My cable is out and the living is easy.

I just finished a pint of Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip ice cream.  It was yummy, but as I look down at the belly - my belly - protruding out and pressing against the base of my laptop it is not altogether satisfying.  I figure I should stop at some point and live up to New Year's Resolution Number (oh crap! I can't recall).  It has something to do with eating healthier.  Well, I guess I can just blame my wife for picking it up at the store. 

Anywho, as you can tell by the title, my cable is out.  I have no access to any television and as time wears on here I am a bit disappointed that I am not able to view American Idol this evening.  However, it does give me the opportunity to spend a few moments drafting this brief little post.  Since my cable is out, I think I will explain how I come to have cable with the current cable provider that doesn't seem to be able to give me an adequate cable feed to keep the HD television humming right along.

I get my cable from Time Warner.  In Columbus, Ohio, Time Warner has suffered a bad rap for failing to get the Big Ten Network right away.  For a single Ohio State Football Season, people in Columbus frantically went from sports bar to sports bar in order to see their favorite Buckeyes beat up on some subpar Big Ten opponent.  Even worse for Time Warner, they face stiff price competition from both AT&T and WOW and, of course, the Satellite subscribers - although they struggle without the broadband internet connection.  And to top off their problems, Time Warner can't seem to give me all of the channels I pay for and the connection is waving in and out.  Time Warner claims it is a digital TV transition issue.

Well, you may ask, or at least, I am going to discuss why I stay with Time Warner anyway.  It is because my uncle, through marriage, really my wife's uncle is a big wig at Time Warner.  So, even though Time Warner ticks me off, I am going to stay loyal to the brand in support of my uncle-in-law.  Some may find that strange given that my uncle-in-law's own brother, my father-in-law, gets satellite service and refuses to get Time Warner cable.  Maybe in a freemarket such as ours, I should just go for the lowest price and take my chances with AT&T and WOW.  I could do that, but then I would be taking my money and giving it to people I don't know.  I would rather contribute to my uncle's salary. 

So, all of you, get your cheaper and more efficient and better cable.  I will pay my uncle to give me nothing.  It doesn't make sense, even to me.

A New Year with some new and old resolutions

Another year and I have listed 10 more resolutions. I have struggled to actually resolve any or many of my previous resolutions - I failed all 10 last year - but I continue to believe in their value.

While many celebrate the new year by drinking and/or dining with friends, I usually reflect on the new year and make my list of resolutions. Except this year, I switched it up. I drank and dined with friends. I enjoyed New Years Eve but I felt I missed an opportunity to reflect on a new beginning.

So, here is my reflection and resolution dump. Here goes:

1.) Kick Diet Coke addiction.

2.) Eat healthier - This is a good resolution because it is vague and immeasurable. I have made the mistake in the past to make the goal measurable and it just highlights my failure. So, I resolve to eat healthier - HA!

3.) No new debt - While I certainly also hope to reduce debt, it is most important that I stop the bleeding before I heal the wound.

4.) Maintain a consistent fitness regimen.

5.) Meditate.

6.) Get involved in Franklin County Democratic Party.

7.) Get involved with Unitarian Universalist Church.

8.) Develop long term career strategy.

9.) Avoid wasting time on Facebook.

10.) Meet billable hours - I am an attorney and we have certain minimum hour goals to reach.

It feels somewhat dirty to be purposefully vague in drafting resolutions in order to avoid actually reaching any result. Or, I could look at it as an opportunity to be creative with what I propose to achieve. Anywho, I will work on this.