The Greatest Invention . . .

Yesterday while I sat home enjoying my day off from work (hooray for having a job) I watched a lot of TV. Then something hit me, in a small way, I've inherited a part of my maternal grandpa, Chris. I love my grandpa in many ways including all the time when I was little and I would sit watching TV with him. Mostly I remember watching a lot of M*A*S*H but I'm sure there were other shows.

The first TV I remember my grandpa having was the kind with bunny ears and a manual dial. It looked kind of like this one. I would jump up and change the channel when he asked but most the time he was doing the changing of the channel and then adjusting the antennae to make the picture come in better. It was better then what I'm sure he had when he was little and it was cutting edge when I was a kid. But like everything else, new technology came and changed how people would watch TV. This technology would be, in my opinion, the greatest invention for my grandpa Chris.

Before I tell you about this great, ground breaking invention, you have to understand something about grandpa. From a young age I remember him watching TV and always telling certain commercials to be quiet or simply he would say shut up. It wasn't every commercial but there was one very specific one I remember. Do you remember when there was a supermarket called Lucky? Stephanie Edwards did those commercials, and if you don't remember or have never heard of the chain, Edwards also has done commentary for the Rose Parade for I don't know how many years. My grandpa couldn't stand her or her voice.

The ground breaking invention that I think was the greatest thing for my grandpa . . . the remote control.

One button alone is what I think saved my grandpa's sanity anytime Stephanie Edwards came on the TV, the mute button. Once he got his first TV with a remote he could shut the Lucky's lady up anytime he wanted to. Of course he always added a good shut up to her as he would push the mute button.

Yesterday, I realized that I have taken up the mantel and continue his legacy. My remote control might be more advanced and have way too many buttons, but it still has a mute button. I used it a lot yesterday to quiet many annoying ads that I just can't tolerate anymore. The first time I did it I realized that grandpa had left his mark on me and taught me how to use the mute button really well.