RIP JVC TV

Well, I was awoken this afternoon by the sound of my TV going on and off all by itself. Chuchunk - chuchunk - chuchunk. Except like really loud, and about a million times in a row.

After using my keen diagnostic abilities (i.e. - unplug TV, wait a few minutes, plug TV back in) I determined that my poor little JVC TV was a goner.

The worst part is, I have no other TV. And I love me some TV. I knew I could not survive very long without a TV. In fact, when I called my Mom to tell her what happened, her first comment was, "Oh my God! You need to get to the TV store now before they close!"

Now, I've been dreaming about a new TV for some time. I knew my next TV was going to be at least 42 inches, flatscreened and something I could hang on the wall over the fireplace. Yeah, that was the dream. The reality is that I've just taken the second pay cut this year due to my company being in bankruptcy, I'm struggling to make ends meet and I'm buying a new home at the first of the year so I'm having to pay off all my debt to ensure I get my loan.

So, the dream was inverted and the 42 inch became at 24 inch. At $149 it was the largest TV I could afford, and truthfully, I really couldn't afford that. My only hope at this point is that my Dad will take pity and offer to pay for all or part of it as a Christmas present. He is usually really good to cover whatever thing I mysteriously have die in the 6 weeks prior to Christmas each year. Last year it was my heating system. The year before that, my tires, and the year prior to that, my dishwasher.

So, I get home with the TV. So now, all I have to figure out is how I'm going to get the carcus of the dead JVC off the TV stand, get the new one out of my car and up a flight of stairs. Enter Tony.

In the dictionary next to the word awesome is a picture of Tony (see also - fantastic, greatest, godlike, and best friend in history.) Tony came to my rescue, set up the new TV, hooked up the DVD player and TiVo, carried the old TV to the basement and all he asked for in return was the empty box that the new TV came in. I think maybe he is going to make a fort out of it.

My Mom summed it up best when she said, "I wish I had a Tony." I wish everybody did too. Just not mine. Find your own

Thanks a Million

In the spirit of the holiday, I felt it was necessary to give share the things I'm thankful for, as opposed to bitching and moaning, which is what I really strive to do each Thursday. And Friday. And, well, you get the idea.

Now obviously, I am thankful for the normal things. I'm one of those weird people that actually gets along with my family (well, immediate family - parents, brother, sister-in-law, nephew, niece, an aunt, uncle and a few random cousins anyway.) I have some great friends including one that I know without a doubt would go to the mat for me and possible break the law with no questions asked if I needed him to. I have a job, a home, my health - a lot of things to be thankful for. But, instead of going with the obvious things, I'd much rather share some random things I'm thankful for. So here we go with the Top 10. Or somesuch.

1. TiVo - Those of you that have it completely understand. Those of you that don't - it's 2005. Get with the program.

2. Fake Keds Tennis Shoes from Walmart - Only $3.00 and they don't give me blisters like the real Keds do at 10 times the price. And at that price, I can buy them in bulk and never have to worry about walking in the mud.

3.

4. Old Family Recipes Passed Down Through the Generations - When my Dad's mother passed away, each granddaughter was left with a recipe. I inherited Sweet Potato Casserole. I really think this is the only reason my family still invites me to Thanksgiving lunch. Another great family recipe is my mother's banana pudding. It is one of those things that is too good for words. I hope my niece will be able to do justice to it when it is passed down to her.

5. Jersey Sheets - They keep you warm in the winter, aren't too hot in the summer and just get softer and softer each time you wash them. Too Hell with 5,000 thread count, silk or whatever is the trend this week, I can't sleep on anything else.

6. Joss Whedon - The man created my favorite TV show of all time. And a pretty good spin off from it as well. Now, I'd be really extra thankful if he'd get off his but and write that Spike movie he keeps promising.

7. BR's Rum Cake - You know how when you scratch a dog in just the right place and their leg starts thumping? That's what happens to me when I have the first bite of my friend's rum cake. Maybe it is because I can't drink alcohol, so this is the only taste I ever get. Maybe it is because he always seems to serve it fresh from the oven while it is still warm. Could even be the hard yet gooey crust. Whatever it is, I just know I want some more. Now. Please.

8. Television Without Pity - Who knew people could make a living being snarky about their favorite TV shows? Me and my friends have been doing it for free for years now. Their recaps are so much fun that I find myself reading recaps of shows I don't even watch just for an extra laugh.

9. My Long Sleeved Gray Knit Shirt - My most comfortable piece of clothing. I would wear it every day if I could. I'm almost depressed about losing so much weight because the shirt is getting seriously too big. But maybe if I lose enough weight, I can get it cut down into two separate shirts and wear it twice as much.

10. Spell Checker - Without this beautiful feature, most people would probably think I was stupid. Of course, what would really make me thankful would be a "What I really meant to type" checker. With that option, people wouldn't be left to wonder how my shorts could have long sleeves, why my family passed down our receipts, and why I sleep on jersey .... well, you get the idea.

Feeling a little weird today...

But only about 40%.

You Are 40% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

Wow -

He must have made a lot of royalties off of that Thong Song.

Cisco Buys Scientific-Atlanta for $6.9 Billion

What's in a Name?

Each year it keeps getting more and more difficult to remember the names of the characters on the TV shows I watch on a regular basis. It wasn't too long ago that I could tell you the full name and address of every character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, even the recurring day players. I could tell you the name of every doctor, nurse, desk clerk and administrator on ER, as well as who they had been romantically involved with and how many times they themselves had been a patient in the ER. I knew every partner Andy Sipowitz ever had and how they died (heart disease, murdered, career suicide.) And although I can still tell you about every character on Lost and their elaborate back-story and interconnections, the names of most characters over the last season or two are just not sinking in.

I find myself saying things like "So then House was snotty to the Australian intern and the girl intern that likes him, then he told the black intern that use to be on ER that the patient du jour probably had malaria and then he had a meeting with the guy from Dead Poet's Society, his boss that was Rob Lowe's hooker on West Wing and Sela Ward." or "it was really funny when Xander was in the kitchen with the British guy and Freaks and Geeks guy and Will from Alias came in and yelled at them all.

Even my friends and coworkers seem to have the same problem. Just the other day I overheard this conversation - "So they arrested the whore doctor for being the Carver, but then the slutty detective got slashed so they had to let him go. But you just know that the replacement doctor is probably the Carver. Oh, and since the married doctor is divorced now, do we need a new name for him?"

Maybe it is because there are so many similar shows. Everything is basically a crime solving procedural or something set in a hospital. I've been watching CSI for six years and I still don't know all their names. I figure I'm OK if I can keep their cities apart. I identify the people on Commander in Chief by calling them the names of the West Wing characters with the same positions. So, President Whoever Geena Davis is playing is called lady President Bartlett and her First Husband is Mr. Abby and her press secretary is young CJ Craig and so on.

And don't even get me started with the reality shows. They doubled the team members on the Amazing Race by making it a family addition. Who can keep up with that? They've started recycling people on Survivor, so at least I'm starting to remember their names the second time around. And please, there are just way too many people trying to be an Apprentice to either Donald or Martha, and they all look the same to me. I was actually kind of glad when the Donald fired four of them at one time, cause it made it a little easier to tell the men that were left apart. (For the record, there is young guy, gay guy, black guy, short guy and annoying-rambling guy left.)

Of course, it could just be that I'm getting old and forgetful….. No, that can't be it. I'msure that I'm just as young and mentally sharp as I ever was.

Just ask my friends. You know, the sweet one, the sarcastic one, the one that lives down the street, the one at work, the real etate agent and his ex, the gay couple, the one that lives in Texas, the cousin one and the one that married my brother ole what's-his-name.

Why is my glass half empty?

Instead of being pleased that I scored so well on this quiz, I'm dying because the logical intelligence part says I'm below average. What is wrong with me? (Other than that I'm below average in logical intelligence.)

Your IQ Is 135

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Since I'm too lazy to write anything....

I guess I'll take a cue from a favorite blogger and post some quiz results.

Your Birthdate: September 5

You have many talents, and you are great at sharing those talents with others. Most people would be jealous of your clever intellect, but you're just too likeable to elicit jealousy. Progressive and original, you're usually thinking up cutting edge ideas. Quick witted and fast thinking, you have difficulty finding new challenges. Your strength: Your superhuman brainpower Your weakness: Your susceptibility to boredom Your power color: Tangerine Your power symbol: Ace Your power month: May

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?