I've never had cable, and therefore never fully saturated my brain in the mess that comes with it, so this was interesting. Brought back memories of baby-sitting and watching MTV on the sly after the kids were in bed. It also made me remember just how dumb I was back then. Granted, I hadn't yet discovered the appeal of large dusty books, so I suppose seeking refuge in Garbage's "Push It" video is almost understandable.

But not quite. I don't like to think about how many times I thought it a privilege to rot my mind like all the other kids. Times when I couldn't wait to go over to Jessie's and see if the "Glycerine" video would come on (carefully, of course, or Jessie would pitch a fit about how I favored her TV over her person); or when the little Gorgon and I watched Saved by the Bell in the parents' bedroom when we had the house to ourselves.

What else is supposed to happend to a kid who wasn't allowed to watch anything heavier than Reading Rainbow until she was sixteen? I doubt I'd have grown up any less virtuous than I am now (interpret that as you will). I doubt I'd have grown up liking TV very much anyway, but I do sometimes wonder how things would have turned out if I'd had the opportunity to get better acquainted with it.

And now I'm watching a Tori Amos video for the first time and wondering how on earth anyone can ever be more than passingly attracted to these things. And in a few seconds I am going to click the window shut and read slash till I feel like my true self again.

Adieu.