Make Me Laugh

We hadn't read the notice in our last cable bill, so it came as a surprise when about a dozen of our channels turned to static about a month ago.  We called the cable supplier, only to find out that those 12 or so channels had been converted from analog format to digital.  We still have old televisions.  I just can't seem to part with them until they truly bite the dust.  It seems too wasteful for my tastes.  Therefore, our old TVs weren't going to pick up the digital channels, only the analog. So, Larry arranged with our cable provider to get two converter boxes and remotes.  We're now able to watch more channels than we've had in a long time, including the additional channels offered by our local ABC and PBS affiliates.  One of the ABC channels features old television shows from as far back as the 1960s and 1970s, such as "The Bob Newhart Show," "I Dream of Jeannie," "The Dick Van Dyke Show," and "The Odd Couple."  One night, we caught a bit of a current-day situational comedy and then turned channels to the old sitcoms.  I have to admit that while today's shows are entertaining and interesting, the old shows felt like an old pair of jeans and a sweatshirt.  They were comfortable, familiar and cozy.  The jokes were more predictable, to be sure, but the shows reflected a purity not seen on television these days.  I found myself laughing, really laughing, and enjoying every minute of it.