What is in your cup?

[CRussel]

Ah, the first real day of summer here! Overnight low of 13, it's now in the low 20's, and a beautiful day to sit out on the deck for lunch. Top down for an hour's drive to Gibsons to visit the dentist, and then back home. Aaahhhhhhh!

Lion Mountain Keemun.

[Stitchawl]

As I walk unto market
Each day I do hear the cry
Sweet apples, sweet oranges
Sweet apples, sweet oranges
Fresh, fresh for sale for you all today
Come and buy them
Sweet apples, sweet oranges

All alone I walk with no one
Beside me would you not buy
Sweet apples, sweet oranges
Sweet apples, sweet oranges
Walking through the stalls
I am amazed by them all
Come and buy them
Sweet apples, sweet oranges

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1l3_...=RDE1l3_rUGxdY )

Good morning, everyone! Happy May! Heavy rains last night cooled everything down, and this morning we can sit happily without needing the air conditioners, enjoying a cool breeze blowing through the house. Probably be hot again by this afternoon, but that's OK. And also OK is this 'English Breakfast' tea from Taylors of Harrogate! It never fails to please.
The Food Lady downstairs is going to get some real competition... There was a small vacant lot on the corner where she sets up that will soon no longer be vacant. The owner is renting out space to other vendors, so there will be a dozen different food, vegetable, and fruit sellers all plying their custom. Although she usually has 6-8 different prepared foods to sell, it will be nice to have an even greater variety.

OK... one more mug of tea, then downstairs to see what she's got today!


Stitchawl

[dreams]

Finally home and it's still warm outside. Waiting for my coffee to brew and making dinner. Then to just stare at the TV. Hopefully, there will be something on tonight.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by dreams

Finally home and it's still warm outside. Waiting for my coffee to brew and making dinner. Then to just stare at the TV. Hopefully, there will be something on tonight.

Get a TiVo my friend. Then there's always something on that you actually want to watch, because it's already been recorded and waiting for you. I've had a TiVo since they first released, while we were living in the Bay Area. And even though they are somewhat limited here in Canada, I still wouldn't be without it. (No HD support in Canada. At all. So I have to do my HD as streamed or bought.) It's really hard to understand just how much TiVo changes your relationship with television until you've had one for a bit.

Peet's Major Dickason's, and Lion Mountain Keemun in my travel mug for the trip to Vancouver this morning.

[Stitchawl]

A small glass of Bombay Sapphire, and then sleep.

Originally Posted by CRussel

Get a TiVo my friend. Then there's always something on that you actually want to watch, because it's already been recorded and waiting for you.

Charlie, does TiVo work in foreign countries? Do I need to have a cable account to use it, or is it internet-based?


Stitchawl

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

A small glass of Bombay Sapphire, and then sleep.



Charlie, does TiVo work in foreign countries? Do I need to have a cable account to use it, or is it internet-based?


Stitchawl

Basically, you can use some of the features over the internet (I routinely download HD video to my TiVo from Amazon.com and I can stream from Netflix, HuLu, etc.) but where TiVo makes a huge difference is broadcast/cable/Satellite TV. That depends on program data for your location, so that it knows what program is on, at what time, and on what channel. It also needs to know if it's a first-run, a repeat, or a live sporting event, since each of those can drive different behaviours. (I can have a season pass for "Elementary", for example, but it won't bother recording repeats since I set the season pass to only do first run. Or, I can tell it I want repeats if I'm trying to catch up on a season, or just enjoy watching M*A*S*H repeats.)

What TiVo offers is a GREAT interface, and smart software. I literally don't know when most of the programs I watch are actually on. TiVo knows. And knows that I really like watching old Fred Astaire movies, and I never, ever, want to miss a first run Rick Mercer Show, no matter WHAT else is on. And that curling matches should always have an extra 1/2 hour beyond when they are scheduled, just in case. And that I watch CBC's The National every night during the week, but not on the weekend. Etc., etc., etc.

Unfortunately, the only real places that TiVo is supported are the US, Canada (but not for HD), and the UK. There were folks in Australia doing some work to make TiVos work there (basically hacking the interface to connect to an internet-based source of program information), something we did in Canada for a number of years until we got official support, but I'm not sure what the status of that is these days. The big problem for us now is that TiVo has a dependency on CableCard to do HD programming. And our beloved CRTC*, in its infinite idiocy, has not chosen to enforce ANY standards on the Canadian cable companies, much less the CableCard standard that the US uses. So no way to control channel changing for HD channels.

Lion Mountain Keemun

*CRTC:=Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

[dreams]

I've thought about TiVo, but don't really watch that much TV. I was gifted an Apple TV and share a netflex account that has so much free content that it will be a few years before I watch all the programs that I want to watch.

I would like to get rid of cable someday. I am going to do some more research on the TiVo. Thanks Charlie.

Sumatra coffee in my cup and off to work.

[cromag]

Taking my time over my first mug of tea for the day, in my cable-free house. We have Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and antennas for local TV (one station stayed VHF after the switch to digital). No Tivo, but I've got a DVD recorder that I'm happy with.

[Stitchawl]

You've long been on the open road and sleeping in the rain,
from dirty words and muddy cells, your clothes are soiled and stained.
But the dirty words and muddy cells will soon be judged insane.
So only stop and rest yourself, and you'll be off again.
Oh, take off your thirsty boots and stay for awhile.
Your feet are hot and weary from the dusty miles.
And maybe I can make you laugh and maybe I can try.
Just looking for the evening and the morning in your eyes.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6FjXMbxwRU )

Good morning, everyone! Happy Friday! (I just double checked... it IS Friday.) It's funny... When I was working I never needed a calendar or an appointment book to know what the date was. Now that I'm not working I'm never sure! But I'm sure of my tea! It's unbranded Keemun, and it's great!

Originally Posted by CRussel

....................SNIP.............Unfortunately , the only real places that TiVo is supported are the US, Canada (but not for HD), and the UK.

Thanks, Charlie. Since moving back to Thailand, we've never bothered to subscribe to any cable companies. In fact, we don't even have a TV. I set up a large monitor in the living room with a wireless feed from my computer, and use that to watch movies when the mood strikes us, and the occasional TV series episode. Perhaps 4-5 hours a week at most. As far as programs go, I'd only be interested in a few; the Food Channel, History, Discovery, Nature, etc., and some movies. I've never seen an episode of The Simpsons, Seinfield, or Sex in the City, and 'reality' shows provide no interest for me, nor does the news. I'm afraid I'd make a poor paparazzi... I have no idea who most of the new stars are!


Stitchawl

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by dreams

I've thought about TiVo, but don't really watch that much TV. I was gifted an Apple TV and share a netflex account that has so much free content that it will be a few years before I watch all the programs that I want to watch.

I would like to get rid of cable someday. I am going to do some more research on the TiVo. Thanks Charlie.

Sumatra coffee in my cup and off to work.

Then you're the perfect candidate for TiVo. Neither my DW nor I watch all that much TV, but when we DO choose to watch, we always have something WE want to watch. The thing that people don't get until they have one is that you no longer watch TV. You watch TiVo. You completely change your relationship with TV. You are not at it's beck and call, it is now simply your tool. All the advantages of on-demand stream, plus smart Season Passes, even smarter Wishlists, and FF through commercials.

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Thanks, Charlie. Since moving back to Thailand, we've never bothered to subscribe to any cable companies. In fact, we don't even have a TV. I set up a large monitor in the living room with a wireless feed from my computer, and use that to watch movies when the mood strikes us, and the occasional TV series episode. Perhaps 4-5 hours a week at most. As far as programs go, I'd only be interested in a few; the Food Channel, History, Discovery, Nature, etc., and some movies. I've never seen an episode of The Simpsons, Seinfield, or Sex in the City, and 'reality' shows provide no interest for me, nor does the news. I'm afraid I'd make a poor paparazzi... I have no idea who most of the new stars are!
Stitchawl

Well, I admit, I used to enjoy Sex and the City, but all the rest? No thanks. But we do enjoy several British dramas and watch Jeopardy every night before going to bed. Oh, and I enjoy watching curling, and even sometimes golf. But ONLY on tape delay so I can stop it, get up, go do something, come back. No more being dependent on when they choose to have a break, it's under my control. And no commercials. I can't tell you how much I miss them. NOT.

Hotel coffee this morning, and some OJ that might actually have been fresh squeezed. If not, it was at least decent. Now waiting on the ferry to head back home.

[Gazella]

Warm milk with honey.

[Glorfindel]

Water.

[CRussel]

diet coke. Back home, and just in time for the rains to come.

[poohbear_nc]

Campari & soda - my warm weather libation ..

[cromag]

An after-dinner mug of tea.