It is no secret that TV is the main source of entertainment for me and my husband. There is usually a can't-miss show on the schedule for every night of the week. TiVo has been a great help; we no longer plan our lives around what is on TV. (Yes, we were that pathetic.) However, one DVR in the house doesn't help when four shows have all been moved to Wednesday at 8p. Grrrr!
This is where the TV networks have stepped up their game. They have moved into the 21st century by acknowledging that viewers want options. A visit to the ABC website to sign up for the Grey's Anatomy writers' blog showed me that ABC streams full episodes of their most popular dramas for free. You can't watch them until the day after they air on TV and I think the episode is only available until the next episode airs, but that is still better than buying it on iTunes. This knowledge prompted me to check the other network sites. NBC and CBS do the same thing. In fact, CBS streams all of their shows. I'm not sure about the new CW network since they just started airing shows this week. Fox, however, gives us nothing but outtakes. Shame on Fox!
Besides streaming full episodes, some of the shows on both network and basic cable stations are doing cool things. Grey's Anatomy has three different blogs plus a podcast hosted by the creator and producer of the show. Several shows on the Sci Fi Network like Eureka have "webisodes", which are mini-episodes that enrich the main storylines. Those without internet access aren't missing any key plot points, but the webisodes are fun for those who are craving a little more. Fans of Battlestar Galactica in particular have enjoyed getting a little taste of their favorite show to hold them over until the season premiere at the end of October.
All in all, these new services are great for a TV junkie like me. Winning time slots is an archaic notion. People don't want their TV viewing restricted to a small three-hour window in the evening. In today's society, everyone doesn't work a 9-to-5. Allowing viewers to watch a show when it is most convenient to them will make them more loyal to that show in the end.
27 September 2006
22 September 2006
My Meez
In the spirit of OneWebDay, I've been checking out a few of the many sites I've bookmarked but haven't had a chance to visit. Meez is a site where you can create a free avatar to use for IM, email, and personal websites. There are many of these services out there; I think they are also called dollmakers. Most of them don't look as nice as this one.
Pretty cool, huh? I hope my Yahoo avatar doesn't get jealous :-). I don't think I would replace my Yahoo girl, mainly because Yahoo provides a body type that is closer to a realistic size. Meez is clearly aimed at teenagers. Still, it is fun to play with.
Pretty cool, huh? I hope my Yahoo avatar doesn't get jealous :-). I don't think I would replace my Yahoo girl, mainly because Yahoo provides a body type that is closer to a realistic size. Meez is clearly aimed at teenagers. Still, it is fun to play with.
OneWebDay
Although I'm not sure that the world needs one more pseudo-holiday to celebrate, I'm using OneWebDay as a writing prompt. Since I haven't posted in a while, this is as good a topic as any to flex the blogging muscle.
The purpose of OneWebDay is to celebrate the importance of the internet in your life and share your thoughts about it with others. Because I have never had a driver's license and I am in a part of the country that doesn't have extensive public transit, I have lived in semi-isolation for most of my life. I go to work, I come home, and then I'm in for the night. The internet has been providing me with information and entertainment since 1988 when I first subscribed to Compuserve. These days I can't imagine going a week without internet access. Even ABM, who has stated for years that he doesn't understand how I spend so much time on the computer, has come to embrace the ease with which we can look up a product or an actor that we have seen on TV right away.
Then there are the people. I don't want to turn this into a giant mash note, but my life has been enriched by the people that I have "met" online. I am a member of an online parenting group that has been together for almost 10 years and I consider these people my friends. More recently, I've been associating with a group of podcasters who think I have the voice of a goddess -- definitely a boost to the self-esteem :-). With broadband access, I can socialize and make my views known without being hampered by my lack of transportation.
I'm not going to wax poetic about the internet because it is basically just a tool. Still, I can't imagine my life without it. Why not celebrate OneWebDay by trying something you have never done on the internet before?
The purpose of OneWebDay is to celebrate the importance of the internet in your life and share your thoughts about it with others. Because I have never had a driver's license and I am in a part of the country that doesn't have extensive public transit, I have lived in semi-isolation for most of my life. I go to work, I come home, and then I'm in for the night. The internet has been providing me with information and entertainment since 1988 when I first subscribed to Compuserve. These days I can't imagine going a week without internet access. Even ABM, who has stated for years that he doesn't understand how I spend so much time on the computer, has come to embrace the ease with which we can look up a product or an actor that we have seen on TV right away.
Then there are the people. I don't want to turn this into a giant mash note, but my life has been enriched by the people that I have "met" online. I am a member of an online parenting group that has been together for almost 10 years and I consider these people my friends. More recently, I've been associating with a group of podcasters who think I have the voice of a goddess -- definitely a boost to the self-esteem :-). With broadband access, I can socialize and make my views known without being hampered by my lack of transportation.
I'm not going to wax poetic about the internet because it is basically just a tool. Still, I can't imagine my life without it. Why not celebrate OneWebDay by trying something you have never done on the internet before?
16 September 2006
Braved the depths of my freezer
A big part of the Good Mommy Project is cooking dinner every night. In the past, I have let the kids fend for themselves on the weekends. This usually meant hot dogs or frozen burritos. Yes, I know three of my kids are in grammar school, but they can use the microwave :-).
Anyway, in search of a meat for dinner, I finally delved into our mini-deep freeze in the garage. ABM buys meat whenever he finds in on sale and tosses it in the freezer without telling me. Most of the time I open it up and get scared away by the turkey necks on top. Today I ventured past the turkey to see what else we had. I ended up taking everything out of the freezer. The good news is that I found two bags of boneless chicken breasts, two packages of stew beef, and two small pot roasts. These are items for which I can find recipes. The turkey necks? I can't work with those.
The bad news is that I think I need to defrost the freezer. There is a thick layer of ice on all four sides. Unfortunately, I haven't seen anyone defrost a freezer since I was a kid so I don't remember how. Hopefully, Google can come to my aid!
Anyway, in search of a meat for dinner, I finally delved into our mini-deep freeze in the garage. ABM buys meat whenever he finds in on sale and tosses it in the freezer without telling me. Most of the time I open it up and get scared away by the turkey necks on top. Today I ventured past the turkey to see what else we had. I ended up taking everything out of the freezer. The good news is that I found two bags of boneless chicken breasts, two packages of stew beef, and two small pot roasts. These are items for which I can find recipes. The turkey necks? I can't work with those.
The bad news is that I think I need to defrost the freezer. There is a thick layer of ice on all four sides. Unfortunately, I haven't seen anyone defrost a freezer since I was a kid so I don't remember how. Hopefully, Google can come to my aid!
13 September 2006
Writing well can be a curse
Lately I have been sending out a lot of e-mails to my far-flung friends, recommending cool sites that I've found on the internet. I've done so many of these that I am afraid that they may be ignored. Why? Pardon me for tooting my own horn, but I've become so practiced at writing these that I'm beginning to sound like a form letter. Many sites give you the option to enter your friend's e-mail address and the site will send a standard "come try this" letter with your name on it. My e-mails are starting to sound like that. I find myself trying to find personal comments to add to the e-mail so my friends will know that they haven't been spammed :-).
10 September 2006
What I Like: Maria Sansone and The 9
In case you haven't guessed, I am a fan of shows and websites that point me to interesting things on the web. Following recommendations cuts down on all the aimless surfing. One of my new favorites is a Yahoo! production called The 9. Every weekday they feature nine notable things to be found on the internet. One is viewer-submitted, and the last one is always of the cute-animal variety. Most of the links are mediocre, but there is usually at least one gem in the bunch. The entire show only last about five minutes, and Maria Sansone's perky presentation makes the whole thing watchable.
05 September 2006
Taking a break from Good Mommy duty
No, I haven't given up my resolution to be a better Mommy this school year. I am just taking a break to post to my blog. Now that Blogger (and practically every other site I access daily) has been blocked at work, it had become more difficult to squeeze in posting time. I guess I will have to check out the e-mail posting option.
Anyway, the first week of Operation Good Mommy was tiring. I exercised every morning at 6a after waking M for school. I washed and twisted the twins' hair myself instead of letting ABM or the MIL do it. I cooked dinner as soon as I came home from work every night. We had devotions, prayer, and a read-aloud ("How to Eat Fried Worms") every school night instead of TV. I stayed up and talked to my husband when he got home from work, and fell into bed at midnight. Now I have to start all over again!
The good news is that I got immediate feedback for this effort. The twins are happy with their hair. All the kids appreciate the nightly story and an actual dinner instead of hot dogs. This is what I bring to the forefront of my brain when I am tempted to crawl in bed as soon as I get off work. I still don't know why more working mothers don't have nervous breakdowns!
Anyway, the first week of Operation Good Mommy was tiring. I exercised every morning at 6a after waking M for school. I washed and twisted the twins' hair myself instead of letting ABM or the MIL do it. I cooked dinner as soon as I came home from work every night. We had devotions, prayer, and a read-aloud ("How to Eat Fried Worms") every school night instead of TV. I stayed up and talked to my husband when he got home from work, and fell into bed at midnight. Now I have to start all over again!
The good news is that I got immediate feedback for this effort. The twins are happy with their hair. All the kids appreciate the nightly story and an actual dinner instead of hot dogs. This is what I bring to the forefront of my brain when I am tempted to crawl in bed as soon as I get off work. I still don't know why more working mothers don't have nervous breakdowns!
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