Sigh

The 97th annual Tour de France is going on now and I'm missing it. It started July 3rd and runs through July 25th. There are twenty stages and the race covers a total distance of 3642 kilometers or 2263 miles.

Other years I’d have taken days off to watch a few of the stages live because I love it. This year I didn’t. I have no TV provider. Part of my decision to get rid of TV was because they dropped the channel that carries this race. Sure I could have switched back to the local cable company but I’ve already had too many disagreements with them. And they just announced they’re raising rates yet again.

I considered moving in at the bar on my corner since it is a sports bar with 32 big screen TVs. But then I’d need to eat there every day. And take my computer to work on during slow bits. And my cats would feel neglected so I’d need to take them with me as well. Harry would want to hang out in the kitchen, helping to cook. Quinn would shed all over everyone. Bix and Kya would sprawl wherever it’s most inconvenient and Beau would chew his way around the room.

I don’t think they’d be very happy with me. I’d want all the TVs tuned to the race, not just the one closest to me. Hey, don’t want to miss anything as I wander around to snag the kitties. Even though the tour is on live in the mornings some silly people would still want to watch soccer and tennis and those sorts of things. They don’t understand and I doubt they’d be reasonable when I tried to explain why we needed to switch back to the bike race.

Happy weekend!

TV or Not TV?

I called my cable company yesterday. Why? Because I sat down and thought about it and realized that I am paying $86.58/month to watch 12 hours of television during months when shows aren’t repeats. I watch Dr. Who and Torchwood on BBC America and Monk on USA. Oh I do watch other things, repeats of the Gilmore Girls, old movies and the Graham Norton Show but none are things I seek out or worry about missing if I’m busy doing something else.

Okay so back to the cable company. I called them because that’s a ridiculous amount of money for next to nothing. I reached a very pleasant woman after only 8 levels of automatic nonsense. I explained my quandary and then asked what I could eliminate to decrease the cost while keeping the two channels I watch. Her answer, nothing. To have cable at all basic service is required. Standard cable, the next level up includes USA Network. The third tier, digital preferred contains BBC America. I then asked about true ala carte service, wanting to pay only for the shows I actually watch. Nope, not available. This I think is bogus. The whole system is computerized. There is an on demand function with a gazillion movies and specials available at the touch of a button. I think it’s more likely that they’d lose too much money on people like me if they charged by the program.

This was when I listed my three options. One, I could stop paying my cable bill in protest like many people I know. I’m told it takes about three months for them to get around to disconnecting cable service. Two, I can switch to direct TV. The slightly less pleasant woman pointed out that the channels I watch may not be available. They are. I asked a friend at work who has it. Also, the alternate service in my area may not be any cheaper. It is per the same friend. Three, I can get rid of TV altogether. I spent the first two years after I purchased my home without it and I survived quite nicely. I’m sure I could again. Besides, the shows I watch are available on DVD eventually. Also I can watch them a day later on the Internet if I don’t mind my smaller computer screen. Moderately disgruntled customer service woman didn’t champion any of the above.

Yes, definitely something to consider before the next bill is due.

BTW, luncheon with my great aunt was very nice. She’s the same sweetie as always but with a cold this visit. We went to Olive Garden. Great food but overly efficient service to the point of rushing us. Our meals were brought after the second bite of soup/salad. I decided to forego my delicious creamy potato/sausage/kale soup in favor of my asiago steak with cheese filled tortellini while it was still hot. Yummy, which I did make sure to mention as I informed the manager of the excessive speed of the servers on the way out when he stopped us to ask.