Category Archives: Fun

U-Verse vs Time Warner Cable

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After taking a break from cable TV service for a few months to save up for the house, on Friday we had AT&T U-Verse installed at our new address. U-Verse is a fairly new service that can provide voice, TV, and Internet access over the same line. Technically, it runs over a fiber optic network to your neighborhood and then over the phone line the rest of the way. The technician installs a small box on the exterior of your house and runs an ethernet cable through the wall to an interior outlet, which he plugs into the U-Verse “hub” inside your house. The hub serves as a wireless router with decent speed and range. It also passes the TV signal along to a separate receiver.

The installation was pain-free, about 2 hours in length, with no digging in my yard like I think you’d get with Verizon FIOS. We’re getting TV and Internet but not voice. For the first couple of days I had a few problems with the Internet connection. Service was spotty, and I kept having to log into my own network every time I put my laptop to sleep. I also had a couple of minor issues with the TV service. But now, a few days later, both are working very well. It seems like all the widgets had to learn how to play nicely together. I just have one minor problem with my mail software, so I might call later this week.

For similar programming, U-Verse seems to be a bit more expensive, but you also get more. I went with U-Verse mainly for two reasons: 1) More HD channels than Time Warner. 2) The ability to program my DVR remotely via phone or computer. It also adds some other nice features such as PIP preview, instant channel changing (instead of the delay I got from TW), free access to thousands of AT&T hotspots around the country, and interactive weather. The main thing I dislike about the TV service is the digital music. It offers some nice channels but is missing a “spa music” channel I liked on TW, and I prefer TW’s on-screen trivia for the current song. But overall I like it. Actually, I’m just happy to have TV again. We’re happily recording episodes of The Simpsons and NCIS, watching the Stanley Cup playoffs and HGTV in beautiful high definition, and cranking up the subwoofer on everything from BB King to Taylor Swift. I’m seeing a Super Bowl party in our future…

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UPDATE 12/31/09: We canceled U-Verse TV after several months. Although we enjoyed the service, it was costing us about $80 a month, more than comparable service with Time Warner Cable. We bought an HD antenna instead. Sure, we miss the channels and music we lost, but we love getting to keep the money. We still use U-Verse internet, which I do NOT like. The provided (required!) router drops the connection probably once per hour, taking about 20 seconds to re-establish it. The speed is variable, sometimes close to the advertised speed, sometimes much slower. I’m supposedly running 3.0 mbps but Skype teleconference is really rough and jerky. I would switch to TW cable internet, but we don’t have any cable outlets or a cable modem and I don’t want to pay for them. Eventually, though, I’ll probably make the switch because this is ridiculous.

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Department of Redundancy Department

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Have you noticed how often people use redundant phrases without even realizing it? Here are a few examples.

  • ATM Machine – Since ATM stands for Automatic Teller Machine, the incorrect version is actually saying Automatic Teller Machine Machine.
  • PIN Number – Similarly, a PIN is a Personal Identification Number, so it’s unnecessary to add an extra “number” at the end.
  • Hot Water Heater – As opposed to the cold water heater? Jenny used to work for a plumbing company, and apparently plumbers HATE this one.
  • Tuna Fish – I’d rather have the tuna chicken, thanks.
  • Cease and Desist – Can I cease and persist instead?
  • Please RSVP – RSVP is an abbreviation for the French phrase repondez s’il vous plait or literally respond if you please.

If you enjoy studying quirks like these, here’s another website that lists dozens more. Can you think of any redundant phrases, particularly ones that really irritate you?

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The Scoop on Chipotle

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I love me some Chipotle. I would probably eat there every week if Jenny would tolerate it. Supposedly Freebirds makes a mean burrito as well, an even bigger one, but I haven’t been there yet. I like Chipotle because they make good, inexpensive food and try to be environmentally responsible by using locally grown produce and less-tampered-with meat.

After polishing off a particularly huge burrito Thursday night (got a coupon in the mail for a free burrito – SWEET!), I decided to look up the nutritional content. It takes a little work since you have to add up each ingredient. My typical burrito adds up to about 900 calories. Yikes! Then I always get chips that I sort of split with Jenny. A full bag is 570 calories. During non-Lent I add a Coke. So we’re looking at potentially 1600-1700 calories in one meal, a meal that seems to be fairly healthy. After all, it does have grilled chicken and black beans! Hmm…maybe I should start skipping those chips. ‘Cause you know I’m not skipping the burrito.

Bucket List

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Some of you might have seen a 2007 movie called The Bucket List, starring the great Jack Nicholson and the (even better?) Morgan Freeman. In case you haven’t, it’s about two older men who learn that they are both dying of cancer. Instead of wasting away in a hospital bed waiting for the end, they make a “bucket list” of things they want to do before they, well, kick the bucket. Then they escape from the hospital and start checking things off. I really enjoyed the movie on many levels, especially the premise. It got me thinking: what would be on MY bucket list? Should I make one? If so, why shouldn’t I start checking things off now? Here are a few items on my list in no particular order:

  • Go skydiving (but I promised Mom I would wait until after she, um, kicks the bucket because the very idea of me skydiving terrifies her)
  • Watch Wimbledon live.
  • Go into space and orbit the earth. If I’d said that 100 years ago, people would have laughed at me. Now it’s reality if you can afford it.
  • Cage dive with great whites in Australia.
  • Watch the Stars play a Canadian team IN CANADA. Ideally it would be Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but another game would be OK, too.
  • See Victoria Falls in Zambia.
  • Meet one of the children we sponsor through WorldVision.
  • Personally lead someone to Christ.
  • Somehow acquire a huge amount of money and use it to create a charitable foundation.
  • Drive a Dodge Viper.
  • Fly in a 747. Preferably business class in the “bubble” on top.
  • Run a half-marathon.
  • Meet my grandchildren.
  • Pay off my house.
  • Get a screenplay produced.
  • Visit the Holy Land.
  • Take Jenny on a Mediterranean cruise. (btw, Jenny is somehow involved in most of these even if I don’t mention her each time)
  • Leave a $100 bill as a tip for a really good waiter.

That’s a good start, I think. Some might be possible within the next few years. Others might be impossible. Either way, it’s good to have goals to pursue. Now it’s your turn! Write up your own bucket list and post it here.