Did I Record That?

Looking at the list of television programs that someone has recorded is a bit like looking into a person’s medicine cabinet - very personal and not intended for publication. There is the feeling of being a voyeur.  Should I look away while my friend scrolls through recorded programs looking for what he wants to show me?  Or should I be bold and ask  him “Why  did you record Tosh.0 on March 14th and not the Jon Stewart show that came after that.”  “Why haven’t you watched Patrick Stewart’s ‘Hamlet,’ which you recorded three years ago?”

This all came to mind one evening as we had friends over to watch “Witness for the Prosecution” which I had recorded some months ago for no particular reason other than I had lots of recording space left and thought it would be a good idea to have an inventory of “good” films.  We are not Netflix subscribers like many of our friends, and I was jealous at not having a “queue to discuss” at dinner parties.

It was Saturday evening, and as I clutched my remote I remembered that I had not watched  either David Gregory or Fareed Zakaria from the prior Sunday.  What would my friends think?  I knew that I could quickly divert them to  “Return of the Clouded Leopards” or “The Great Cats”, which I always have available for a stray 10 year-old who gets bored with adult conversation.  “Rashomon” of course needs no justification as it should be watched every three years or so to remember the nuances of “truth.”  

But why did I record “Fox and Friends” last week?  What was Gretchen Carlson wearing that day?  And “Good Morning America?”  Was there an important segment on barbecue that required further study?  “The Good Wife” needs no explanation, but will my friends  have any understanding as to why I continue to record CSI after twelve years?

Quickly I move to the film; Tyrone Power appears; and all is good - until I realize that I forgot to check if I had allowed enough time to record the entire movie.