The best things in life are free...really!

I am sure that by now you have heard many times over about the impending switch of all analog TV signals to digital. This switch is not that big of a deal to anyone with either a newer TV or a subscription to cable or satellite. I, however, fall into the category of those 100 special humans on the planet that have neither of these things and doesn't see things changing anytime soon. Yes, it is the old rabbit ears for us. Anyway, I sent away for our coupons to buy our digital converter box and they came this past week. I was not really thinking about this as being urgent, as the official switch is not happening until February sometime. But yesterday, we decided to go ahead and get a box or two and hook it up. After all, maybe we could get some new channels and maybe our old ones would become only kinda crappy, instead of thier usual really crappy. So after we hooked up the box, the picture was a little better, and we could clearly see that we were actually picking up about 12 more channels!! In the land of the cable impaired, this is front page news. We were stunned and simultaneously overjoyed. And our good luck has continued! Last night I stumbled upon an online video that instructs you how to make the best homemade TV antenna with just coathangers and screws. (watch video here) Jacob watched it a few times and then said he could make it. He dug out some copper wire we had hiding in the garage, got a piece of wood from Mom's house, bought one little cable piece from Radio Shack, and Eureka!! It really works. This is our new antenna behind our TV and it works IONS better than the rabbit ears. It's not even a contest! So now we have about 25 totally FREE channels to choose from, including about 5 new pbs-type stations and 2 new stations that are entirely made up of kids programming! I can't believe the government finally did something right in requiring us to make this switch. However, it is still a good news/bad news situation. Good news: More channels, awesome picture. Bad News: we have to look at this thing every day from now on. But, as you can see, I did take the liberty of drawing a small nose on the bottom to give it a face and have lovingly named him "Amazing Larry." (See Pee-Wee's Big Adventure for reference) Anyway, if you are doing the rabbit ear thing (that's you, Amy and Christina) and it sucks- make this antenna! I have to say that this whole experience has reaffirmed three things in my mind: 1. Not paying for cable is wonderful. 2. I LOVE the Internet. (No, really, I wish I could marry it and become Mrs. Internet) and 3. Jacob can build/fix anything! You should see the nuclear reactor out by the shed. Amazing!