Directv and me

Our move to Pittsburg has created some challenges and adjustments. The one that seems to be the worst and most long-lived annoying challenge is my Directv. For the record, we have been "loyal customers" since 2002 and had NO problems with them in Denver. We decide to move and no problem they will transfer service for free We move, I'm all crazy from moving pregnant and with a 2 year old. The guy installs it and leaves. Looks good, except when I go to see my local channels. Nothing. There must be a mistake. I call Directv and ask to get my local channels switched from Denver to KS. WELL...there's when it all fell apart. No local channels available for our area. We get local TV from Joplin, MO (which is, for the record, only like 30 mins away - closer than Channel 9 was to my house in Denver). We can't get Kansas City stations either. The only thing they can do is get me access to NY network feed. Fine...begrudgingly I agree (did I mention I'm in a 2 year comittment that will cost me $250 to cancel). After many calls and waiting, I now receive NBC, PBS and ABC from the NY feed. NO CBS - long story, but only on rabbit ears. So pretty much it's annoying to see local NY commercials and think for a minute you could go to some furniture store and get some great deals until you remember, it's NY.

Within weeks of living here, the crane collapse occurs in NY and I think about the irony of it all when we live in a town with no cranes to be found anywhere. Because, of course, they have to do the nightly story about crane safety and how to keep "us" safe. Crane Safety. Check. Something I don't have to worry about in my life.

This week was the kicker. I record 2 shows that I enjoy at naptime. The View (hot topics mostly) and Oprah. I was online and saw on YAHOO that a plane had landed in the Hudson. I thought to myself, looks like I won't see Oprah. Because of course, the local news had cut away to cover the people on the plane waiting to be rescued. Which may have been okay to watch if I didn't already know how it ended. Oh well, I think. They replay Oprah, no big deal. I go to watch the View the next morning and Oh, they break away for the pending NTSB report on said plane in the Hudson. Crap, they go back just as Hot Topics is over and I don't care. Finally, it's time for Oprah again. Well, wouldn't you know, it's time to give out medals of honor to the Coast Guard people who saved everyone. Really. Really.

Now don't get me wrong, I still think that was an amazing event and what a great pilot to land that plane. And, had I known about it at the time I would have probably watched the coverage on MSNBC live and then checked out Oprah later. But, NOOO, it's just like someone twisting the knife in when things like this happen with our TV.

Dish Network, here I come. Until then, I'll be renting the last two seasons of Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, The Unit and Numbers. Wish me luck on trying to catch up with all those shows that will be cancelled by the time I get CBS again. Sigh.

Things that make me laugh out loud!

Jamey, this one's for you!

Okay, picture it. You're driving down a rural two lane highway in SE Kansas in the dark of winter...got it. Coming up ahead of you seems to be a small motorcycle that cars are having to slow down and swerve around. It occurs to you that it's awfully cold to be riding a scooter at night in January - say about 10 degrees according to your car temperature gauge and dangerous no less. As you pass them going a conservative 40 ish miles an hour, you tell your husband, this reminds me of Dumb and Dumber. Two men on a scooter driving into the mountains of CO frozen. "This hog gets 35 miles to the gallon. Traded her straight up for the van." And then you see it, there are actually TWO people on the scooter. Really?!?!?

Craig and I laughed for a good couple of miles about that one. "Lloyd, just when I think you couldn't be any dumber, you go and do something like this. And TOTALLY redeem yourself." Ah, Jim Carey the golden years!