Recently, I happened to be wandering the "back 40" and was keeping a extra eye on the lookout for deer antlers, or "sheds"--as the pros call them.  I've only found one in the 16-year's we've owned the place, so it's not worth a special trip. I didn't find any. A few days later, I read an article in our local paper about how "shed theft" is a rising crime--that unscrupulous types are sneaking on others' properties to collect sheds and sell them for as much as $50-$75.  More if it was a six or eight "pointer."  Then, to seemingly cap it off, last week I was in that large discount store chain that starts with a "W" and ends in a "Mart" and saw they were selling copies of a TV show all about collecting sheds and skulls.  Called "Bone Hunters," the show on Outdoor Channel is apparently popular because the store was selling complete season one and two episodes.   
But this rant isn't really about "sheds" or deer or hunting or even the outdoors...it's about the fact that there is a television show, a weekly television show, that is entirely about collecting antlers!  Really?  If you haven't guessed, the Martini family does not have cable or satellite and has no interest in ever getting it in the forseeable.  I still sit agawk at the concept that there is a channel--and entire channel--dedicated entirely to food.  And not just one, but at least two (Food Network and Cooking Channel)! Furthermore, I simply cannot wrap my head around the concept that in this country of 305-million there are even 30 people who would spend more than five minutes watching such a network.  Obviously I'm dead wrong and completely out of touch, because enough people do watch in order to generate the advertising revenue that creates all of those shows.  A channel for all golf, all fishing, all tennis, all fashion.  Yes, I am the old fuddy-duddy for making fun of something that might be very important to someone.   But next time you want to watch a show about guys in camo sneaking through the nation's forests looking for deer antlers, here's an invite instead:  come on out of your home theater room and into the fresh air at our place where you can pretend you're a TV star and try it yourself (and maybe get a little exercise), if you're so inclined.   Gotta go now--there's a radio show about collecting marbles that's about to start.