Compromise?

Isn't that what you do in a marriage...or any partnership for that matter? Mr. Landlord has been DYING to get a flat panel television for our bedroom. Dying...like in "I want what little Timmy wants...I can't see the football players on our little 32 inch screen..." blah blah blah. Our bedroom is becoming a quaint, tastefully done french country black and cream toile theme...all we really need is new furniture. So, after much discussion, and hammering it into my mind that we will eventually have a bedroom version of the UT football jumbotron (which, in case y'all don't know, is the largest jumbotron in a football stadium in the world...Australia will be putting in one that is a little bigger in a few months...) in our bedroom, I conceded...to nothing more than a flat panel 32 inch. I wanted it hung on the wall opposite the foot of the bed, but Mr. Landlord complained that he still would not be able to see the football players. So...I conceded again...yes, you can put it on the dresser...which is four feet from my side of the bed. Off we go...one happily and one dreadfully...to Circuit City to buy this media nightmare. Mr. Landlord, after swearing he's not going to buy anything he doesn't have cash for, buys a 40" tv...to put on the frickin' dresser. 40"....did I say 40"?

So, Mr. Landlord stays home from church yesterday while myself and itty-bitty landlord go to hear the Lord's word and say our prayers...He stayed home so he could finish his work in time to get the tv set up to watch the NFL games in the afternoon. Priorities, anyone?? I swear I haven't seen Mr. Landlord this excited about anything except for the day itty-bitty landlord was born. Indeed, as expected, he gets it hooked up and turned on. I walk into my bedroom and good G-d I thought I would faint...the thing is HUGE. After many questions that essentially ask me if I like it, I don't answer and lie down to take a nap...after all, it's exhausting keeping your trap shut.

Later in the evening, the jumbotron is on as we bath itty-bitty landlord and get him ready for bed. Then, as I crawl into bed, I notice that though all the bedroom lights are off the room seems really...really bright. Then I roll over to see the tv...my eyes start feeling heavy and painful. I think I'm going to start seizing as Mr. Landlord provides a demonstration of some of the features...I NEVER wanted to see the lines and creases around McDreamy's eyes and mouth, but lo and behold, there they are. My head starts pounding. I get up to take tylenol PM so I can get to sleep. I roll over with my back to the tv and try my damndest to sleep, but I swear it's like having a home theatre in your bedroom. I begin feeling the weight of the tv pressing on my back...literally. I'm hating this thing and Mr. Landlord is VERY happy.

Finally, after about 30 minutes of my trying to sleep, Mr. Landlord decides its time to go to bed and turns the thing off. My eyes still see the brightness from the tv and my ears are ringing from the sound. Very shortly, Mr. Landlord is snoring along with the beagle and the lab, and I'm still feeling the weight of the tv on my back...I finally got up and slept in the guest bedroom. I've never had a better nights sleep....