupid TV show and bickering. 

The whole time all I can think is "Why am I here and putting up with this nonsense?" In the moment I honestly didn't like any of them. I wanted to be far, far away from all of them and their stupid television. I manage to reconnect the remote to the ROKU. Sling manages to get its act together and they get to see the last 10 minutes of stupid zombie show. I retreat back to the bedroom and try to proceed with ignoring everyone on the planet. This is difficult when H was next to me and P seems to want attention/affection that was I was not really willing to give. I bury myself in my book, P puts on another TV show in the bedroom (so he has something to watch while waiting for the midnight showing of stupid zombie show, yup him and DD#1 who needs sleep when there is TV?) I take a couple benedryl and then go to sweet, sweet away from everyone sleep.

It's now Monday night and honestly, I'm still pissed off. Not that we fought, that was going to happen but what we fought about. I just don't think television should have been what spawned our first fight. Its such a non-issue, it doesn't deserve a second thought. Why couldn't they have said "Oh well, not working tonight, I'll watch it tomorrow, or next week." (oh god the repeating) and moved on? Why not spend the last few hours we'll see each other until next weekend talking or fucking or doing something together? Instead we fight over something stupid and I lose all desire to even look at him?What's the point?  

Its past 8, I think I'll go use the treadmill, find dinner and then go to bed.