Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Wednesday Reads and DVR Woes

We have a love/hate relationship with DVRs. Two years ago our DVR died on us and we lost many hours of programming. It was an old DVR and didn’t hold many high def shows. So when it died, we took that opportunity and switched to a whole-house system so we could get a bigger and better DVR. Well, on May 7 (not two years later) that bigger and better DVR died on us. Arrgh! We lost way more than the last time because this DVR was over 80% full (close to 80 hours), and of course there’s no way to transfer what was recorded to a new DVR. So frustrating!

My daughter was able to baby the broken DVR for a bit (unplugged it to cool and then plug it back in). When she couldn’t get it to stay on for more than 15 minutes, she gave the go ahead to get it replaced (a good portion of the lost shows were hers). We finally got the replacement DVR on Friday only to find the display acting all wonky (most of the time we can’t even make out the time). Not feeling too confident with this machine, I now get to swap it for another, which means driving 20 miles to the store. What a pain.

If we ever move, I seriously wonder if I’d stick with cable. Can’t imagine the other services are any better, though. I guess no one business is perfect. I should just stop watching television, but I doubt that will ever happen. I like it too much. J

Anyway, this is what I read this week:

crouching tiger forbidden vampire by kerrelyn sparks
May 24: “Crouching Tiger Forbidden Vampire” by Kerrelyn Sparks, book 16 (and finale) in the Love at Stake series, a paranormal romance at 370 pages long. Blurb from book: Russell wakes from a coma to find he’s become a vampire. Now he has a thirst for revenge. Determined to hunt down the master vampire who turned him, he’s used to working alone…until he meets Jia. She is after the same vampire for murdering her parents and insists she can help Russell on this mission. Reluctantly, he agrees, and sets up some ground rules. Rule #1: Their partnership is strictly business. If he holds her a little too close…if she looks at him with those exotic eyes…well, that has to stop. Rule #2: He’s in charge. Jia isn’t used to taking orders and questions every move he makes. So he stops her the only way he knows how. Rule #3: Don’t fall in love. But the kiss that was supposed to quiet her awakens something else in him…something forbidden. Because Jia is engaged. To someone else. It was sooooo refreshing to read something I love. Something that fueled my own writing. So sad that this is the end of the series, though. I really love these books.

jason by laurell k. hamilton
May 25: “Jason” by Laurell K. Hamilton, book 23 in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series, an urban fantasy at 255 pages long (although the print was practically double-spaced, so probably a lot shorter than that). Blurb from book: Jason Schuyler is one of Anita Blakes’s best friends and favorite werewolves, with benefits. J.J. is his ladylove, and old flame from childhood who dances at one of the top ballet companies in New York. She’s accomplished and beautiful, and she’s crazy about him, too. Neither of them wants to be monogamous, so what could go wrong? J.J. is enthusiastically bisexual, with an emphasis on the female side of things. She plans to keep sleeping with women, because Jason can’t meet that need, just like she can’t meet Jason’s need for rough sex and bondage. J.J. doesn’t understand why Jason isn’t content to go elsewhere for a need she can’t fulfill, so Jason asks Anita to help him explain. Anita is having her own relationship growing pains with her only female lover ever, Jade. Jason suggests that J.J. might be able to help Anita with her girl problem, while she helps him with his kinky explanations. With some encouragement from a few other lovers in Anita’s life, she reluctantly agrees, and J.J. makes plans to fly into town for an experience that none of them will ever forget. This story wasn’t really part of the series, but an off-shoot of mostly a discussion on sex (oh, and sex, too). So, no fighting monsters and stuff like that. I enjoyed reading it because I enjoy the characters, but it’s certainly not required reading to stay with the series. I did find it a nice recap of who is who in Anita’s world, though (since I tend to forget sometimes).

So…What service do you use to watch TV: cable, satellite, antenna, or other? Do you like it? Or do you dream of switching?

Have a good Wednesday and happy reading!

Stacy

10 comments:

JeffO said...

We are pretty much down to Netflix at this point, which means we don't get to be current on what's hot right now. Like it? Except for when I'm binge-watching something, I watch a lot less TV, so that's a good thing.

B.E. Sanderson said...

Oh man, that sucks. I've never gotten a DVR. I just watch whatever's on, and I try to make sure I'm in front of the TV when a show I like is on. It's kind of a pain - like when I'm in the writing groove and something is coming on, and I have to decide whether to miss the show or lose the groove.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Jeff - Netflix sounds intriguing, but I do love my sports, one of the main reasons we still have cable.

Beth - I can't stand commercials anymore. Much prefer to record and zip right through them! And then I also don't have to worry about being home when my show is on. Just have to make sure the stupid DVR is working is all! Haha! :)

Jennette Marie Powell said...

I'm not much of a TV watcher, but my husband is, so we have cable. Also, sports, as you said (him, not me). We also have Netflix, which mostly my daughter uses, so if I wanted to binge on something, that would probably be my go-to. I do like some of the Discovery Channel stuff though, and not sure that's on Netflix. Good luck on the new DVR!

Stacy McKitrick said...

Jennette - Thanks. I just have to get around to replacing it. I was going to do it yesterday, but the storms kept us at home. Tonight we have a Dragons game. Maybe tomorrow? I don't want to go by myself. My hubby can look meaner than I can! :)

The Happy Whisk said...

Sorry about that.

No, we don't have cable or any TV feeds at our house. It's a waste of time and money to me. BUT, we can watch Netflix and Amazon Prime on our big screen TV. And dvds.

Happy Almost Weekend.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Ivy - It probably is a waste of time and money, but we like TV. :)

The Happy Whisk said...

My bad. I meant waste of time to money for me and Tim. Because we don't like adverts (time waster). And, we already have the 360 hooked up at Netflix and Prime. Plus YouTube all on the XBOX. And, rentals from RedBox and online. So for us, we don't need to waste money one cable or rabbit ears.

Unknown said...

Dad tells me and surveys that the "age of TV is over." We use WOW cable and have their DVR system which allows me up to 6 recordings at same time as long as I'm not watching TV (if I'm tying up a "slot" then it's 5). I rarely watch any TV live, it's all by DVR. Programs continue to make their corner ads bigger, but they're more an irritant than effective and eventually we too might very well go to Netflix or AmazonPrime, etc. just think how much more writing I'd be doing if I don't DVR. Dad hasn't had cable for months now and even when I'm there for several days, I don't miss it. I think TV should be worried about that.

Stacy McKitrick said...

Tanja - Yeah, I heard that story about the "age of TV is over." You're a hoot! So glad to see you at the conference. Oh, and we checked about WOW. It's not in the Dayton area. :(