Ah-Ha!

I always wondered what a Google Maps Street View car looked like!  Guess they’re in a hurry to capture every street on film…er digital.  Please drive responsibly, Google.

Grr – computers

I don’t know if it was from the storms or not, but my computer decided to stop working last night.  I was working on it and got a power surge and then couldn’t restart it.  I think it might be my video card.  Anyone got a spare PCI-E card lying around?

I’m outta touch

I know, I’m old. I’m out of touch of the way people do things. I have owned a cell phone for over 10 years, but I never use it more than just a phone or calculator. I’ve only ever sent 2 text messages using my phone. Ever. But today was the first day I actually received my first useful text message.

We have a new player on our softball team who a recent college grad. She texted me today stating she wouldn’t be able to make it to the game tonight.

First an iPod and now text messages on my phone! Look out world!

Oh… I should mention we don’t have a text package, so it’s a pay-per-text option for us.  So don’t expect many, if any, texts from me.  I’m too cheap.

Welcome to the 21st Century

Sara and I finally broke down and bought an iPod this weekend as her birthday present. We ended up going with an 8GB Nano. We thought about the Shuffle – the really mini thing with 1GB of space for cost reasons, but I’m really happy we went with the Nano instead. You can just do so much more with it (sync contacts and calendar, manage and browse for songs, store pictures and videos, etc) We had several gift certificates to Best Buy, so that really helped offset the cost. Thanks again moms – this is what we used them for! This is the 3rd generation Nano, so I guess there is a benefit to waiting so long – you get to wait for manufacturers to improve on their designs and software.

The mini van doesn’t have a CD player, so we’ll eventually get an FM transmitter for it so that we can play commercial free music in the car, too. Maybe even the Nike Sport pack at some time, too, so Sara can track her workouts.

I feel so cool just knowing there is one of these in our household. Too bad feeling cool doesn’t make it so.

I like the way this guy thinks:

In a rant against movie theaters and the commercials that play during at the supposed start time of the main show, he says:

- When you take my money for popcorn, at least I’m getting a tasty treat

- When you take my cash at the box office, I’m getting to come in to watch the movie

- When you take my time for commercials on TV, I’m getting a “free” TV show out of it

But what are we getting for our time with commercials in movie theaters? When the ad says “Movie starts at 7pm” and I’m in my seat (that I paid admission for) at 7pm, it’s time for you to start giving me what I paid you for… the movie. If you want to show me commercials, fine… give me the movie for free then.

The theater industry is pulling in RECORD amounts of income from those commercials, and unlike TV (where we get a free show), WE GET NOTHING IN RETURN FOR OUR TIME SITTING THERE WHEN THE MOVIE IS SUPPOSED TO START.

He then goes on to show the value of time.  It’s a good read.
Read More at his blog here.

I have to agree with him.  It used to be just movie trailers that ate into the start time.  Now it’s Coke and Visa commercials.  Very annoying.

At least I don’t go to that many movies anymore for it to be that big of deal for me.  I wouldn’t mind keeping a package like HBO for the reason that time is very valuable.  I currently don’t have the home theater system to rival any movie theater (even the really bad ones).  But some day, when HD televisions become more affordable, HD programming more widely available, and I purchase an impressive home audio system, the need for movie theaters will greatly diminish for me.  I hope one day to have a beautiful setup (5, 10 years from now – don’t worry honey, I’m not going shopping this weekend), combined with DVR, pay-per-view, and DVD rentals, watching movies on my time and commercial free is the best way to go.

Switched to DISH

I took the afternoon off yesterday so that the installer could put another satellite dish on my roof.  I may consider taking the DirecTV dish down, but aren’t these things fashion statements?

It’s not that I’m happy or unhappy with DirecTV, it’s just that one can get a much better deal as a new customer than as an existing customer.  DISH offers a two room DVR setup for the same monthly price as Direct.  With the new fall season upon us, baseball playoffs, football season, and a little kid who wants our attention, we were in need of this setup.  Plus we get HBO for free for several months, so I can record a bunch of movies I’ve been wanting to see.  Hello Oscar winner, The Departed. 

Also, my Dad, my sister, and my father-in-law all have DISH, so now whenever we visit, we’ll be able to operate their tvs and know the channel lineups.  And since they’re customers already, my sister gave us a referral bonus code.  Score more options and free stuff for the both of us.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about finally having DVR.  But that’s the story of my life – always a few years behind the technology curve.  And tvs in two rooms will save our marriage.  Ok, not really, but now no more arguments over the remote.