On Demand

On Demand.



I'm sure it seemed like a good idea in the beginning. Just like the idea of single-ply toilet paper or using cooking oil as tanning oil. At some point, it seemed like a good idea and people went for it.


I think my husband and I were some of the last people to finally add that feature to our cable package. The hesitation and delay had to do with the fact that we felt as though we already watched a lot of TV, and we knew a feature like that was only going to add to our butt-time on the couch. The last thing I need is more motivation to be sedentary - chasing kids around all day, trying to keep up with a running schedule, and running a household all offer incentive enough. But we gave in and even went so far as to introduce it to our children.





Here's where my gripe comes in, because I always have a gripe. Now my children believe that everything 0n TV is On Demand. They can't understand why a show they want to watch isn't in their "My Recordings" and they start to become upset. On top of that, given that their generalization skills aren't yet at the adult level, they have also come to believe that everything in their world is/should be On Demand. This is an evil, evil thing, people.


So in the spirit of my children and their confusion regarding how their cable package relates to life, I am going to make my own On Demand list. Ready:


Coffee the moment my eyes open in the morning.


A personal stylist.


The disappearance of 30 pounds from my body.


Long hair.


Short hair.


Blond hair.


A new sassy color of hair.


Vacation.


Nice clothes. Hell, they don't even have to be nice, just something a little stylish.


A house in Italy, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain - for starters.


The ability to eat brie and roasted garlic cloves spread on crostinis any time I want.


Girls Night Out every weekend.


I think I could go on for a while and I don't want to completely bore any readers I may have - but wouldn't that all be fantastic? (I mean, your own list that I'm sure you were thinking of while reading mine.)


It kind of makes me understand my childrens' point of view a little better. When one area of your life let's you have what you want when you want it, it makes sense to be upset when the rest don't. It points out that instead of getting upset with them and coming up with a sarcastic response as to why something isn't in front of them right after they finished asking for it, I need to be patient and help them understand that this is not the way the real world works. To prepare them for a life that involves working for what you have, appreciating what you have, and being surrounded by things that may initially seem like a good idea.


Like single-ply toilet paper.



Either that, or I need to start throwing more tantrums when I don't get what I want.