Friday, May 18, 2012
Apologies, please!
Apologies are way too common and commonly insincere. I say fuck apologies. Do your best to do things for which you'll never need to apologize. And, in the rare case you must apologize, be genuine. Remember, there is no heart without ache. There is no bravery without fear.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
My dog, Jax.
OK, I know everybody thinks that their kid is the cutest or their dog is the neatest or smartest. It's human nature. But, my dog, Jax, really is the best dog in the whole world.
He is naturally kind and gentle. From the time he was about a year old, weighing about 100lbs, he would play very rough with me, but whenever a child would come over and try to play with him, he'd immediately back off and cease being aggressive at all. It wasn't something that was taught to him, it is just his nature. Any small human he gives a wide berth, is extremely kind and patient and makes sure he doesn't hurt them. I've even seen a toddler grab hold of a handful of fur and skin and use Jax to help him get up. Jax didn't move, didn't wine, didn't even give a look of "ah, shit, what is this guy doing?". He just stood there and waited until the kid was stable on his feet.
He's got some personality. He always wants to play, even at 10 years old. And when he doesn't get his way or doesn't get the attention he deserves, he'll pout. For instance, he'll go into the closet and orient himself with his backside pointing towards me. Or he'll go lie down somewhere and emit a huge dramatic sigh. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't whine or cry or chew things up in frustration. He just sits there and waits for me to get off my computer or finish cooking food or whatever I'm doing.
He is so strong and powerful. I remember once he pulled my 200lb friend AND my loveseat across the room while playing with a pull-toy. But he never hurts anyone. He won't take a treat from your hand unless he is sure that he won't bite you. He never snaps or grabs anyone. He doesn't jump ON people, though he has been known to jump up to your level to say "hi", but he won't put his paws on you like some dogs.
He's beautiful, inside and out. And I love him dearly.
He is naturally kind and gentle. From the time he was about a year old, weighing about 100lbs, he would play very rough with me, but whenever a child would come over and try to play with him, he'd immediately back off and cease being aggressive at all. It wasn't something that was taught to him, it is just his nature. Any small human he gives a wide berth, is extremely kind and patient and makes sure he doesn't hurt them. I've even seen a toddler grab hold of a handful of fur and skin and use Jax to help him get up. Jax didn't move, didn't wine, didn't even give a look of "ah, shit, what is this guy doing?". He just stood there and waited until the kid was stable on his feet.
He's got some personality. He always wants to play, even at 10 years old. And when he doesn't get his way or doesn't get the attention he deserves, he'll pout. For instance, he'll go into the closet and orient himself with his backside pointing towards me. Or he'll go lie down somewhere and emit a huge dramatic sigh. He doesn't get angry. He doesn't whine or cry or chew things up in frustration. He just sits there and waits for me to get off my computer or finish cooking food or whatever I'm doing.
He is so strong and powerful. I remember once he pulled my 200lb friend AND my loveseat across the room while playing with a pull-toy. But he never hurts anyone. He won't take a treat from your hand unless he is sure that he won't bite you. He never snaps or grabs anyone. He doesn't jump ON people, though he has been known to jump up to your level to say "hi", but he won't put his paws on you like some dogs.
He's beautiful, inside and out. And I love him dearly.
Friday, December 30, 2011
The end of 2011
Well, I am very happy to be leaving 2011 in my rear view mirror.
It was a difficult year for me and full of several failures. I endured the ending of a marriage. I survived a serious physical altercation. And I suffered through some financial worries and challenges that left a pall over much of the year.
But, through all the trials I was reminded of a couple things. First of all, I'm extremely resilient. Emotionally I am stable and secure and can handle being sad, lonely or frustrated. These are normal emotions that everyone sometimes feels. It's OK to feel them, right? I've felt them and have survived.
Physically I'm in better shape than I've been in a long long time. This not only helps me recover from things more quickly, but it keeps me from getting sick and gives me a lot more energy. Perhaps most important is it elevates my mood and keeps me mentally fresh and strong. If I could ask one thing of my friends this year it would be to get more healthy.
Speaking of friends, another thing I've realized is I have some truly great friends. This year I've been fortunate to reconnect with a few good friends. And several of my friendships have become even stronger. The group of people I can consider my friends are exceptional. I have friends who are funny, smart, successful, happy and strong. They have been extremely supportive and caring. They are loyal and generous. They ask me to watch over their homes. They carpool daily with me. They both ask for and volunteer advice. They are willing to be honest and direct with me. They'll go to a concert with me or take me to lunch. They email and call and text. They are a group of people so excellent that I'm not sure I'm worthy. So, I'll have to keep working at being a good friend in return, because they deserve it.
I almost can't comprehend that this year will be 2012. The 90s...hell even the 80s seem just a few years ago. But they are not. Time, it keeps a rollin. And 2012, you'd better watch your ass because this year things are going to be different. I'm done going with the flow. Now it's time to make waves.
Here's to all of you. I hope your 2011 was great but that your 2012 will be even greater.
Thanks for reading.
It was a difficult year for me and full of several failures. I endured the ending of a marriage. I survived a serious physical altercation. And I suffered through some financial worries and challenges that left a pall over much of the year.
But, through all the trials I was reminded of a couple things. First of all, I'm extremely resilient. Emotionally I am stable and secure and can handle being sad, lonely or frustrated. These are normal emotions that everyone sometimes feels. It's OK to feel them, right? I've felt them and have survived.
Physically I'm in better shape than I've been in a long long time. This not only helps me recover from things more quickly, but it keeps me from getting sick and gives me a lot more energy. Perhaps most important is it elevates my mood and keeps me mentally fresh and strong. If I could ask one thing of my friends this year it would be to get more healthy.
Speaking of friends, another thing I've realized is I have some truly great friends. This year I've been fortunate to reconnect with a few good friends. And several of my friendships have become even stronger. The group of people I can consider my friends are exceptional. I have friends who are funny, smart, successful, happy and strong. They have been extremely supportive and caring. They are loyal and generous. They ask me to watch over their homes. They carpool daily with me. They both ask for and volunteer advice. They are willing to be honest and direct with me. They'll go to a concert with me or take me to lunch. They email and call and text. They are a group of people so excellent that I'm not sure I'm worthy. So, I'll have to keep working at being a good friend in return, because they deserve it.
I almost can't comprehend that this year will be 2012. The 90s...hell even the 80s seem just a few years ago. But they are not. Time, it keeps a rollin. And 2012, you'd better watch your ass because this year things are going to be different. I'm done going with the flow. Now it's time to make waves.
Here's to all of you. I hope your 2011 was great but that your 2012 will be even greater.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Does anyone ever read this? Do I ever write in it anymore? Not lately. But that is about to change. I'm really looking forward to the end of this year. The last half of this year was one of the toughest I've yet experienced and I'm just thankful that I seem to be a resilient soul. Here's to 2012 being the start of something new and to making myself a better person.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Facebook is really pissing me off more than giving me enjoyment.
All of the political crap, all the posturing, etc. just really irritates me. I'm starting to remove "friends" because of the political shit they post or their incessant updates to things. I'm sure I've been removed by more than one person and I don't really care as I'm sure they don't. I removed arguably my best college friend months ago because he made a comment about not liking the gaming spam (before I figured out custom filters) and he never said word one. So, who really gives a shit? I like it as a communication tool and some of the games are fun, but I think, after nearly a year of use, that I'm growing tired of it. Pretty soon I think I'll just clean house and lock it down. I don't need the headaches the bullshit causes me.
All of the political crap, all the posturing, etc. just really irritates me. I'm starting to remove "friends" because of the political shit they post or their incessant updates to things. I'm sure I've been removed by more than one person and I don't really care as I'm sure they don't. I removed arguably my best college friend months ago because he made a comment about not liking the gaming spam (before I figured out custom filters) and he never said word one. So, who really gives a shit? I like it as a communication tool and some of the games are fun, but I think, after nearly a year of use, that I'm growing tired of it. Pretty soon I think I'll just clean house and lock it down. I don't need the headaches the bullshit causes me.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
True Christian
Liking something such as "Let's see how many true Christians are on Facebook. Like if you're a TRUE Christian" on FB doesn't make you a "True Christian", what it makes you is an unimaginative twat.
I'm so sick of getting spammed with shit like that by people who get some sense of satisfaction from telegraphing a bullshit ubiquitous comment to the world. You know what makes you a true Christian? Worshiping Christ. I used to think being a "true Christian" meant doing something nice, being a good neighbor or something along those lines. Therein lies many of the problems with the term "Christian" in the United States of America.
Most people in the US equate being "Christian" with being a good person. But, if you look at the history of Christianity, you'll find perhaps the most atrocious crimes against humanity were perpetrated by Christians. Hitler was raised Roman Catholic and often purported to be a Christian. The Catholic Church has certainly performed its share of nastiness. And, if you talk about the crusades, well, the Christians did enough murdering, raping, torture and terrorism during that period to last an eternity.
However, many of the views set forth in the Bible are very pleasant ideals. "Love thy neighbor". "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you". That sort of thing, right? The thing is, those aren't Christian morals. They are HUMAN morals. Those ideals have been around for thousands of years - long before Christianity came to this earth. If you look at nearly ever major religion, you'll find those exact sentiments backing their belief system. It's in the Koran. It's in the Hebrew Bible. The teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) instruct his followers to think along these lines. And though polytheistic traditions of Europe prior to the arrival of Christianity depends on the God(s)you primarily worship, many of the beliefs of both ancient religion and society believe in these ideals.
So, if you want to be "Christian", then follow the faith of Christianity. If you want to be a good person...if you want to live your life in a way that leaves the world better than when you left it, then be a good person. Take care of your fellow humans and be a Humanist. Take care of the earth and be a Naturalist. Take care of your Family and be a Familist. Do whatever you want to, but don't forget that Christianity invented neither "doing good" or "doing bad". We did that all on our own.
I'm so sick of getting spammed with shit like that by people who get some sense of satisfaction from telegraphing a bullshit ubiquitous comment to the world. You know what makes you a true Christian? Worshiping Christ. I used to think being a "true Christian" meant doing something nice, being a good neighbor or something along those lines. Therein lies many of the problems with the term "Christian" in the United States of America.
Most people in the US equate being "Christian" with being a good person. But, if you look at the history of Christianity, you'll find perhaps the most atrocious crimes against humanity were perpetrated by Christians. Hitler was raised Roman Catholic and often purported to be a Christian. The Catholic Church has certainly performed its share of nastiness. And, if you talk about the crusades, well, the Christians did enough murdering, raping, torture and terrorism during that period to last an eternity.
However, many of the views set forth in the Bible are very pleasant ideals. "Love thy neighbor". "Do unto others as you'd have them do unto you". That sort of thing, right? The thing is, those aren't Christian morals. They are HUMAN morals. Those ideals have been around for thousands of years - long before Christianity came to this earth. If you look at nearly ever major religion, you'll find those exact sentiments backing their belief system. It's in the Koran. It's in the Hebrew Bible. The teachings of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) instruct his followers to think along these lines. And though polytheistic traditions of Europe prior to the arrival of Christianity depends on the God(s)you primarily worship, many of the beliefs of both ancient religion and society believe in these ideals.
So, if you want to be "Christian", then follow the faith of Christianity. If you want to be a good person...if you want to live your life in a way that leaves the world better than when you left it, then be a good person. Take care of your fellow humans and be a Humanist. Take care of the earth and be a Naturalist. Take care of your Family and be a Familist. Do whatever you want to, but don't forget that Christianity invented neither "doing good" or "doing bad". We did that all on our own.
Friday, September 03, 2010
Airplane Luggage
It now costs to check luggage for most airlines. While I don't like this, I can understand it. It not only costs more fuel, it costs handlers, tracking systems, etc.
What really pisses me off are the people/passengers who CARRY ON their huge fucking luggage. On my last trip to St. Louis, there was one guy who had 2 carry-ons and a laptop. Aren't you just supposed to have one carry-on and a personal item? Yes.
People with their huge rollers that won't even fit in the overhead of a normal-sized aircraft are self-concerned assholes. There was one lady who couldn't even lift her bag. I helped, of course, and even I had trouble lifting it into the overhead bin. It probably weighed 35 pounds or so.
People - just pay the $20 and check your huge bag like you're supposed to. I know it's all cute and fun to circumvent the rules by packing 30 days of clothing into a bag that then contains so much pressure it's a lethal weapon. But, you're inconveniencing the rest of us, when you wheel your steamer-trunk on the plane, rolling over feet and banging arms like football players slapping teammates' hands as they run onto the field. When you have to pause and struggle with your godzilla-sized bag, you delay the plane from loading. When you have to turn your bag sideways, brace yourself against the seat and shove with all your might to get it in the overhead bin - IT'S TOO BIG! When you take up more overhead space so the guy in row 3 has to park his bag 30 rows back, YOU ARE INCONVENIENCING OTHERS!
Do you know the cleanest thing at the airport? It's that little chrome frame near each gate that says "If your bag can fit in here, you can carry it on." Why? BECAUSE IT'S NEVER USED! I blame the airlines as much as anyone on this. If you're going to have rules, then fucking enforce them, OK? If you see someone utilizing a mule train to conduct their carry-on bag to the gate, then it's probably too big.
For you, fellow traveler, just do the right thing and check your bag. Bring something on board that can easily fit under the seat so you don't have to dick around with the overhead bin at all.
Thank you. This rant brought to you by the letter J and the number 13.
What really pisses me off are the people/passengers who CARRY ON their huge fucking luggage. On my last trip to St. Louis, there was one guy who had 2 carry-ons and a laptop. Aren't you just supposed to have one carry-on and a personal item? Yes.
People with their huge rollers that won't even fit in the overhead of a normal-sized aircraft are self-concerned assholes. There was one lady who couldn't even lift her bag. I helped, of course, and even I had trouble lifting it into the overhead bin. It probably weighed 35 pounds or so.
People - just pay the $20 and check your huge bag like you're supposed to. I know it's all cute and fun to circumvent the rules by packing 30 days of clothing into a bag that then contains so much pressure it's a lethal weapon. But, you're inconveniencing the rest of us, when you wheel your steamer-trunk on the plane, rolling over feet and banging arms like football players slapping teammates' hands as they run onto the field. When you have to pause and struggle with your godzilla-sized bag, you delay the plane from loading. When you have to turn your bag sideways, brace yourself against the seat and shove with all your might to get it in the overhead bin - IT'S TOO BIG! When you take up more overhead space so the guy in row 3 has to park his bag 30 rows back, YOU ARE INCONVENIENCING OTHERS!
Do you know the cleanest thing at the airport? It's that little chrome frame near each gate that says "If your bag can fit in here, you can carry it on." Why? BECAUSE IT'S NEVER USED! I blame the airlines as much as anyone on this. If you're going to have rules, then fucking enforce them, OK? If you see someone utilizing a mule train to conduct their carry-on bag to the gate, then it's probably too big.
For you, fellow traveler, just do the right thing and check your bag. Bring something on board that can easily fit under the seat so you don't have to dick around with the overhead bin at all.
Thank you. This rant brought to you by the letter J and the number 13.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Tipping
OK, so I'm going to sound like Mr. Pink from Reservoir Dogs, but my sister-in-law thinks it's been far too long since I've ranted, so here I go....
Why do I feel guilty if I don't fill something in on the "tip" line, even if I go through the drive-through. Do I really need to put $1.00 in the Monica's Tacos drive-through as a "thank you" for them doing their job correctly? Doesn't the cost of the fucking burrito already include them putting it together right?
It's one thing if someone waits on me. If they bring me food, refill my drink, etc. I almost always tip 20%. Even if they aren't that great, I usually tip 20%. If they suck, I'll do 15%.
Today at Mimi's (which I'll probably not frequent for quite a while), we got a server who had a very stoic attitude and was brusque. Now, I don't want my server to be OVERLY friendly. I don't need to know what you did last night. I don't want a 10-minute political diatribe or a story about how much you hate your best friend right now. We are entering into a professional entertainment relationship. This means you do your job reasonably well and act like you give-a-shit and I'll pay you.
If this sounds cold, let me explain that I am ALWAYS friendly to my servers. I smile and mean it. I ASK for things, rather than demand them. I am willing to forgive a few mishaps, but if you obviously don't care AND we get bad service, well, I don't think your pay incentive (aka tip) should be that great.
Back to my Mimi's server. I ordered water with lemon. No lemon. I ordered an egg-white omelette. What I got was a burnt-ass egg with some stanky vegetables in it. One bite and I felt like hurling. It came with 2 pieces of toast. My sister-in-law got an omelette with NO tomoatoes. She got tomatoes. We both sent our food back. I got a menu and couldn't decide on more food, so I just ordered two eggs over-easy. I indicated I'd just eat the toast that'd come with my original meal.
Our server attended to us (and none-too-quickly) and brought me my eggs. I ate them and they were OK. When our server gave us the bill, she indicated that she took off the price of the omelette. I thanked her with a smile and meant it. However, when I looked at the bill, we'd been charged $1.99 for "toast and jam". The jam is on the table. The toast was the two pieces of dry toast that had come with my shitstain omelette. We paid the bill and left.
The crappy food wasn't our server's fault and in no way did I give her attitude or indicate I thought it was her fault. I apologized for having to send it back but said that it was truly unedible. But, don't you think they could have fucking comped my $1.99 toast?! A dollar for a piece of burnt bread? Holy balls, I could buy a fucking loaf of bread at Safeway for that!
Back to my point...Trish tipped her a good $8 on a $30 tab. If you figure the cost of the comped food was an additional $4, that is still over 20%. It is a 20% she didn't deserve, however, I think I'd have felt guilty doing any less. Why? She gave us mediocre service at best. She (or the kitchen) fucked up at least two of our orders. The attention to detail was nill.
Let me hear from you readers out there. Do you ever feel the way I do? Should I give a tip (minimal at least) to someone when I do a pick-up order? Do I tip the pizza delivery guy 20% or do I just add on a couple dollars as long as the pie is quick and hot? I am getting angry just thinking about all the dollars I've spent rewarding so-so service.
Why do I feel guilty if I don't fill something in on the "tip" line, even if I go through the drive-through. Do I really need to put $1.00 in the Monica's Tacos drive-through as a "thank you" for them doing their job correctly? Doesn't the cost of the fucking burrito already include them putting it together right?
It's one thing if someone waits on me. If they bring me food, refill my drink, etc. I almost always tip 20%. Even if they aren't that great, I usually tip 20%. If they suck, I'll do 15%.
Today at Mimi's (which I'll probably not frequent for quite a while), we got a server who had a very stoic attitude and was brusque. Now, I don't want my server to be OVERLY friendly. I don't need to know what you did last night. I don't want a 10-minute political diatribe or a story about how much you hate your best friend right now. We are entering into a professional entertainment relationship. This means you do your job reasonably well and act like you give-a-shit and I'll pay you.
If this sounds cold, let me explain that I am ALWAYS friendly to my servers. I smile and mean it. I ASK for things, rather than demand them. I am willing to forgive a few mishaps, but if you obviously don't care AND we get bad service, well, I don't think your pay incentive (aka tip) should be that great.
Back to my Mimi's server. I ordered water with lemon. No lemon. I ordered an egg-white omelette. What I got was a burnt-ass egg with some stanky vegetables in it. One bite and I felt like hurling. It came with 2 pieces of toast. My sister-in-law got an omelette with NO tomoatoes. She got tomatoes. We both sent our food back. I got a menu and couldn't decide on more food, so I just ordered two eggs over-easy. I indicated I'd just eat the toast that'd come with my original meal.
Our server attended to us (and none-too-quickly) and brought me my eggs. I ate them and they were OK. When our server gave us the bill, she indicated that she took off the price of the omelette. I thanked her with a smile and meant it. However, when I looked at the bill, we'd been charged $1.99 for "toast and jam". The jam is on the table. The toast was the two pieces of dry toast that had come with my shitstain omelette. We paid the bill and left.
The crappy food wasn't our server's fault and in no way did I give her attitude or indicate I thought it was her fault. I apologized for having to send it back but said that it was truly unedible. But, don't you think they could have fucking comped my $1.99 toast?! A dollar for a piece of burnt bread? Holy balls, I could buy a fucking loaf of bread at Safeway for that!
Back to my point...Trish tipped her a good $8 on a $30 tab. If you figure the cost of the comped food was an additional $4, that is still over 20%. It is a 20% she didn't deserve, however, I think I'd have felt guilty doing any less. Why? She gave us mediocre service at best. She (or the kitchen) fucked up at least two of our orders. The attention to detail was nill.
Let me hear from you readers out there. Do you ever feel the way I do? Should I give a tip (minimal at least) to someone when I do a pick-up order? Do I tip the pizza delivery guy 20% or do I just add on a couple dollars as long as the pie is quick and hot? I am getting angry just thinking about all the dollars I've spent rewarding so-so service.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
HD TiVo
OK, so some of you may have a DVR - Digital Video Recorder - of some sort.
I started recording TV this way back in 2002 with my first TiVo. My friend, Brian, had TiVo and he loved it so much. I, of course, made fun of him (Oh TiVo, I love you so!) for his infatuation until I was bitten by the same bug. Being able to record your shows and watch them any time completely frees up your nights. Being able to pause live TV so you can go to the bathroom - also essential.
With technology like this, over time you get used to it. When I'd travel and have to watch only live TV, I'd feel like I was "slumming" it. I couldn't stand not being able to pause or back up to hear some key dialogue I'd missed.
During the first of the year this year we finally purchased our first HDTV and, as such, got a HD box from the cable company that had a DVR on it. At first we kept the TiVo as well as the DVR on the TV, though we couldn't record HD on the TiVo because it was just a standard TiVo. For a few months it worked OK. The new DVR was kinda neat. There were a couple things it did that were a little different than TiVo. Learning the new interface was a tad annoying, but it went pretty quickly. Then in late summer, we decided to get rid of our 3rd TiVo. With the DVR and 2 TiVo's, we just didn't need a 4th recording device, so we sold it to a friend. A couple weeks later, my oldest TiVo just died. Seeing as it was a pretty old model and lasted about 6 years, I can understand this. However, this left us just the DVR in the living room for the HDTV. We still had a TiVo in the bedroom, but now we could only record/watch 4 shows at once. This may seem like a lot, but consider you have 4-5 shows that overlap on Monday night AND you want to watch Monday Night Football, and you see the problem. But, we dealt with it. We're not talking about starving to death, we're talking about missing a show now and then, ya know?
As the year progressed, I began to hate the DVR. Controlling the fast-forward/reverse just sucks on that thing. You can move a little faster than TiVo, but TiVo has built into it's manipulation an auto-back feature. So, if you're fast-forwarding a show and you get through the commercials and your show starts and you hit "Play" as soon as you see it, TiVo actually backs up the start of play a bit to compensate for your reaction time. The Motorola DVR from Comcast did not do this. So, you'd fast-forward through commercials, see your program, hit play, then have to back up a bit and hit play again. Also, sometimes it wouldn't record a show. The culmination of this occured when it just decided not to record an episode of Survivor. We had to watch it online and before I was able to start the online episode we saw who'd been voted off. Annoying! It also started saying things like "98% full" when only a few shows were recorded and stored on it. I'd have to shut it down and restart it for it to record again. I called Comcast and they sent some magical signal through it to correct this. 4 days later it started again.
My point is, TiVo is far superior to other recording devices. Not only is the manipulation much better, but the guide, features, management of shows, etc. is beyond compare. Not to mention that you can download any show/movie you want from Amazon.com (for a fee, of course - like pay-per-view), but you can transfer recordings from one TiVo to the other. You can play music from a computer where you have MP3's stored. You can store recordings on that PC, also, either for good or just until you have time to watch them. TiVo has games on it, you can order pizza, check weather, show photos, etc. And, if for some reason something isn't recorded that you think should have been, you can go see WHY. If you delete a show you have a small amount of time to recover it. Like I said - FAR superior.
I kept wanting to get an HD TiVo, but they were pretty expensive. Finally we decided to get one for both of our Xmas gifts to each-other. I found a refurbished one on the TiVo site for a pretty reasonable price and ordered it. It arrived (free shipping) 3 days later. I called the cable company to have the cable cards installed in it. Then I called TiVo because I couldn't get my payment play to switch over to the new TiVo. Turns out that I bought one with it's own plan and, since it was a refurb, they couldn't xfr my old plan to it. So, what did they do? Well, the guy really worked to get something working for me. He said that, since I'd been a customer for 6 years, they really wanted to help me. They managed to reduce my monthly payment by $10. Oh, and they also are sending us another free TiVo to replace the one that dies. Yes, that will cost $6.95 for the monthly service on that, but the device is a dual-tuner that would cost $150. Oh, and I don't have to ship my old broken one back. And it's free, including shipping.
So, we have the new HD TiVo up and running and the free TiVo will be here soon. I re-progammed my Logitech remote to perform all the duties of the remote (while you can't have too many TiVo's, you CAN have too many remotes - the Logitech does everything - I may have to blog on that thing next) and it's working great. I'd even say that the picture is better. I set it up to record our shows and, last night I saw something totally cool. Not only does it have a little red recording light like our standard TiVo, but it displays what is recording on the front of the machine. So, it actually says "Numb3rs" on the front of the TiVo. So, you know what is recording at all times, even without turning on your TV.
This was a lot longer and more boring that I'd planned, but I just am so happy to have TiVo in HD. It's the best of both worlds. If any of you think that you want to start digitally recording your TV, please go with TiVo. They aren't the only game in town any more. But, in my experience, they are definitely the best. You might get a "free" one from the cable company, but you still (usually) have to pay to lease it. And, it isn't yours. If something goes wrong with it, you have to deal with your cable company. And I can say that TiVo support is also FAR superior to your cable company's support.
Go TiVo. Go now. Merry Xmas!
I started recording TV this way back in 2002 with my first TiVo. My friend, Brian, had TiVo and he loved it so much. I, of course, made fun of him (Oh TiVo, I love you so!) for his infatuation until I was bitten by the same bug. Being able to record your shows and watch them any time completely frees up your nights. Being able to pause live TV so you can go to the bathroom - also essential.
With technology like this, over time you get used to it. When I'd travel and have to watch only live TV, I'd feel like I was "slumming" it. I couldn't stand not being able to pause or back up to hear some key dialogue I'd missed.
During the first of the year this year we finally purchased our first HDTV and, as such, got a HD box from the cable company that had a DVR on it. At first we kept the TiVo as well as the DVR on the TV, though we couldn't record HD on the TiVo because it was just a standard TiVo. For a few months it worked OK. The new DVR was kinda neat. There were a couple things it did that were a little different than TiVo. Learning the new interface was a tad annoying, but it went pretty quickly. Then in late summer, we decided to get rid of our 3rd TiVo. With the DVR and 2 TiVo's, we just didn't need a 4th recording device, so we sold it to a friend. A couple weeks later, my oldest TiVo just died. Seeing as it was a pretty old model and lasted about 6 years, I can understand this. However, this left us just the DVR in the living room for the HDTV. We still had a TiVo in the bedroom, but now we could only record/watch 4 shows at once. This may seem like a lot, but consider you have 4-5 shows that overlap on Monday night AND you want to watch Monday Night Football, and you see the problem. But, we dealt with it. We're not talking about starving to death, we're talking about missing a show now and then, ya know?
As the year progressed, I began to hate the DVR. Controlling the fast-forward/reverse just sucks on that thing. You can move a little faster than TiVo, but TiVo has built into it's manipulation an auto-back feature. So, if you're fast-forwarding a show and you get through the commercials and your show starts and you hit "Play" as soon as you see it, TiVo actually backs up the start of play a bit to compensate for your reaction time. The Motorola DVR from Comcast did not do this. So, you'd fast-forward through commercials, see your program, hit play, then have to back up a bit and hit play again. Also, sometimes it wouldn't record a show. The culmination of this occured when it just decided not to record an episode of Survivor. We had to watch it online and before I was able to start the online episode we saw who'd been voted off. Annoying! It also started saying things like "98% full" when only a few shows were recorded and stored on it. I'd have to shut it down and restart it for it to record again. I called Comcast and they sent some magical signal through it to correct this. 4 days later it started again.
My point is, TiVo is far superior to other recording devices. Not only is the manipulation much better, but the guide, features, management of shows, etc. is beyond compare. Not to mention that you can download any show/movie you want from Amazon.com (for a fee, of course - like pay-per-view), but you can transfer recordings from one TiVo to the other. You can play music from a computer where you have MP3's stored. You can store recordings on that PC, also, either for good or just until you have time to watch them. TiVo has games on it, you can order pizza, check weather, show photos, etc. And, if for some reason something isn't recorded that you think should have been, you can go see WHY. If you delete a show you have a small amount of time to recover it. Like I said - FAR superior.
I kept wanting to get an HD TiVo, but they were pretty expensive. Finally we decided to get one for both of our Xmas gifts to each-other. I found a refurbished one on the TiVo site for a pretty reasonable price and ordered it. It arrived (free shipping) 3 days later. I called the cable company to have the cable cards installed in it. Then I called TiVo because I couldn't get my payment play to switch over to the new TiVo. Turns out that I bought one with it's own plan and, since it was a refurb, they couldn't xfr my old plan to it. So, what did they do? Well, the guy really worked to get something working for me. He said that, since I'd been a customer for 6 years, they really wanted to help me. They managed to reduce my monthly payment by $10. Oh, and they also are sending us another free TiVo to replace the one that dies. Yes, that will cost $6.95 for the monthly service on that, but the device is a dual-tuner that would cost $150. Oh, and I don't have to ship my old broken one back. And it's free, including shipping.
So, we have the new HD TiVo up and running and the free TiVo will be here soon. I re-progammed my Logitech remote to perform all the duties of the remote (while you can't have too many TiVo's, you CAN have too many remotes - the Logitech does everything - I may have to blog on that thing next) and it's working great. I'd even say that the picture is better. I set it up to record our shows and, last night I saw something totally cool. Not only does it have a little red recording light like our standard TiVo, but it displays what is recording on the front of the machine. So, it actually says "Numb3rs" on the front of the TiVo. So, you know what is recording at all times, even without turning on your TV.
This was a lot longer and more boring that I'd planned, but I just am so happy to have TiVo in HD. It's the best of both worlds. If any of you think that you want to start digitally recording your TV, please go with TiVo. They aren't the only game in town any more. But, in my experience, they are definitely the best. You might get a "free" one from the cable company, but you still (usually) have to pay to lease it. And, it isn't yours. If something goes wrong with it, you have to deal with your cable company. And I can say that TiVo support is also FAR superior to your cable company's support.
Go TiVo. Go now. Merry Xmas!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Airplane seats
You do realize that when you recline your seat on airplane you give the person behind you less room, right?
For this very reason, I almost never recline my seat on an airplane unless nobody is behind me.
You also realize that when you bang or kick or mush the seat in front of you, you're jostling the person sitting in that seat, right?
For this very reason, I almost always jostle, poke, kick the seat in front of me when someone reclines suddenly, pinning my knees to the back of the seat painfully.
Change the world one step at a time. Have consideration for others. Whether it's respecting their space, letting them into a traffic line in front of you or just taking a second to open the door for someone. It's the little things that matter. Do one.
For this very reason, I almost never recline my seat on an airplane unless nobody is behind me.
You also realize that when you bang or kick or mush the seat in front of you, you're jostling the person sitting in that seat, right?
For this very reason, I almost always jostle, poke, kick the seat in front of me when someone reclines suddenly, pinning my knees to the back of the seat painfully.
Change the world one step at a time. Have consideration for others. Whether it's respecting their space, letting them into a traffic line in front of you or just taking a second to open the door for someone. It's the little things that matter. Do one.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Obama
I don't think I can truly express how happy I am about Obama winning.
I've followed Barack for a long time. For me, it's been more about his ability to lead as a PERSON...as an entity of maturity for our nation than about the positions.
America needs a change. A REAL change, not a difference. We need someone who can bring our nation back to universal prominence by his charisma and understanding. An Illinois senator. If IL isn't as representative of the USA as you can get, I don't what is.
Lead us, Barack. Bring back our reputation. Bring back our respect with the world. Bring us back from our humiliating past to a future where we can prove our strength and maturity as a nation. A nation that will lead by example and honor, rather than impudence.
Thank you, America.
I've followed Barack for a long time. For me, it's been more about his ability to lead as a PERSON...as an entity of maturity for our nation than about the positions.
America needs a change. A REAL change, not a difference. We need someone who can bring our nation back to universal prominence by his charisma and understanding. An Illinois senator. If IL isn't as representative of the USA as you can get, I don't what is.
Lead us, Barack. Bring back our reputation. Bring back our respect with the world. Bring us back from our humiliating past to a future where we can prove our strength and maturity as a nation. A nation that will lead by example and honor, rather than impudence.
Thank you, America.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
M U S I C
I like music.
In fact, I like to think myself as somewhat of a scholar of music. I started piano lessons in 3rd grade, started saxophone in 5th grade, drums in 6th grade and played in jazz, concert, marching and pep band. I was even in choir, for goodness sakes!
I like a lot of different types of music, my favorites being jazz, punk, metal and rock. I have known a lot of people who've known - and taught - me a lot about music. I've had a lot of different discussions with many people about music.
Of all types of music, and all bands I've seen, I've made the realization, that one expresses my soul more than any other: The Jayhawks.
Yes, I like harder rock, generally. I love metal and punk and irreverent, political rantings. The Jayhawks aren't any of this. They don't scream or spout rhetoric. But, their music is beautiful. And, I found them all on my own. One year, while vacationing in Minnesota, I saw an album "Tomorrow the Green Grass" and, on a whim, bought it. I saw that it was a Minnesota band and figured I'd pick it up while there. It's been the best decision I've made. Nobody told me about the Jayhawks, nobody recommended them. I didn't even hear of them from a show or video or radio show.
"Tomorrow the Green Grass" is still my favorite album of theirs, but everything they do is great. I also like their cousin-bands, Golden Smog and Wilco (Wilco's new album is shear fucking genius), but, to me, it'll never get better than The Jayhawks.
I remember one party at the lake lot when we listened to this album all night long - litterally...the CD was in my car and played over and over again all night as we slept. How can you not like this kind of music?
The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass. If you don't have it...you suck.
In fact, I like to think myself as somewhat of a scholar of music. I started piano lessons in 3rd grade, started saxophone in 5th grade, drums in 6th grade and played in jazz, concert, marching and pep band. I was even in choir, for goodness sakes!
I like a lot of different types of music, my favorites being jazz, punk, metal and rock. I have known a lot of people who've known - and taught - me a lot about music. I've had a lot of different discussions with many people about music.
Of all types of music, and all bands I've seen, I've made the realization, that one expresses my soul more than any other: The Jayhawks.
Yes, I like harder rock, generally. I love metal and punk and irreverent, political rantings. The Jayhawks aren't any of this. They don't scream or spout rhetoric. But, their music is beautiful. And, I found them all on my own. One year, while vacationing in Minnesota, I saw an album "Tomorrow the Green Grass" and, on a whim, bought it. I saw that it was a Minnesota band and figured I'd pick it up while there. It's been the best decision I've made. Nobody told me about the Jayhawks, nobody recommended them. I didn't even hear of them from a show or video or radio show.
"Tomorrow the Green Grass" is still my favorite album of theirs, but everything they do is great. I also like their cousin-bands, Golden Smog and Wilco (Wilco's new album is shear fucking genius), but, to me, it'll never get better than The Jayhawks.
I remember one party at the lake lot when we listened to this album all night long - litterally...the CD was in my car and played over and over again all night as we slept. How can you not like this kind of music?
The Jayhawks - Tomorrow the Green Grass. If you don't have it...you suck.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Summer continues...
After a few days of colder weather, summer is back and it's in the high 70s or low 80s.
On the patio, beer on the table next to the laptop. Dog is lying in the sun, enjoying the rays and the houseplants are asking me not to put them inside just yet.
To find a more "summery" summer than this of 07, I think I'd have to go back to the lakelot, parties, beer, cigs and all-night music through car speakers.
While the winter isn't nearly as harsh in CO as in IL, I dread it. I'd much rather have another month or two in the sun.
On the patio, beer on the table next to the laptop. Dog is lying in the sun, enjoying the rays and the houseplants are asking me not to put them inside just yet.
To find a more "summery" summer than this of 07, I think I'd have to go back to the lakelot, parties, beer, cigs and all-night music through car speakers.
While the winter isn't nearly as harsh in CO as in IL, I dread it. I'd much rather have another month or two in the sun.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Fantasy Sports again
Today is supposed to be the official end of summer. Since Summer is my favorite season, this saddens me a little. Still, I'm on the patio, my plants are doing well, my dog is sitting in the shade, I'm drinking a beer and listening to the latest Wilco album on my outdoor speakers. Tomorrow is Tuesday and the begining of the week, meaning Wednesday will be here before we know it and it's all downhill from there.
Speaking of the end of things, I am officially out of the running in one of my Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues. The "playoffs" have started and I finished 8th out of 12. It is a head-to-head league and while I never really got trounced in a weekly matchup, I usually lost somthing like 5-4, which isn't enough to make the playoffs. In my other league I've got a good lock on 2nd place out of 12 teams. My offensive numbers are astounding. Of the 5 offensive categories, I have 12 points (max) in 4 of them and a 9 in RBI. It's only pitching that's keeping me from the title. My wins and K's are ok, but everything else is sucky. I'm 13.5 points ahead of the team in position 3, but only 6 back from the leader. There isn't much time left, but I still have a chance.
Also, on Thursday the NFL season starts and I have 3 Fantasy Football teams to watch over. The old CBL is back and Trish and I have what I feel is a pretty strong team. We also have a brother league (Colorado Wine League) going that I am now running. It's been somewhat of a challenge to get this set up, but it's turned out OK so far. I'm also running a Yahoo! free league mainly to keep me knowledgable about players and scoring that isn't in my other two leagues. It pays to know who's hot and who isn't. This year is the first fantasy sports experience for several owners.
This got me thinking about how long I've been doing this kind of thing. I think I ran my first fantasy baseball team back in 1991, meaning this is the 16th year of doing this stuff. My friends here in Colorado used to make fun of me when we'd go to a baseball game and I'd say "hey that guy used to play for the Twins" or "Craig Biggio started off as a catcher" or something like that. Speaking of Biggio, I've seen some great players start (and end) their careers since I've been "playing". I've done fantasy hockey several years too, but the last 5 years I've been focused on Fantasy Football. It's amazing how much the game has changed. We used to have to hand-compile our stats from Baseball Weekly or the USA Today. Now a website takes care of everything for you, including research, lineups, trades, waivers, etc. It's a huge business too. Crazy.
So, here's to the end of one Fantasy season and the begining of another. Let's hope the other "fantasy" season of the Cardinals winning the central (easier than wildcard) comes true too :)
Speaking of the end of things, I am officially out of the running in one of my Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues. The "playoffs" have started and I finished 8th out of 12. It is a head-to-head league and while I never really got trounced in a weekly matchup, I usually lost somthing like 5-4, which isn't enough to make the playoffs. In my other league I've got a good lock on 2nd place out of 12 teams. My offensive numbers are astounding. Of the 5 offensive categories, I have 12 points (max) in 4 of them and a 9 in RBI. It's only pitching that's keeping me from the title. My wins and K's are ok, but everything else is sucky. I'm 13.5 points ahead of the team in position 3, but only 6 back from the leader. There isn't much time left, but I still have a chance.
Also, on Thursday the NFL season starts and I have 3 Fantasy Football teams to watch over. The old CBL is back and Trish and I have what I feel is a pretty strong team. We also have a brother league (Colorado Wine League) going that I am now running. It's been somewhat of a challenge to get this set up, but it's turned out OK so far. I'm also running a Yahoo! free league mainly to keep me knowledgable about players and scoring that isn't in my other two leagues. It pays to know who's hot and who isn't. This year is the first fantasy sports experience for several owners.
This got me thinking about how long I've been doing this kind of thing. I think I ran my first fantasy baseball team back in 1991, meaning this is the 16th year of doing this stuff. My friends here in Colorado used to make fun of me when we'd go to a baseball game and I'd say "hey that guy used to play for the Twins" or "Craig Biggio started off as a catcher" or something like that. Speaking of Biggio, I've seen some great players start (and end) their careers since I've been "playing". I've done fantasy hockey several years too, but the last 5 years I've been focused on Fantasy Football. It's amazing how much the game has changed. We used to have to hand-compile our stats from Baseball Weekly or the USA Today. Now a website takes care of everything for you, including research, lineups, trades, waivers, etc. It's a huge business too. Crazy.
So, here's to the end of one Fantasy season and the begining of another. Let's hope the other "fantasy" season of the Cardinals winning the central (easier than wildcard) comes true too :)
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
2 new definitions
This weekend I conceived (with the help of alcohol and friends) of two new expressions I'd like to share with you.
Fecal Alcohol Syndrome: The shits you get the day after imbibing too many drinks. As in *coming out of the bathroom* "Wow, I have a serious case of fecal alcohol syndrome!"
Molestatious: Adj. Relating to or the properties of being likely to molest. As in "I don't trust clowns or ice cream men. They seem really molestatious to me" or "Your uncle Ernie had his molestatious hands all over me at the funeral".
Fecal Alcohol Syndrome: The shits you get the day after imbibing too many drinks. As in *coming out of the bathroom* "Wow, I have a serious case of fecal alcohol syndrome!"
Molestatious: Adj. Relating to or the properties of being likely to molest. As in "I don't trust clowns or ice cream men. They seem really molestatious to me" or "Your uncle Ernie had his molestatious hands all over me at the funeral".
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
What to do on the road
So I'm in Michigan this week, visiting a variety of sites for work.
What do I do when I'm on the road? Usually, as little as possible. I rarely go out to eat, preferring to get something and bring it back to the room. Last night I had hot wings and cheese sticks (thank God it didn't give me the farts for my meetings today). Tonight I went to Meijer (midwest supermarket) and got some stuff to eat. The primary thing I wanted to get was beer. I don't want to go to the lounge and have to sit there and drink a beer. I want to be in my bed watching TV and drinking one.
So, I bought a 6-pack of beer (new Miller chill - I figured, wtf, who cares, right? It is pretty good, actually), some corn chips, 7-layer dip and an asian salad. I've been eating far too shitty, so I thought I'd get something half-healthy.
I'm sitting in bed, chilling 3 of the beers in my ice bucket, eating my dip (maybe I'll get to the salad eventually) and drinking a half-warm one. I'm watching "War of the Worlds" on HBO and getting ready to participate in a mock fantasy draft on SportingNews.com. I really miss home. But, if you have to travel, it's really nice to be able to "hole up" in your room and live like a fucking slob and not have to do any actual work (once email is caught up).
BTW...Meijer is like a Super Walmart. Well....in the fact that it's full of a bunch of slow, bloated people. Unlike Super Walfuck, it has 40000 self-serve isles that worked very good. So, I didn't have to put down my choices and get out of the store before I could buy my stuff :)
What do I do when I'm on the road? Usually, as little as possible. I rarely go out to eat, preferring to get something and bring it back to the room. Last night I had hot wings and cheese sticks (thank God it didn't give me the farts for my meetings today). Tonight I went to Meijer (midwest supermarket) and got some stuff to eat. The primary thing I wanted to get was beer. I don't want to go to the lounge and have to sit there and drink a beer. I want to be in my bed watching TV and drinking one.
So, I bought a 6-pack of beer (new Miller chill - I figured, wtf, who cares, right? It is pretty good, actually), some corn chips, 7-layer dip and an asian salad. I've been eating far too shitty, so I thought I'd get something half-healthy.
I'm sitting in bed, chilling 3 of the beers in my ice bucket, eating my dip (maybe I'll get to the salad eventually) and drinking a half-warm one. I'm watching "War of the Worlds" on HBO and getting ready to participate in a mock fantasy draft on SportingNews.com. I really miss home. But, if you have to travel, it's really nice to be able to "hole up" in your room and live like a fucking slob and not have to do any actual work (once email is caught up).
BTW...Meijer is like a Super Walmart. Well....in the fact that it's full of a bunch of slow, bloated people. Unlike Super Walfuck, it has 40000 self-serve isles that worked very good. So, I didn't have to put down my choices and get out of the store before I could buy my stuff :)
Thursday, August 02, 2007
New Belgium does it again
When first moving to Colorado, I became acquainted with a beer called "Fat Tire".
It quickly became one of my favorite beers. Over the last few years I drink it less than I used to, but it's still a good beer.
A few years ago they came out with 1554, which is a black ale. I still think it's one of the best beers I've ever had. While it's a little too strong to be a "drinking" beer, it is really smooth and tasty.
I just returned from the liquor store and they have a new flavor - "Mothership Wit". The liquor store owner hadn't even gotten it in the system yet, but he sold me a sixer. It's an "organic wheat beer". I'm a big fan of both organic and wheat, so this is right up my alley. Bonus? It tastes great! While it's not of the level of something like a Paulaner Heffe or other Belgium or German "Weiss Beirs" it is certainly very enjoyable. Try it out the next time you're at the liquor store! Hell, get a 12-pack at the drive-through!
It quickly became one of my favorite beers. Over the last few years I drink it less than I used to, but it's still a good beer.
A few years ago they came out with 1554, which is a black ale. I still think it's one of the best beers I've ever had. While it's a little too strong to be a "drinking" beer, it is really smooth and tasty.
I just returned from the liquor store and they have a new flavor - "Mothership Wit". The liquor store owner hadn't even gotten it in the system yet, but he sold me a sixer. It's an "organic wheat beer". I'm a big fan of both organic and wheat, so this is right up my alley. Bonus? It tastes great! While it's not of the level of something like a Paulaner Heffe or other Belgium or German "Weiss Beirs" it is certainly very enjoyable. Try it out the next time you're at the liquor store! Hell, get a 12-pack at the drive-through!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Barry Bonds
So I'm sitting here watching the All-Star Home Run Derby. There was an interview with Barry Bonds and they asked him about the Home Run record and the interest by the press and fans and (moreso) the lack thereof. He said that he is disappointed that people are more interested in listening to something a 3rd party says about his game than what he says or what he shows on the field. When asked about commisioner Bud Selig's lack of interest in him setting the all-time home run record this year and he basically said that the commisioner is the commisioner and he doesn't have any control over what he does.
Now, I'm no Barry Bonds fan. But, I do think he's definitely one of the top 10 players to ever play in Major League Baseball. This year he's going to hit more home runs than anyone in the game has ever hit. He's one of only 4 players to EVER have a 40/40 year (40 HR and 40 SB) Did he use steroids? I don't know. And, actually, I don't care. Steroids weren't illegal for much of his career. Do you think that Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron or any of the other greats would have taken steroids if they'd been available? You bet your ass they would have. Barry Bonds isn't a media darling. He's never been very glib or funny and sometimes he's been downright reclusive. So-the-fuck what?! He's under no obligation to be super nice. Is he a biggot or a drunk partier like Ruth or some of the other old greats? Doesn't seem to be. Which is the worst offense, to use performance-enhancing drugs or to dislike someone because of the color of their skin? Which is worse, to not be very friendly to a press who has always criticized you, or to be a drunken, wife-beating husband?
Barry is one of the best and should be treated with a lot more respect than he is. I'm glad he's going to break the all-time record. Give him a break!
Now, I'm no Barry Bonds fan. But, I do think he's definitely one of the top 10 players to ever play in Major League Baseball. This year he's going to hit more home runs than anyone in the game has ever hit. He's one of only 4 players to EVER have a 40/40 year (40 HR and 40 SB) Did he use steroids? I don't know. And, actually, I don't care. Steroids weren't illegal for much of his career. Do you think that Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron or any of the other greats would have taken steroids if they'd been available? You bet your ass they would have. Barry Bonds isn't a media darling. He's never been very glib or funny and sometimes he's been downright reclusive. So-the-fuck what?! He's under no obligation to be super nice. Is he a biggot or a drunk partier like Ruth or some of the other old greats? Doesn't seem to be. Which is the worst offense, to use performance-enhancing drugs or to dislike someone because of the color of their skin? Which is worse, to not be very friendly to a press who has always criticized you, or to be a drunken, wife-beating husband?
Barry is one of the best and should be treated with a lot more respect than he is. I'm glad he's going to break the all-time record. Give him a break!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
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