Moving From 1995 to 2013...

This is our television.  We purchased it sometime in the 1990s and it was pretty high tech at the time.  It served a very useful purpose - providing countless hours of entertainment.  Up until Saturday, it continued to work like it did the day we purchased it.

But at Christmas, the Pixie Household received a blu-ray player from family friends.  This was quite the high tech blu-ray and we were excited it put it to good use.  Only problem was our old television didn't have the right hook up for us to use.  So, the blu-ray player just sat on the shelf... waiting until it was the right time for us to get rid of our sturdy television and purchase a new one.

Last week fate decided it was time we stepped into 2013.  With the Super Bowl happening, it seemed like everyone who sold televisions had them on sale.  I ended up buying, pretty much on a whim, a new flat screen television.  But it meant taking our still properly working television to the recycling center.

I was dreading the day I actually switched out the televisions. Why? Because our sturdy television weighs at least 100 pounds.  It's big, bulky, and awkward as all heck.  But it had to be done.  And, I decided it had to be done over the weekend because the family was going to have a "Lord of the Rings" marathon while the Super Bowl was playing (we're not much for watching sports).

So, to make a short story long... This is the tale of how I nearly broke my back and managed to tear up my right forearm....

I knew I would have to do this without Naughty Pixie or Wicked Pixie because if they got involved, they would definitely get hurt.  I could bare the heft of the television better than they could since I'm stronger and am lazy enough to find the quickest, easiest way to do something.  I did what I should do.  I cleared a path from the television to the front door.  I cleared off everything on and around the television.  I unplugged everything attached to the television, unplugged the television from the electrical outlet, and I even dusted the blasted thing.  Then the first lift... Ouch!

I managed to make it the 7 feet... From the television stand to the couch.  Then I had to put down.  100 pounds is not easy to lift, but it is even more difficult when you have a bulging, awkward television that has no hand holds or anything terribly sturdy to grip. With a deep breath and remembering to lift with the legs, I hoisted the beast up from the couch...

I made it to the front door and had to put it down.  At this point, I am feeling a burning sensation in my lower back, while my right shoulder - just under the shoulder blade - is throbbing.  What I didn't notice was blood running down my right forearm and dripping off my fingers.

The objective was to get the television into the back of the Trusty Steed.  Only problem was the Trusty Steed was at least 15 feet from the front door.  It wasn't going to happen...

At this point, I ask Naughty Pixie to jump into the Trusty Steed and back her up so it is only 5 feet instead of 15 feet.  She complied, and I took another deep breath... Lift from the legs...

 Made it!  And while I'm grateful to have managed to get it into the back of the Trusty Steed and even more grateful the dude at the recycling center moved the television from the Trusty Steed to the recycling container, my back is not happy with me.  From my shoulder blades down to my lower back, on both sides, my back hurts.  It aches when I sit; it throbs when I walk.

Luckily, I have muscle relaxers and BenGay.  I smell horrible, but the muscle relaxers make me not care.

And having this little dandy as our new television makes it all worth it.  The Pixie Household enjoyed our little movie marathon (and they were even kind enough to not mention the smell of BenGay), and I'm a happy Pixie with the knowledge that this flat screen was light enough it could be lifted and carried with one arm.

Hello, 2013!  You're looking fabulous.