I love my TiVo.  Not only for the ability to record a show and watch it whenever, but the ability to rewind and watch good commercials like this one:

(I love the ending “I’ll be here all week… I will.. that’s my schedule!”)

If TiVo existed in the 1980s these are probably ones I would re-watch over and over….

First:  SIZZLEAN! This commercial features my friend Ginny.

Fast-talking John Moschitta’s Federal Express spot… when it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight…

Where’s the beef?

Raise your hand!!

And finally… Coke is IT!

Those are some of mine…. yours?

…. now Hagerstown wins the dubious honor of being the fattest city in Maryland.

Maybe someone can make a calendar showing off the thinnest people in Hagerstown and a media outlet can do a pointless, poorly thought-out, off-target promotion to give away a free weight-loss program to one winner.

I’ve been watching the early seasons of this show and I have a couple of observations…

1) CTU is pretty inept. They are seemingly incapable of seeing obvious impending attacks. If there’s such an agency in the US (and I’m sure there is…) I pray they are not as inept as these asshats.  The current season is Day 8 and while things are a bit better, they still miss REALLY obvious stuff.

2) Kim Bauer should really just be locked up somewhere, for her own safety.  How many times is this woman going to get abducted by various bad people, or held hostage by crazy people, or just generally causing disarray for herself and her father? I really just want to slap her for these stupid decisions she makes.

3) Jack Bauer is brilliantly portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland, but he’s a bit of an inept twat much of the time.  He seems to be 97% FAIL, 2.999% TORTURE and .001% WIN.  That said… last season he tasered a phone, and that was pretty cool.

4) It’s strange to see Dennis Haysbert not selling insurance.

Why is it that the friends you consistently are willing to listen to when they are having a bad day and need to vent the least likely to return the favor?  Just an observation on the nature of human interaction.

Call the Nestle Crunch Hotline 1-800-295-0051. When you are asked if you want to continue in English or Spanish, just wait quietly for about 5 seconds and you will smile. Keep going and press 4 listen to the options…then press 7.  When you are done laughing, go back and try some of the other items from the menu…

Have a great night, my friends!

These are in no particular order:

1) Star Trek: Next Generation, season 7.

2) Pushing Daisies, starting with season 1.

3) Entourage, starting with season 1.

4) Mad Men, starting with season 1.

5) Six Feet Under, starting with season 1.

6) Dead Like Me, starting with season 1.

7) X-Files, starting with season 1.

NCIS, starting with season 1.

9) Boston Legal, starting with season 1.

0) Whatever the cable networks are running in marathon mode?

So reply in the comments or via twitter…. if you care.

Here are some fun clips I’ve noted over the last few days… thought I’d share them

First up:  Cat in a Jacket Sleeve…

Here’s “Upular” by Pogo:

If this doesn’t make you smile.. Merry Christmas from the Animals of YouTube:

Christmas Laser Beam Cats:

Part 2 of the series of things I’ve learned in 2009. Some are amusing, some are enlightening and many are both.

#2: You can’t make people behave in ways which go against their own self-awareness and mental configuration.  People do the things they do because of how they are wired, how they were raised, what motivations they come to possess as they mature and probably dozens of factors of which neither you nor they are aware.  It can be frustrating to see someone treating you badly, or dishonestly, but in reality, it’s usually easier just to let them do what they do and cope with it by figuring out ways to get what you need out of the relationship.  Sometimes the person doesn’t know that they are being what amounts to evil, and I’ve always wanted to believe that was the case the majority of the time.  Unfortunately, that isn’t the case.  The sad reality is that 90% of the time, those people who treat others in evil ways, are fully aware of what they’re doing, they just are incapable of recognizing that how they’re behaving is despicable.  Vile behavior is unavoidable.  If you accept that that is how many people are, life is more peaceful than if you try to fight it or re-shape them to meet your needs.

As 2009 comes to a close, I’ve learned a few things.  Some are amusing, some are enlightening, many are both!

#1:  When someone says something insensitive or ignorant, whether it is about you, or not… it’s always more effective to simply stare at them from across the conference room table with the slightest of smile and a twinkle in your eye.  Don’t say anything, just fix your gaze at them until they get so painfully uncomfortable that they won’t look at you for the remainder of the meeting.

This is really the greatest time of year… warm-ish days, chilly nights.

I think the thing I miss most during late-Fall and Winter is the shortage of wine festivals (and beer festivals too)… at least the outdoor type.  I know there are indoor events and tastings, but most of those don’t excite me that much… although I’m more than happy to go LOL.

I managed to make it to the VA Wine Festival again this year, and that’s always a great time… there is something about an early fall day in the sunshine, sampling wine with friends and just relaxing, that being indoors doesn’t bring.  Unfortunately, circumstance and timing made me miss several of my favorites… Linganore’s monthly festivals from May to October are always mellow, fun times, even if the wine sampling is limited to their own varieties.  It’s the perfect place to hang out with friends a picnic lunch and a few bottles of wine. I also missed Wine In The Woods @ Merriweather… It’s in Symphony Woods which might possibly be the perfect outdoor wine festival venue.  Again, a great environment, incredible food and of course the best Maryland Wines too.

We’re lucky that there’s a local winery right here in town too… Frederick Cellars on East Street is great.  I did a broadcast there last Friday and had a chance to spend time with Charlie and Emily and their staff… great people and really good wine too!

This lamenting of the end of the outdoor wine festival season brings me to my greater point… Should you be looking for the perfect gift for me… (hint hint hint) might I suggest:

• Kluge Estate Winery (Charlottesville, VA) : Cru (Aged in Jack Daniels Barrels… SO GOOD!)
• Linganore Winecellars: Maryland Sangria (Great anytime, but especially in summer, with fresh citrus!) and to take the winter chill off… a mug of warmed Spiced Apple is perfect.
• Frederick Cellars: Reisling, Trail’s End, City Lights (also a great wine gift shop and yummy bistro menu too!)

So there you go… I started out to kinda gripe about the change of the seasons and we ended up with a small shopping list and a not so subtle hint for some good Christmas gifts for me.