Broken

"Broken" seems to be the current theme. All around me, things seems to be broken, or breaking. To borrow the expression from the movie, Let It Ride, "You could be walking around lucky and not even know it". Well, I sometimes think that is, or was, the case with me. Everything in my life was wonderful; I succeeded in all my endeavors; there was a sort of harmony with the universe. All this I took for granted.

Then it all started to go wrong. All my "things" started malfunctioning, or in some cases, they just stopped working.

All of sudden my VCR started smoking. It wasn't even turned on, but there was smoke emanating from the cabinet. I immediately unplugged it. Then, later, I re-connected it and turned it on to check it out,; it made weird noises and behaved erratically. Okay, I'd had it for quite awhile so, I trashed it and went to buy another. Problem was there wasn't a lot to choose from ...what with the advent of the DVD. Also, none of the available models featured the EP speed setting. That was the middle speed, the speed that I used for the many, many movies in my library (that I recorded over the years off of HBO, Showtime, etc.), allowing me to get two 2-hour movies on one tape. Now all those movies play as if they were record on the (SLP) 6-hour setting. They all look lousy, even moreso since I've been used to watching DVDs.

Then, I went to turn on my (old) Mac only to find out that the power button had broken. Usually you could (and would) turn on the computer from the keyboard, but since my desktop Mac is connected to my PC -- they both share the same PC monitor and PC keyboard -- the PC keyboard doesn't have the special power-on key. So, when I want to use the desktop Mac, I have to crawl around to the back of the computer -- not an easy task -- and turn it on from the special connection switch, (which fortunately was included with the thingy that's used to join the Mac and PC). I do have my Mac notebook that's my primary computer, but there are still times when my older Mac is needed ...to run some of those older programs that I find useful, that didn't make the transition to the newer Mac and it's new UNIX platform.

Then, my tape deck started malfunctioning. I don't use it that much anymore. I mainly used it to make tapes so I could extract on those tracks of LPs that I wanted to hear; that was eliminated with the programming ability of the CD player. I also used it to make tapes for my walkman, but that became obsolete when I switched to an mp3 player. So should I even bother to replace it? ...why not! But when I attempted to get a new one, the same model was obviously not available. I ended up with a new, similar model, but one that has a much more complicated interface. Since I use it so infrequently, I have to re-read the manual every time use it.

Then I dropped and broke my "Brown Betty" English teapot. I'd had that teapot for over thirty years and had grown quite attached to it. I was infuriated as I helplessly watched it slip from my wet hands and fragment as it hit the floor. I did replace it, but all the new models are designed a tad differently, so, I was resigned to accept the change. Then, not one week after getting the new pot, I dropped and broke the lid. It broke cleanly into two pieces that fit back together and, with the use of some glue, is still usable. However, every time I use it, I'm confronted with the dilemma whether to buy a whole new teapot -- since you can't just buy a lid -- or continue using this one with the broken lid.

Then, as spelled out in the previous post, my TV just died. My DVD player had been acting weird, but only intermittently, not anything that would suggest I replace it. But now, with the acquisition of the HDTV, the DVD player is inadequate to provide the HD signal needed to best utilize the TV -- which wasn't cheap, so it would be a shame not to get the best out of it.

Even I seem to be "breaking". My run of luck with regard to the "dreaded lurgey", seems to be over. The medication, though still holding the virus at bay, has been presenting more and more unwanted side effects ...some that are severely impacting my day to day living. Even the medication itself is becoming less effective and the available options are becoming fewer.

All of these unfortunate circumstances and occurrences seem to be forming a pattern. I may not have been aware of it when I was "walking around lucky", but I'm surely aware now the my luck seems to be running out.

The TV Is Dead, Long Live The TV

My TV just died. It had been acting peculiarly for the past 4 months and I suspected it was failing, but today, within minutes of turning it on, it simply died. I bought it in November '98, so it was just shy of nine years old. Should it have lasted longer??? Hmmmm. With the constant use I put it through, I can honestly say, "Not really".

I watch a lot of TV. I justify this extreme usage by qualifying it as "movie watching" as opposed to watching television. There's something noble in being a film buff, not so with simply spacing out in front of the "boob" tube. Truth be told, however, I do a fair share of boob viewing, what with Heroes, The 4400, Kyle XY, Bones, NCIS, Two and a Half Men, all the variations of CIS and Law and Order. And there's always the syndicated episodes of Friends, Seinfeld, Frasier, E'body Love Raymond, and Still Standing that I still enjoy ...as much as when they were first aired. I can't not mention the adult-targeted animation: South Park, The Simpsons, and Family Guy. So yeah, I watch way too much television. And yet, I still complain that I don't have time to "read" as much as I want to.

It's like when there's a power failure, and I find myself in that state of panic ...wondering how am I gonna get my electron fix. So, when the TV died today. I immediately went online and ordered a new one ...for delivery tomorrow. Pathetic, huh? With my birthday coming up in just a few days, I can consider this my "present" to myself.

Usually when buying this type of item, I would insist on going into the store and seeing it ...comparing it in price and quality with other available models. Fortunately, I'd already done a little research on the new TVs ...knowing that the purchase was an inevitability. I was, and am even now still, a bit bemused by all the new technology ...plasma versus LCD flat panel, all the claims each makes about picture/sound quality ...which format is best, etc. I didn't go with either. I selected a Sony 37" Rear-projection LCD. It's high-def, just not a flat panel.

Truth of the matter is, I'm not the least bit interested in setting up a "home theater". All I want is a monitor that is at least as good as the one I'm replacing ...at a reasonable price. I've always had Sony TVs (as well as computer monitors) and have been thoroughly please with them. This new model offers exactly what I want. The fact that it's an HDTV, is incidental. Of course, I'll avail myself of the new technology, the improved picture and sound quality, but I wasn't displeased with the picture and sound quality of the 32" Sony CRT I'm replacing. All I'm really doing is beating the 2009 deadline for buying a digital TV, since that's when the broadcasting of analog signals will cease. That is actually a moot point; I have cable so I wouldn't be accessing the broadcast signals anyway.

In the end, now that the purchase has been made, I'm anxiously awaiting the delivery so I can begin my new adventures in TV ...like I need encouragement to watch still more TV.