One of the smartest things I have ever done was to sign up for NetFlix. For a mere $7.99 I have such a large amount of resources at my command. I cackle with amusement every time I fire my TV up.
OK, I don't cackle but I have to admit that it truly is one of the smartest things I've done. I turned my cable off about 4 or 5 months ago (thus giving "the man" the finger) and purchased Apple TV (I know that many think Apple is "the man" too and I agree to some extent but mostly I worship them) and then doubled my Internet speed. I saved $55 a month by turning cable off and the one time cost for the Apple TV has afforded me some extra little perks...like name brand peanut butter...sometimes I get a hair cut...crazy shit like that.
I don't miss cable because I spent the previous 3 months before turning cable off not turning it on once. I know the last time I watched an actual TV program was in June 2010. I think I turned it on when a friend came over and we watched a movie (does that count since I didn't turn the cable box on?). And then nothing for three months. I just had better things to do. I did have Netflix at that time and watching movies on my laptop in bed. I don't think that is the same thing as watching cable so I'm not counting that. If you disagree...shove off.
And my cable provider did not try to change my mind. They simply checked the box for issues and turned it off. They were losing ~$55 a month from me...not sure why the nonchalance attitude but OK.
One cool thing about Apple TV (and this is not an advert for them) is that I can watch any movies I've purchased through iTunes. I have about a dozen (I'm trying to build up my movies so I can get rid of my DVD's) and they are ones that I will watch over and over again. I don't want to purchase movies just to purchase them (I'm looking you Carriers...waste of $14.99 even with the dude from Star Trek).
So I am thoroughly entertained. And a great thing about Netflix is that it will put suggestions out there for you, using criteria from what you have already watched or put in your queue. So I am finding all sorts of new things to watch and even finding old things I had watched and can see again. There is a field for search and I do use that occasionally so I can see if something I heard about, but was not suggested, is available to view instantly. I do not have the ability to have a DVD sent to me (there are some stuff that are only for DVD). I figure what I don't know is there is not something I'll miss. Plus I know a couple of people that get the DVD's and owe me a debt...it takes a lot of movies to clear their name. So I get a lot of DVD's...(not really...I actually owe them a debt but their pretty nice about it).
I found Faulty Towers and Monty Python last night. Both are British shows (I have this thing about British stuff all of a sudden) and set in the 60's (I think) and 70's (I know) and I remember seeing them at some point in my childhood...maybe early 20's...whatever. But I watched the first 4 episodes of Faulty Towers last night and just laughed and laughed (was kind of good to laugh at this time in my life...middle age is creeping up). So I feel like the $7.99 is worth all the amusement I get out of it.
But I did find a new show that I hadn't heard of (probably because I don't have cable or even watched the channel it was on when I did have cable). It's called The IT Crowd. I was interested in it first because it was around IT (which it really isn't in the big picture), was set in working in a big company and it was supposed to be within my age range (the whole 30's not 20's). There are 6 season (I think) and the first 4 seasons are available on Netflix. I spent a good portion of a day and a half watching the first 3. The 4th came out last weekend and I spent a good portion of a night, staying up late, watching that. I like the humor and content. Sometimes its WAY over the top and kind of not funny in situations (or they are lost on me) but I have an all time favorite (all time being about 3 weeks). It was in the first season and I laugh so hard I cry (I'm serious).
The IT Crowd - The Haunting of Bill Crouse
If you have Netflix....I highly recommend the show...that's if you find anything interesting about my summary of the show. It's a good laugh.
But Apple being Apple, it does have its quirks. The first 2 -3 weeks I couldn't watch one thing. The Apple TV uses my Internet connection to stream and Apple could not handle running the streaming ability. Sometimes it was the cable company (which I should not be surprised as I have had horrible service for their support of the Internet) but sometimes Netflix (or Apple) would just stop playing and I would have to start the show all over again. Last couple of months has been great.
All that to pimp out a link to YouTube and an excerpt of the episode I love. Awesome....I'm going places
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