12/22/2012: Digital Antenna (and Cable)

The Mayans were right!!! How else do you explain my losing my cable (right) and having to resort to watching TV via an over-the-air antenna (left). What is this, the 70's?!?! Sure you can say that the Mayans had nothing to do with it. That it was just a chain reaction brought on by getting 14 inches of snow that weighted down a tree that had a big branch snap off that took out a neighbor's power feed that pulled over a utility pole that snapped my cable.  You can say that... if you're a fool! I know what really happened.

See also: Santa Darth Bobble Head; Gold Plate

12/13/2012: Wireless Router

The future is now! Or, having finally gotten a wireless router earlier this year, several years ago is now.

See also: Anderson Media Console

12/6/2012: External Hard Drive

The main thing I like about this external hard drive (a Christmas gift from my older-younger brother last year) is the light on the side looks like a lightsaber.

See Also: Desk, Computer

11/27/2012: Game Cube

This Game Cube was the last in a long line of Nintendo console ownership. The original NES begat the Super Nigntendo, the Super Nintendo begat the N64, the N64 begat the Game Cube, and the Game Cube begat the Wii (which I loathed and sold soon after purchasing). Once upon a time, my Game Cube was the center of my entertainment world.  I'd play Mario or Zelda for hour upon hour. Now? No it sits unused in the basement, attached to an archaic 32" tube TV. Sad and abandoned.

Though I do miss Mario Kart...

11/18/2012: 32" TV

I find it fascinating how quickly conventional tube televisions just went away. Relegated to the attic or the guest room or, like this 32" TV, the basement. Heck, this isn't even technically mine, it was left behind by a friend that lived me me for a short period. I thin he just didn't want to carry it out. Thing weighs a fucking ton. Now it sits in the basement, with my old Game Cube attached. I always say I'll go down someday and play Mario Kart or something... but I don't. You can see the old coffee table, also relegated to the basement, sitting next to it.

11/16/2012: Wireless Keyboard & Mouse

When I got the new computer a couple weeks ago, I moved the old computer out to the living room and hooked it up to the TV. Needed this wireless keyboard and mouse so I could use it and not have cords stretched across the room. The most incredible thing about them? They came with batteries included!

Sidenote: An optical mouse will not work on a glass top coffee table. Thus the magazine as mouse-pad.

See Also: Coffee Table

11/5/2012: Dell Computer

The new Dell computer arrived last week. The old Dell computer worked well enough... unless I wanted to have three things going at once or dared to open a photo for editing in the ancient version of Photoshop I used. Going to hook the old one up to the TV to see if I can use it for videos. Probably be the last true desktop I get. But why are they still so huge? I thought things got smaller and better. Shouldn't it be a fifth this size by now?

See Also: Cartman Mouse Pad

10/25/2012: AVAYA Wireless Headset

The Avaya wireless headset... one of the most hated of my things. Why? Because if I'm using it it means I'm on another effing conference call about such exciting topics as potential compliance issues with HAFA supplemental directive 12.04 implementation or procedural updates and change control requirements to comply with NSS guidelines. These conference calls can go on for hours and accomplish next to nothing. They make me think I may be dead and in hell. It's why I'm jealous of the people on Revolution... they never have to be on a conference call.

8/29/2012: Speaker

Computer speaker so I can still listen to my iTunes even though my Nano was stolen out of my car a few summers back.

See Also: Samsung Computer Monitor

8/18/2012: DVD Player

No I haven't bothered upgrading to BluRay. At the time I last needed a new DVD player the marginally better performance of a Blu-Ray (and yes, that's really all it gives you, and yes I've seen them in action) wasn't worth the extra cost. Of course, now they cost the same. So when this one eventually dies I'll "upgrade." But the way things are going, everything will be digital before that happens. The DVD Player shares space with my new TiVo behind the false "drawers" in my Anderson Media Console.

4/22/2012: New Phone

This is my new phone. I've been long overdue for an upgrade, longer than I thought. Apparently I've had my last phone for three and a half years. Didn't think it had been nearly that long. But since the on/off button stopped turning the phone on this morning, I decided it was time to get a new one. And here it is. Well, here is the box for it since I used the phone to take the actual picture.

4/16/2012: Samsung Computer Monitor

You can see my W2 and tax docs from my mortgage company sitting under the computer monitor from doing my taxes early. Two whole days early! Finished them up yesterday.

See also: guest room stuff

4/11/2012: New TiVo

Blame this purchase on Mediacom. Cable switched to digital something or other, my old series 2 TiVo no longer picks up channels higher than 13 so... new TiVo time. Even if I eventually cancel the cable and go to using an antenna (Like watching TV in the 70s!) you can't use an antenna with the old series 2. And that's my plan. Of course, I say I'm cancelling cable every time I see the bill... and then I notice Sharktopus is on SyFy and I forget what I was planning to do...

See also: Anderson Media Console

3/29/2012 Alarm Clock

EENNNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK

*SMACK*

(9 minutes later)

EENNNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK

*SMACK*

(9 minutes later)

EENNNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK EENNNNNK EENNNNK

Fine... I'm up... stupid fucking alarm clock... I hate you.

3/14/2012: XM Radio

2/26/2012: TiVo

I've often commented that TiVo is the greatest invention in the history of man kind, and that includes the TV (which without there really wouldn't be a TiVo). And the wheel? Pffft... that's not an invention, that's just somebody noticing a log rolling down a hill and thinking "That would make carrying rocks much easier."

Housed in the top compartment of my Anderson Media Console, TiVo has completely changed the way I watch TV. I never watch anything when it's ON, that drives me crazy.

I think Ted and Marshal on How I Met Your Mother said it best:

Marshall: But just to make sure it records, maybe we should bow our heads and say a quiet prayer to the TiVo gods.

Ted: Almighty TiVo, We thank you for all the gifts you have given us. The power to freeze live TV to go take a leak is nothing short of god-like. And let's not forget fast-forwarding through commercials. It seems greedy to ask anything more from you, o magic box, but if you malfunction and miss the Super Bowl, we will destroy you in the alley with baseball bats.

Marshall and Ted: Amen.

ALL HAIL TIVO!!!