Early X-mas Prezzies

John and I have a perfectly good 32" tv in our living room but it's old school. We've been thinking about getting a flat panel but our current entertainment center won't hold anything much bigger than our current tv. So, we've been looking around for a new piece of furniture to hold a bigger tv and all our other media components. It's been really hard to find something with enough storage and convenient shelving. More importantly, not much that we've seen matches our coffee and end tables.

Yesterday, we went to Haverty's, saw a few possibilities and we were ready to give up and try another store. And then we found this:

Very nice piece, had enough storage and good placement for the components (namely, my beloved dvr!), and a decent price. The bad part is it didn't match our other furniture. The sales lady, Gloria, pointed us towards some matching pieces to the media center:

Next step... find a new tv! We've been scoping out a few models. I'm not sure what we'll get but it sure is exciting!

Fall TV '07

For many years, when the new TV season came around, I would make out a spreadsheet of the shows I wanted to watch. This would also help me make a VCR schedule for shows that came on at the same time or were on past my bedtime. With the advent of TiVo (love the TiVo!), recording has become a much easier task -- except when I have two shows taping at once on Thursday evenings, thereby hijacking the TV in the living room so John can’t watch the History Channel.

TV schedules were much simpler back in the day, weren’t they? You had the fall season, and then you pretty much watched reruns during spring/summer. These days, a show might begin in December, run for a few weeks, take off for two months and then come back for a few more weeks. Shows make up their own “season”, making it impossible to remember to watch if it’s not scheduled into the Season Pass.

This year, there were very few new shows that interested me when reading the Picks and Pans in People Magazine, my go-to for TV, Movie, Music and Book reviews. John thinks my reliance on People for whether or not I buy a CD is quite hilarious.

I’d heard good things about Pushing Daisies and checked it out. It’s cute, filmed in a similar style as the movie Amelie. Because I like this show, it’s gonna get canned, isn’t it? Just like that show Vanished (Fox 2006) about the senator’s wife who gets kidnapped and the FBI agent trying to figure out why she was taken and who she really was. I shouldn’t watch shows with names indicating their future demise.

Another new show I’m trying out is Bionic Woman, for nostalgia’s sake, of course. I’m waiting for the episodes to get a little more exciting. So far, it’s been dark underground scenery and a little bit of character introduction/background. I’m sure this one is on it’s way out as well.

My current prime time recordings include:

House - Hugh Laurie plays obnoxious to its funniest. I wish I could be that much of a jackass and get away with it

South Park - An oldie but a goodie. I think I’m the only one watching it

Ugly Betty - I’m not a big fan of Salma Hayek, but she sure knows how to produce a fun show!

Smallville - I know... you’re thinking, “That show hasn’t been canceled yet???” Despite the story lines getting a little tired, Tom Weller is still some serious eye candy. Dear CW: Bring back the Green Arrow dude!

CSI - I got into this show very late, watching the reruns on Spike. I often wonder how they get any work done with all the lights turned off in the labs

CSI: Miami - I know people hate David Caruso, but I think the way he repeats his tag lines before they go to commercial is pretty hilarious. And what’s up with the “Ryan Wolf” character looking just like “Greg Sanders” on the original CSI?

ER - This is another one of those shows where I think I’m the only one still watching. Almost every episode makes me cry at the end. Tragic

Monk - How could anyone not like this quirky show?

Nip/Tuck - A serious guilty pleasure! Waiting for the new season to start

My co-workers watch Desperate Housewives, Gray’s Anatomy, Brothers & Sisters, and Criminal Minds. I never got into Heroes, Lost, 24 or Prison Break either. I’m sure they’re all good. Maybe I’ll catch them in syndication some day. I really miss Gilmore Girls and sometimes watch the reruns on ABC Family, but it’s just not the same.

So, what’s on your TV schedule?

This Evening's Feature Presentation

I've often watched shows that (seemingly) no one else did. As a teen (actually, late in my teen years), I watched lots of goofy syndicated programs on the weekends. I'm talking about "The New Gidget" and "Small Wonder". Do you remember "American Gladiators"? It was almost like "Double Dare" for adults. Yea, I watched that too. Then came all those teen angst shows. "90210", "Dawson's Creek", etc... I will even admit to watching "7th Heaven".

There are a number of popular shows out I don't watch -- "24", "Lost", "Desperate Housewives", "Gray's Anatomy". Now that my beloved "Gilmore Girls" has ended, I may pick one of them up. Are they out on DVD yet? I'll need to catch up, you know.

I sometimes feel like I'm the only one still watching "South Park. It's still hilarious to me. A new favorite is "The Family Guy". I know that's been on a few years too. Better late than never!

And don't even get me started on those "reality" shows like "Real World" and "Road Rules". I used to LOVE those shows! I've moved on though. That's right... on to "Gene Simmons' Family Jewels". It's quite funny.

Although these shows may not be your cup of tea, there's only one phrase I can use to describe them. Guilty Pleasure. What's yours?