(no subject)

If i understand correctly, anyone may now watch the documentary streaming from the website: http://video.unctv.org/video/3007225920/ . We watched it over the air last night, marveling at broadcasts' continued existence.

My sister-in-law & her spouse came down to see it at our place because the channel wasn't available to them (because it's not on cable and they don't have an antenna?). We dined at the nice new seafood restaurant in town, apparently at the same time as Roy Underhill of PBS's The Woodwright's Shop -- his classroom, in a 1900's storefront, is just around the corner from the restaurant (in a refurbished 70's era post office).

We'd used an optometrist up closer to Chapel Hill near one of the giant subdivisions last year. They "automated" away their customer service, so i waited for a month to hear my glasses were ready while they sent text messages to our land line. They offered no support fitting my glasses. I might as well have bought from one of those online services at a minimal charge instead of paying for the premium of in office care. Staff bordered on rude, crossing the line once. So, i've chosen an optometrist in the small town. Yesterday i showed up for my appointment & found a "closed due to family emergency" sign on the door. I tell this story, to reflect on how this small town delights me while irritating Christine. She sees the lack of sidewalks, the minimal lighting. And she didn't take kindly to the way they handled the appointment for me. My consideration is that while they didn't contact me to let me know the appointment was canceled -- the other office would have probably sent a text -- the staff are probably like family and what ever the emergency was, they were probably supporting each other.

Someday, that might all be efficiently eroded away. Silicon Valley showed me the cost of convenience and efficiency. I'm not sure i want to pay it.