My mom called me yesterday, not because it was my birthday, but because she needed help hooking up her TV. Apparently, there’s a show on HGTV that she wants to see tomorrow night, but she can’t stream it, and she doesn’t have local channels, so she doesn’t know how she’s going to watch it. I didn’t answer because I was out with my family, so she left a message that didn’t even acknowledge my birthday.

When she called back today, however, I answered, and again, she didn’t acknowledge my birthday. She asked me what her options were to be able to watch her show, but of course, I had no answer for her because I don’t watch TV.

I was actually quite surprised she even thought to ask me. Personally, I would have used Google or ChatGPT, but maybe that’s just because I’m not 82. I would have thought she would have called my brother. He’s the one who watches TV 24/7.

When we were younger and still lived at home, he would turn on the TV and then leave. Then, I would walk through the living room and shut the TV off because no one was looking at it, and when he returned, he would flip out because the TV was off. “I was watching it!” He would argue.

I get it, I suppose. TV is a comfort to people. Or is it a distraction? Okay, maybe I don’t get it. I don’t fucking know. What I do know is that I went for a walk this evening, and it was very nice. No screens, no distractions. I didn’t even bring my camera, not that any of the wildlife would have cooperated with me anyway. Does that make me a better person than my mom? Probably not, but I’ve never forgotten her fuckin birthday, so maybe that does.