Technology update
As some of you know, we here at Casa de los Price have finally stumbled into the 21st century. We have given up our dialup connection and have gone high-speed. [Whether it's High-Speed or DSL or what, I don't exactly know. I just know I don't need to keep a book by the computer for page-loading anymore.]
We got the package that includes a dish on our roof. Yesterday morning, Gordon came and installed it while I was at the doc's. Yesterday night, we realized we didn't have Noggin (vital! twelve hours' worth of commercial free kids' channel!) and somehow the DVD player didn't give a picture, just audio. As of this afternoon, both of those have been remedied. I found the cord that hadn't been connected on the back of the TV, and Daddy called and got us the package that includes Noggin.
It also includes The Game Show Network, so I expect my mother to move in tomorrow night.
This seems to be the post to share my random thoughts on other channels, too.
1. I anticipate regularly watching the NASA channel given the kids' interest in space.
2. While I never watch C-SPAN, it does make me think of Big Brother in reverse. Unless you're into the Bilderberger conspiracy, where it's all a front anyway. I heard once of a cable company having a much higher collection rate when, instead of dropping you completely, they just gave you C-SPAN. Food for thought.
3. I think it's going to take some getting used to with the non-local weather from The Weather Channel, but that's why there's local radio. I refuse to watch local news.
4. One of the reasons we switched was the kerfuffle between Comcast and Big Ten Network (about which background I know zilch). Anyone with Comcast outside of Big Ten Territory: were you able to get B10? Did you try?
Last comment: this high-speed is really tough to walk away from. With dialup, it was easy to say, "I don't have time to wait for this," and walk away. Now, it's "Just one more thing," and half an hour later, I'm still there. Maybe it'll be easier in three weeks, when I don't have a bowling ball strapped to my abdomen.
I'll keep you posted.
Labels: blogging, technology, television
6 Comments:
The only thing I miss about having Cable TV is missing the local Weather Channel. But there's enough good weather on the Internet to keep my live-in meteorologist (TheDad really IS a meteorologist) happy. Try www.wunderground.com
The NASA channel is a hit here, as is "The Army Guy Channel." Both my boys like watching the war documentaries with ships, tanks and planes.
I don't know if you could get it in Detroit, but around here, we have Weatherbug. It's a little icon on your desktop that gives the temperature in your zip code, and if you double-click it, it will pull up the full weather conditions and the forecast if you want it. I've found it quite handy, especially since the weather here is slightly different than it is in the city, which is where the networks focus.
And a high-speed connection is seriously addictive. I've avoided clicking in that Amazon Homeschooling thing, but the computer is right there, beckoning me to see what the latest sports news, online gossip, and general doings are. If I actually had money to spend, I could do some serious damage.
We don't have cable or dish any more, but if I did I'd watch the History Channel and all of its variations way too much. The Husband is seriously into History, and grew up as a TV kid... unlimited and mostly unscreened. I can't stand having the TV on all the time, and I found that even when we had DirecTV, I just didn't want it on enough to justify the cost. Oh well. Maybe when we win the lottery we don't play...
The history channel and Discovery channel are big ones here. The kids love myth busters and how's it made.
I like big planet and all the medical shows. When the television is on you can bet that 9times out of 10 those are the channels being used.
Oh And Dirty Jobs! Mike Rowe Rocks!
I'd probably hardly notice if the tv went away altogether; but my high speed internet.... I don't know how I'd live without it! Actually, it would probably be very good for me. I know I waste far too much time online. There are just so many blogs I love to read. My excuse is that it's my major form of socialization with people my own age.
I don't know about nursing a newborn with three other kids running around; but I found I spent much more time online after Isabella's birth than I anticipated. You are after all pretty much tied to one place for huge chunks of the day. (Unless you've mastered that mysterious skill of waking around with a baby latched on.) I got very good at composing blog posts one handed.
SFO Mom--I don't think we have the Military Channel. I did see it on the list, but we've just got the orange-dot package. I think the NASA is enough. :)
Catherine--we had Weatherbug once upon a time. I'll have to ask Beloved about getting it back.
Shelly--They like Animal Planet, too. We happened to catch some of Living with Tigers the other night while Madeleine was on her nebulizer. "Can you turn on the words, Mom? I can't hear it."
Melanie--I can walk around, or stir supper, or eat, and nurse a newborn, as long as the child is on the left side. Until the child is too heavy to hold with one arm; then it's too much.
If the child is latched on to the right side, I'm done regardless of size. About all I can do left-handed is shave my right armpit.
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