All through high school I watched the History channel while sitting at home. For school work, chatting on IRC, coding, what have you: the History channel was there in the background, like a faithful friend.

In early college it continued on much the same and even created some awesome new series.

Then it all changed. Over the past few years it has been nothing but Modern Marvels, Ice Road Truckers, UFO Files, Modern Ice Road Marvels, UFO Truckers, and Modern UFO Ice Road Marble Madness Trucker Files. None of which have jack and/or shit to do with history.

Like that weird friend who drank and inhaled literally anything he could find to get high, I felt it was time to leave the History channel behind. Plus I got a DVR and could afford to only watch actually entertaining things.

Years pass.

Today arrives, and I am awake way too early on a Saturday. Background noise is needed. I’ve worn myself out on listening to music, as that’s what I do when I write, and I’m working on my thesis. The TiVo is empty except for Survivor which I’m saving for my girlfriend. I flip past the stations real quick on the TiVo-and-digital-guideless bedroom TV, looking for something vaguely entertaining to fill the air while I work on a German translation.

I hear the magic words. My friend has sobered up and has decided to stop by for a visit.

Drifting to my ears. That phrase I remember so well.

“Developed by the Germans in World War 2…”