The Trials And Tribulations Of Tivo

I love Tivo. It has changed my life. Hopefully for the better. We have Tivo on three of our televisions. The main television in the living room can record two things at once, while the other two televisions can only record one thing at a time. Unfortunately you can not watch live television if the television is recording at it's maximum, which can create a funny situation, such as the one it created last night.

In the middle of the CAVS game, a message came up on the screen telling us to decide between the CAVS game and (don't laugh) Grey's Anatomy and Don't Forget The Lyrics, which were both about to start recording in one minute. I yelled: "Oh No!" I obviously wanted to watch the CAVS, but not recording those two shows is not an option in our house, so we had to move and we had to move fast. Julie ran upstairs to record Grey's Anatomy, but she realized we were recording The Office up there, so she then ran down to the basement and was able to record Grey's Anatomy in time leaving me with the ability to watch the CAVS game live in the living room as I cooked dinner. I felt bad as I watched her run back and forth because I had already given up on the game and the CAVS were down by 20 points, but I wasn't about to tell her that.

Don't let this blog fool you, we don't really like Grey's Anatomy. I could see how you might think we do from reading this entry, but we really don't. Seriously. Don't let the fact that we were frantic when we thought we wouldn't be able to watch it lead you to believe that we are actually in any way interested in this show, and if you do draw that conclusion from this entry, please don't tell anyone else.

In other more important, yet unrelated news: 15 days until Ireland.

My Favorite Television Clip Of All Time

When I found this clip, I was ecstatic. My sister got me hooked on Laverne and Shirley when we used to own this clip on video cassette. I took it to college where I lost it, assuming it was never to be found again. Now I can own it forever thanks to YouTube.

I Don’t See Color, Just Ethnicity

Everyone and their mother is probably going to write about the new Survivor series today. I have never watched the show before, so I don’t think I could give an articulate review of the actual show, but this season’s concept is a little weird at best and disturbing at worst. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, the show is pitting Latinos, Whites, Blacks and Asians against one another at the beginning of the series. I watched last night, not because I wanted to but because I was forced to--it was on 12 different television sets at the restaurant where I was having dinner. Everyone was having a sidebar conversation regarding the show's implications and people began to take sides for different reasons, based on stereotypes or just plain hubris regarding their own race. Is this really healthy for our society to watch groups of people like this compete against one another? It seems to me that it could create more problems. For example, let’s just say HYPOTHETICALLY that an African-American/Latino woman asks her white girlfriend who she is cheering for? If the girlfriend is smart she quickly answers: The Asian team and changes the subject quickly.

Why You May Not See Me Ever Again (or at least until the end of April)

On Friday night I hooked up cable in my bedroom. This in essence would be the kiss of death for my social life. Now I can just wake up and turn on ESPN or whatever marathon show they may be showing on VH1, BET, Style or E!. Instead of writing about my adventures out and about in Cleveland, I will most likely just be commenting on television. To make matters worse, April is Take-Out Month at Johnny Mango, my local eatery. So in between shows, I run down the street and get 10 percent off on some of my favorite foods.

I would like to take this moment to introduce my new segment on this blog: What show did I get hooked on this weekend? This weekend I was introduced to College Hill on BET. This show is like a Real World Reality show but it takes place at a Historically Black College or University. It is definitely worth a few laughs, though that may have been the mimosa making me laugh as well. Hey… I said I was going to be hanging out in my bedroom, I didn’t say I still wasn’t going to be classy and have a good time.

All The Sudden, I Love Commercials

On Sunday, I stopped in my tracks and couldn't stop staring at my television screen. Could it really be possible? Four different versions of LeBron? Check it out for yourself if you haven't seen it by clicking on the above link.

More TV Troubles

The craziest thing happened yesterday. Without warning the picture on my television screen was magnified so I can no longer see the top and bottom of my screen. Does anyone know what would make a television do this? Let me just explain why this is so important to me. Last night as I tried to watch the Marshall/Southern Miss game on ESPN the commentators were talking about how close the game was. I no longer can see the score in the top of the screen, so I had no idea exactly how close the game was. ALSO, I can no longer see the scoring updates at the bottom of my screen. Not to my mention when I try to watch regular television (because I don’t really count sports as regular television) all the heads are stretched out and look deformed. Please send help ASAP because the CAVS game starts at 7:00 tonight.

Race Against Time

On Sunday my television went down. I could only see a blue screen. The one thing I look forward to all weekend is watching football all day on Sunday and time was not on my side as it was already 12:30 and kickoff was in thirty minutes. I started to panic. My first instinct was to call the cable company to make sure they got my check. They did. Now I am really in trouble. The woman at the cable company tried to walk me through all the possible problems. As she started to hear the panic in my voice, she began to sound more like a 911 operator. Finally she figured out it was the television. When my electricity went out on Friday, my television reverted back to channel 2 and it has to be on channel 4. This change can only be made with a remote control, which I do not have. She told me to go to Wal-Mart but I didn’t have the time. Finally I remembered the little television I have in my back room. I ran and grabbed that television and unplugged my digital cable box and plugged in my regular cable wires. I missed the first two drives of the Browns game, but in the end, I was just fine watching football on my 13-inch monitor. TV + Football=Happy.

Six Feet Under

I don’t know if I am going to be able to make it through the last couple episodes. Last night was a little bit of a tear jerker. To one of my favorite television characters of all time, rest in peace.

I Do Love Me Some TV

Why I Have HBO

Ahhh…Six Feet Under. I missed you so. After almost a year, my favorite show is back on television and I couldn’t be more thrilled. While the last two seasons have been mediocre, it looks as though Alan Ball is going to redeem himself with great visuals and some intriguing caricatures of the characters I have grown to love. I really enjoyed last night’s episode but I don’t know if that was because I missed it so much and was just so excited to see it again. They threw a lot together in a one-hour span and I wonder if the writers will be able to keep up the pace of making every actor the lead actor or let things falter like they did last season.

Why I Have Cable

After Six Feet Under I was able to catch the end of the Detroit/Miami game and I was surprised it was so close. I was cheering for Miami but I knew it was going to be tough for the Heat to hang with the defending champs in a game 7. The Finals will be intriguing: it may be one of the best series of all time yet get the lowest ratings of all time (San Antonio and Detroit are not exactly a marketer’s dream). I said San Antonio was going all the way a couple of weeks ago and I am sticking with that prognosis.

Tonight On A Very Special Extreme Home Makeover

Damn this show! Every Sunday I get hooked on Extreme Home Makeover and without fail, I am in tears by the end of the first hour. I feel like a masochist every time I watch it. If you don't watch this show already, stay away!

If you aren't familiar with the show, let me give you a little synopsis: The show finds the saddest story they can possibly find. For example, some recent shows included storylines such as the teenage boy taking care of his poor deaf parents and autistic/deaf brother, or the mother with breast cancer raising three girls with HIV, or last nights tear-jerker where this young couple had their whole life ahead of them with three young boys under the age of four and the mother dies of Leukemia on her 29th birthday. Her last wish is to have the husband keep their little house and remodel it like they both planned, so she can always be with them. Then the show completely builds them a dream house worth millions with everything they put into it and all the gifts given to the family. By the end of the show everyone is crying. You have the family, you have the designers and then there I am, bawling like a baby. I am such a sucker for this sappy crap.

First Name Basis

Last evening I gave my brother a taste of all the near west side has to offer. After having dinner and drinks at the Old Angle, we headed east down Abbey and had a drink at the Duck Island Club and from there I decided to show him Tremont. I wanted him to get an impression of what Tremont was about so I took him to the Lava Lounge for something funky, then to the Tree House for that quintessential Tremont feel and then finally on to the Lincoln Park Pub to catch the San Antonio/Seattle game. He has been talking about moving over to the area so I decided to show him how much fun the near west can be.

While we were talking I told him I don’t have as much to write about now that I am in the “off-season.” He turned to me and said “be like Jerry—write a blog about nothing.” I don’t know when my brother and Jerry Seinfeld developed a relationship on a first-name basis but I think it is funny. My brother makes me laugh and I love hanging out with him.

The two of us have finally developed one of those mature (we will use that term loosely) brother/sister we are all grown up now relationships, where we talk about real things. We have always been close, as we are only 18 months apart, but I consider him to be one of my best friends not just my little brother anymore. When we were growing up we were inseparable but we grew apart in high school and while we went to the same college, I hardly ever saw him. After school we both went our separate ways and did our own thing and I had no idea how much I missed him during those times. I am so thankful to be able to hang out with him now like we do even though he always ends up wearing my clothes to work the next day after crashing at my place. I suppose that’s what big sisters are for.

I want to congratulate my best friend in the world for buying her first house last night. Not only did she buy her first house, she negotiated the deal herself and got the price she wanted. In the words of my mother who also happens to be a real estate agent, “Impressive.”

After Four, Long, Cold, Dark Months...

...I finally have been reunited with Adelphia Cable and I couldn't be happier. The cable was delivered healthy with everything intact this morning around 9 a.m. I feel like a proud father. This morning before I left for work I told Liz to call me as soon as they left. I waited by the phone all morning. Finally she called at noon and said she went back to bed after Adelphia left this morning. Went back to bed? I have been sitting by the phone worried sick that it never showed up. Nonethless, I am elated! Just the fact that I am going to be able to watch the CAVS on television now is so incredible. Goodbye Joe Tait, Hello Michael Reghi. Oh and lets not forget ESPN, Seinfeld on TBS, Comedy Central, E! True Hollywood Stories, Sundays spent watching sappy Lifetime movies, and all those VH1 countdowns I grew to love over the past couple years to name just a few things.

How appropriate! Out of the blue, Liz just called and said, "I wanted you to know Bowling Green is beating Eastern Michigan 58-49." If I can't be at home watching the MAC women's tournament at least my girlfriend is and she knows exactly what I would be watching. She's the best. This is why I love cable. Oh... and Liz. I love cable and Liz.

In other news, a van pulled out in front of me today trying to make a left-hand turn. The name on the side of the van read: Safe and Sound Transportation System. I love the way life makes you laugh.