Technology and Me
Or, Why DVD Players Make the World a Better Place.

I used to pride myself on having cool electronic equipment. Having studied television and film production in college, I loved playing with fun gadgets. My classes and internships allowed me to learn new technology and play with all kinds of fun cameras and editing equipment. I felt smart and cutting edge.

Of course, my friends used to assume my degree in television meant I should automatically know how to hook up their TV with the VCR and the Playstation. Even though my degree had nothing to do with that, somehow I managed to figure it out and was consequently the on-call repairperson when there was a Playstation malfunctioning emergency. I seem to have a natural talent for hooking up electronics, even though I'm usually initially intimidated by all the wires and buttons and instruction booklets.

If you plug enough stuff into enough wires, eventually you'll get it right.

But then, I fell away from the gadgets. My 'career' took me away from the field of television and film, and I also became a poor, working adult, unable to keep up with the latest and greatest. I had TV, VCR, and stereo, and that would be it for awhile.

Then along came the world of DVD. This was something new. I heard and read about these DVD things, but never had any experience with them. Gradually, a few friends purchased a new-fangled DVD player contraption, and I was amazed at how cool it was. You could jump from scene to scene without hours of fast-forwarding. There were 'extra' things on the DVD besides just the movie. It looked better and sounded better than a VCR tape. It was unbelievable. I was jealous.

Soon DVDs started appearing on the shelves of Blockbuster. It was a revolution. On one side of the store were the tried and true VCR tapes, where I could roam freely. On the other side, DVDs were housed, where I still was not allowed to venture. Before long, the two were inter-mingled. And now, DVDs far out number the available tapes of any given movie. When I go to rent a movie, there are times when the few video tapes are gone and I can't get the movie I want. My VCR ways are slowly becoming obsolete.

A few years ago, a friend of mine gave me a DVD for my birthday. At the time I had a laptop computer for work that had a DVD player in it. I managed to watch the DVD once before I was laid off from that job, forcing me to give up the laptop. The DVD has since collected dust on a shelf, nothing more than a pretty package with a shiney object inside. I could nothing with it. I had no means to watch it.

Then, my dad got a DVD changer. Not just a player, but a 7-disc changer. It had finally happened. My dad was more technologically advanced than I was. Sure, technically I get my gadget-ocity from him, and he is usually ahead of me in many technological ways. But now he was also cooler than I was. I helped him hook it up to the TV, and we sat and marveled at the wonders of DVD in their home. Two nerds with a new techie toy.

I vowed then to acquire my very own DVD player. Soon. At this point in time, literally everyone on the planet had long-since owned a DVD player. I was the one remaining person on earth that was still trapped in the VCR age. Yet, I couldn't justify running out and spending my money on just any DVD player. It had to be the right one, at the right time, when I could afford it.

So, I waited, and watched. My friends scoffed at me, whatever 'scoffing' is. They taunted me with their DVDs, blatantly watching them when they knew I couldn't do that in my own home. Well, at least the thought of them with DVDs that I couldn't have taunted me. They really had nothing to do with it. And in fact, they were all very nice about letting me watch DVDs with them.

Finally, I decided on a DVD changer. It needed to serve as both a DVD player, and a CD player to make up for my broken CD player. My house was a world without digital video technology, and without music on a good stereo. It was suburban cave, silent and devoid of proper entertainment technology.

Just as I was preparing to make the big purchase, Christmas happened. There, under my parents' Christmas tree, was a large box with my name on it. Upon unwrapping the box, I discovered the very DVD player I soon planned to purchase.

It was beautiful. It glowed. I fell in love. I hugged it.

Yesterday, the DVD player arrived at my home, having been shipped to me post-Christmas from my parents' far-away home. I went straight home after work to find it waiting for me on the front porch. I scooped it inside, jumped for joy, and tore open the package. There, in all its glory, was my beloved DVD changer.

I was almost afraid to touch it, for I knew this would open up a whole new world of possibilities for me. Things would start happening for me now.

Pending I could figure out how to hook it up, of course.

After an emergency trip to Radio Shack for the proper audio cables, with which I was able to hook the DVD sound into my stereo for maximum surround sound, I had a successful DVD changer system hooked into the rest of my entertainment extravaganza. I managed to figure it out the first try, as it was surprisingly simple, and I am surprisingly smart.

I literally trembled with excitement. This was a big day.

I found my one DVD and watched it. I found some CDs and played those, too. Loudly, as I live in a house now. The louder the better, because the neighbors can't hear me. It sounded great.

And yes, I am not ashamed to tell you that for the first time in my new house, I danced in my living room. It wasn't pretty, but it was fun.

The Tyrant has entered the age of DVD.

It's great to be here.

If you need me, you will likely find me for the next week or so parked on my couch with as many DVDs as I can get my hands on.

C.T.